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Graphics posed an even greater problem. Sometimes it took weeks of research just to locate who might own a certain copyright so that permission to use an image could be requested. Companies go out of business, change names, and merge, sometimes many times over. Copyright pursuit stories could make for an entire book! I had been forewarned about the difficulties of obtaining permissions. An editor friend in the field of history had worked on a new history text that could appeal to students today with its variety of graphics. Permissions were so impossible to obtain that the book ended up being all text. I ran into much the same. The world’s historical images are being snatched up by large firms, who then resell them to others that are too expensive for authors of research or textbooks. I encountered some firms that wouldn’t even consider granting permission unless an upfront fee of $100 was paid for them to open their files, and that had nothing to do with what would be charged for using the actual copyright, if granted at all. With about one hundred images being considered for my book, it would not take much for me to expend my bank account just on fees.
The world’s historical images are being snatched up by large firms, who then resell them to others that are too expensive for authors of research or textbooks. I encountered some firms that wouldn’t even consider granting permission unless an upfront fee of $100 was paid for them to open their files, and that had nothing to do with what would be charged for using the actual copyright, if granted at all. With about one hundred images being considered for my book, it would not take much for me to expend my bank account just on fees.
Fortunately, to my surprise, many companies and organizations were very supportive. Sometimes this included some of the larger corporations such as makers of automobiles, whiskey, and farm machinery. Given the nature of my book and printing run, they freely granted permission to use their copyrighted material at no cost as long as proper credit was given. On the other hand, some companies demanded the right to review my text. Some absolutely forbade any use of their images. Cigarette companies were the worse, seeming to fear that their product images would be used in negative ways. Some auto companies seemed to respond in the same way. My publisher recommended that I not even try to request permission to use covers or inside graphics for such magazines as Life.
Disney was completely out, and other motion picture companies could grant some use, but their fees were too great. They seem set up for selling their images to business concerns that stand to make millions off their product, rather than research books, for which authors are lucky to even break even on what they have put into it. Given the time and cost, the copyright problem was vexing when I knew some of the other clipper books with extensive graphics did not even bother with copyright concerns. Copyright protection is important to me as an author and to my publisher, so we tried to obtain the necessary permissions and obey the rules of fair use. In the end, the book still could contain enough graphics to accomplish what it set out to show, though it is a shame that many of the best images could not be shown.
Images were captured through the use of an Olympus Camedia D-40Zoom digital camera, with a smart card that could be inserted into a HP Photosmart 2610 all-in-one printer/fax/scanner. Editing was accomplished with JASC Paint Shop Pro Studio. Anyone with questions about the problems, challenges, and process of producing such a book is invited to email at weirlg@pacifier.com. There’s more to the story!
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