Flickr and the Creative Commons

Photo by the White House Official Photostream

Digital Communism and the Creative Commons

Flickr has long been one of my favourite sites on the Internet. Easy to navigate, full of fantastic images, and with a system (the Creative Commons) that allows everyone to properly acknowledge the authors of work.

Any business, blogger or journalist can benefit from Flickr by properly (and ethically) using the Creative Commons. Just today Kate Day (@kate_day) pointed out that The Official White House Photostream had made available an album documenting President Barack Obama’s first 100 days in office.

The image at the top of this post is taken from that collection, and so is this below:

Photo by the White House Official Photostream

It’s almost impossible to estimate how much such a picture would have cost just a decade ago – or, indeed, if it would have been possible in the first place. Now you can use it for yourself for free. All you have to do is abide by the terms of the license which asks that the original author is given credit.

And testament to the pace, versatility and quality of Flickr, here are another five photos that have been added in just the last two weeks; each of them quite brilliant.

Five Creative Commons Photos from Flickr in April

1. Charlotte by Gattou/Lucie I try but miss time to catch up : o

2. Swing on BART by y3rdua

3. So Billy said, hey Stagger! I’m gonna make my big attack. I’m gonna have to leave my knife in your back by harold.lloyd (won’t somebody think of the bokeh?)

4. A spasso nel senese in primavera by carlotardani

5. The only difference between me and a madman is that I am not mad by this chaplady