Papa-artzi!

I was about to review a recent museum exhibit of a friend and hit a little snag. Before the reception I asked the guard if I could take a few pictures to go with my story, and he wasn't sure, he'd ask. When the artist arrived I explained what I was up to, and could I take a few shots for the blog and without a blink said, "No, you can't."

This surprised me: it must have something to do with being in the blogbiz. I'm so used to posting images I've personally taken or "borrowed" from or linked to a Web site. To me at this point in my life/career I can see no ill effects from having images of my work sent around the world and viewed by millions (that's recent ionarts stats, with margin for error). I still believe in the concept of copyright. If there is money to be made from my images I want my cut and I want to retain control of all commercial uses; call me old-fashioned.

I left the reception a little agitated: it seemed so outdated not to want to have a few shots taken of your artwork for a review. OK, so I might like/need a little more attention than my friend, but with help I'm working through the issue. This does strike me as second nature for those of us who blog or frequent art sites. In time, I hope it becomes more acceptable. For now, don't ask, don't tell.