­Flickr is one of the largest photo sharing web resource. It hosts millions of images taken my amateur and professional photographers.

This is a quick guide which explains the copyrights and Creative Commons attributes of images on flickr and how to search for an appropriate image under proper CC license. Understanding these restrictions will help you in finding right (and trouble free) images for your site or blog.

Understanding different License conditions as per Creative Commons:
First you need to understand the following four conditions

Attribution

Means you can copy, distribute and display the images(or any other piece of work). Also you can create derivative of the image. You can alter and modify the image at your will.. All you need to do is provide proper credit to original owner (Like linking back to the profile of uploader or direct flickr image page).

Noncommercial

Means you can copy, display and distribute the work but only for non commercial purpose.

No Derivative Works

Means you can copy, display and distribute the work as it is. You can not modify the work in any form.

Share Alike

Means you can use the image or work and distribute or display it under the same license to this one.

Flickr and CC License:
Images on flickr are either strictly copyrighted or fall under six CC license.  Images marked as copyrighted (All Rights Reserved) are not meant to be copied or used in any any form. You cannot display or use these images until and unless you have prior permission from original author.  Rest, other images are uploaded under following sic license.

Attribution License

Images uploaded under this license are best to use for your blog or site. You can modify these images and use it in any form you like. All you need to do is provide a proper credit and linkback to original owner.
Click here to search Images under Attribution License

Attribution-NoDerivs License

You can use these images as long as you credit the photographer and do not modimy the image. Images under this license are also a fair good deal for your blog or site.
Click here to search Images under Attribution-NoDerivs License

Attribution-NonCommercial License

You are free to modify and use these images by providing proper credit to photographer (or uploader). These images cannot be used for any commercial purpose. So if your blog or site is monetized by any paid advertising like Google Adsense, better not to use these type of images.
Also while using these type of images, its necessary to look into future possibilities of monetizing your blog/site. Your site/blog may not be displaying any paid advertisements right now, but in future you may change your mind and start monetizing the ad spaces. So better avoid these type of images on your webpage.
Click here to search Images under Attribution-NonCommercial License

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License

Same as above one. But you are restricted to modify the images in any form and use them as it is.
Click here to search Images under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License

Attribution-ShareAlike License

You are free to use and modify the images until you credit the photographer release the work under same license.
Click here to search Images under Attribution-ShareAlike License

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License

Same as above. But the images cannot be used for any commercial purpose. You cannot use these type of images if your webpage as any paid ad space (like banners, text links or Contextual ads like Google adsense).
Click here to search Images under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License

I hope you will find above tutorial helpful If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to ask in comment space of this blog entry.­

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