Understanding Royalty-Free Stock Photos

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Posted on August 30th, 2006 | Subscribe in a Reader | Subscribe by Email

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In Web Design and Print Design, we always use images on our designs and most new designers get their images from other sites found in a image search. They might not know about it but copying images from other sites is stealing and violates copyright laws, and some site owners are very serious about their copyright.

So what is Royalty Free? According to Wikipedia:

Royalty-free describes material (typically graphics such as stock photography and icons, but also sound such as music loop samples) that may be used for profit, without paying royalties. Royalty-free media is usually acquired for a ‘one time only’ fee, although public domain imagery and many works created under a copyleft license are also usable without paying royalties or an initial fee.

What is a Stock Photo? According to Wikipedia:

Stock photography consists of existing photographs that can be licensed for specific uses. Book publishers, specialty publishers, magazines, advertising agencies, filmmakers, web designers, graphic artists, interior decor firms, corporate creative groups, and other entities utilize stock photography to fulfill the needs of their creative assignments.

What is a Royalty-Free Stock Photo? Here is a basic overview:

1. Pay a one-time fee to use the image multiple times for multiple purposes (with limits).
2. No time limit on when you can use an image.
3. No one can have exclusive rights of a Royalty-free image (the photographer can sell the image as many times as he wants).
4. A Royalty-free image usually has a limit to how many times you can reproduce it. For example, a license might allow you to print 500,000 brochures with the purchased image. The amount of copies made is called the print run. Above that print run you are required to pay a fee per brochure, usually 1 to 3 cents. Magazines with a large print run cannot use a standard Royalty-free license and therefore they either purchase images with a Rights-managed license or have in-house photographers.

Buying Royalty-Free Stock Photos are very cheap (lowest price costs a dollar) and you will have no problems from copyright infringement, as long as you follow your image rights. I recommend you get stock photos here. They have over a million cheap stock photos with a minimum of 1686 x 1127 pixels, only for a dollar each.

Do the right thing and buy a stock photo instead of stealing from other sites. It only costs a dollar, you know.

Watching Cable TV on my PC / Laptop / Desktop

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Posted on August 16th, 2006 | Subscribe in a Reader | Subscribe by Email

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I am very happy to have found this software: TVUPlayer. It currently broadcasts 38 Channels and it has HBO, Cartoon Network, CNN, ESPN and Disney Channel. I think its really cool since I won’t have to pay any Cable TV subscription, saving me $10/mo., or buy a PCTV card, which costs $100. I can now watch Cable TV for free on my PC, but if I miss the local channels (ABS-CBN, Studio 23, GMA), I will go watch in the regular TV. I might buy an additional monitor to extend my desktop, very soon.

TVUPlayer is owned by TVU networks
TVU networks is a new global live TV service that enables TV Broadcasters and private individuals to broadcast TV channels to a global audiences over the Internet. TVU offers a consumer service which aggregates these high-quality TV channels into a format similar to a cable service for the PC. Consumers will be able to watch free live channels from around the globe as well as subscribe to pay channels and pay-per-view events.

My ABS-CBN Wowowee Audition

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Posted on August 2nd, 2006 | Subscribe in a Reader | Subscribe by Email

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Earlier this afternoon Willie Revillame announced at 1:45pm that everybody within ages 16 to 25 years old, with “Jr” in their names are invited to join the Willie of Fortune and have a chance to win over P100,000 in cash plus any of the following: multicab, scooter, pedicab or a small business franchise.

Since I am a “Jr” (Alfredo Jr), I was so excited to join that I immediately left to go to ABS-CBN and try my luck in the audition. I arrived an hour later (2:45pm) and found out that there are already 50+ contestants lining up for the audition. The security guard said we will have to wait until 5:30pm before the audition can begin. OMG! Did you know how many in total who showed up? Over 900! Remember, only 6 contestants are needed for the Willie of Fortune, which makes it very difficult for me or any of us to be selected Continue reading »

A La Juventud Filipina / To The Filipino Youth by Jose Rizal

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Posted on August 2nd, 2006 | Subscribe in a Reader | Subscribe by Email

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I got several search queries on my site looking for Dr. Jose Rizal’s poem “A La Juventud Filipina” also known as “To The Philippine Youth / To the Filipino Youth” or “Sa Kabataang Pilipino” in Filipino. Here it is. In 1879, Artistic Literary Lyceum of Manila, a society of literary men and artists held a literary contest. Jose Rizal at that time only eighteen years old, submitted the poem, A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth) where he earned first prize. This was the first poem ever written by a native Filipino and it aroused the nationalistic concept among the Filipinos.

This poem titled “A la Juventud Filipina,” which he wrote in 1879 at the age of 18, Rizal approved the idea of a Philippine identity different from that of Spain, but there he also acknowledges the the benefits that mother country had bestowed on the Philippines.

(The image on the left is his picture when he was 18 while studying at University of Santo Tomas. As you can see Uso din noon ang hair style ng kabataan ngayon)

A La Juventud Filipina Spanish version Alza su tersa frente, Juventud Filipina, en este día! Luce resplandeciente Tu rica gallardía, Bella esperanza de la Patria Mia!Vuela, genio grandioso, Y les infunde noble pensamiento, Que lance vigoroso, Mas rápido que el viento, Su mente virgen al glorioso asiento.Baja con la luz grata De las artes y ciencias a la arena, Juventud, y desata La pesada cadena Que tu genio poético encadena. Ve que en la ardiente zona Do moraron las sombras, el hispano Esplendente corona, Con pia sabia mano, Ofrece al hijo de este suelo indiano. Tu, que buscando subes, En alas de tu rica fantasía, Del Olimpo en las nubes Tiernisima poesía Más sabrosa que néctar y ambrosía. Tu, de celeste acento, Melodioso rival Filomena, Que en variado concento En la noche serena Disipas del mortal la amarga pena. Tu que la pena dura Animas al impulso de tu mente, Y la memoria pura Del genio refulgente Eternizas con genio prepotente. Y tu, que el vario encanto De Febo, amado del divino Apeles, Y de natura el manto Con mágicos pinceles Trasladar al sencillo lienzo sueles. Corred! que sacra llama Del genio el lauro coronar espera, Esparciendo la fama Con trompa pregonera El nombre del mortal por la ancha espera. Dia, dia felice, Filipinas gentil, para tu suelo! Al Potente bendice Que con amante anhelo La ventura te envia y el consuelo.

To The Philippine Youth English version Unfold, oh timid flower !Lift up your radiant brow, This day, Youth of my native strand ! Your abounding talents show Resplendently and grand, Fair hope of my Motherland !Soar high, oh genius great, And with noble thoughts fill their mind; The honor’s glorious seat, May their virgin mind fly and find More rapidly than the wind. Descend with the pleasing light Of the arts and sciences to the plain, Oh Youth, and break forthright The links of the heavy chain That your poetic genius enchain. See that in the ardent zone, The Spaniard, where shadows stand, Doth offer a shining crown, With wise and merciful hand To the son of this Indian land. You, who heavenward rise On wings of your rich fantasy, Seek in the Olympian skies The tenderest poesy, More sweet than divine honey; You of heavenly harmony, On a calm unperturbed night, Philomel’s match in melody, That in varied symphony Dissipate man’s sorrow’s blight; You at th’ impulse of your mind The hard rock animate And your mind with great pow’r consigned Transformed into immortal state The pure mem’ry of genius great; And you, who with magic brush On canvas plain capture The varied charm of Phoebus, Loved by the divine Apelles, And the mantle of Nature; Run ! For genius’ sacred flame Awaits the artist’s crowning Spreading far and wide the fame Throughout the sphere proclaiming With trumpet the mortal’s name Oh, joyful, joyful day, The Almighty blessed be Who, with loving eagerness Sends you luck and happiness

Sa Kabataang Pilipino Filipino version Itaas ang iyong Malinis na noo Sa araw na ito, Kabataang Pilipino! Igilas mo na rin ang kumikinang mong Mayamang sanghaya Magandang pag-asa ng Bayan kong Mutya!Makapangyarihang wani’y lumilipad, At binibigyang ka ng muning mataas, Na maitutulad ng ganap na lakas, Mabilis na hangin, sa kanyang paglipad, Malinis na diwa, sa likmuang hangad.Ikaw ay bumaba Na taglay ang ilaw Ng sining at agham Sa paglalabanan, Bunying kabataan, At iyong kalagiun ang gapos mong iyang Tanikalang bakal na kinatalian Ng matulain mong waning kinagisnan. Ikaw na lagi nang pataas nag lipad, Sa pakpak ng iyong Mayamang pangarap, Na iyong Makita sa Ilimpong ulap Ang lalong matamis Na mag tulaing pinakananais, Ng higit ang sarap Kaysa “ambrosia” at “nectar” na awagas Ng mga bulaklak. Ikaw na may tinig Na buhat sa langit, Kaagaw sa tamis Na kay Filomenang Malinis na hiomig, Sa gabing tahimik Ay pinaparam mo ang sa taong sakit, Ikaw, na ang batong sukdulan ng tigas Sa lakas ng iyong diwa’y nagagawad Ng buhay at gilas, At ang alaalang makislap Ay nabibigayan ng kamay mong masikap Ng buhay na walang masasabing wakes. At ikaw, na siyang Sa may iba’t ibang Balani ni Febong kay Apelas mahal, Gayundin sa lambong ng katalagahan, Na siayng sa guhit ng pinsel mong tanga’y Nakapaglilipat sa kayong alinman; Hayo na’y tumakbo! Sapagka’t ang banal Na ningas ng wani’y nais maputungan Kayong naglalama’y, At maipamansag ng tambuling tangan, Saan man humanggan, Ang ngalan ng tao, sa di matulusang Lawak ng palibot na nakasasaklaw. Malwalhating araw, Ito, Pilipinas, sa lupang tuntungan! Ang Lumikha’y dapat na pasalamatan, Dahilan sa kanyang mapagmahal, Na ikaw’y pahatdan.

Looking for more of Rizal’s poems with translations? Write to me and I will see what I can do.
You might also be interested to read his other work, Mi Ultimo Adios / My Last Farewell / Pahimakas.