Zoo animal art work and copyright

Question

How much should I consider about copyright?

Taking a animal photo from zoo and upload to microstock: -> will this call copyright problem?
Tracing the zoo photo convert to "vector art": -> copyright problem?
Tracing the zoo photo for similarly drawing as "digital painting": -> copyright problem?

Is there a book about graphic design copyright?

As you see from other comments on the (currently, only) answer, there is some confusion about whether you mean "take a photo from the zoo" or "take a photo at the zoo". The former would mean a photo originally taken by someone else; the latter is your own original picture. The answers are different for each case. — Andrew Leach, Dec 12 '13 at 22:23

TunaMaxx · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-12 22:12:36Z

1

I am not a lawyer, and things may be different depending on where you live, but...

Nobody has any right to claim reproduction rights on an animal. As long as the Zoo does not prohibit you from taking pictures, take all the pictures you like. Then upload them to microstock all you like as well.
Vectorizing your own photos that you took at the zoo will never infringe on anyone's rights. Go ahead and vectorize.
Tracing your own photos you took at the zoo instead? See #2 above with regard to vectorizing. Go ahead!

As for a book about Copyrights? There are many, but make sure they apply to you. Copyright law varies from place to place.

answered Dec 12 '13 at 21:47

TunaMaxx

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2

Pun intended on reproduction rights? (sorry...couldn't help myself :P) – Brendan Dec 12 '13 at 21:52
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If you in your question 3 mean tracing, manipulating a photo that someone else has taken, or an image that is from the zoo, then, yes, you are infringing on copyrights. – benteh Dec 12 '13 at 21:54
@Brendan Ha! No, pun not intended, but that is pretty funny when you think of it that context. – TunaMaxx Dec 12 '13 at 22:07
@boblet Good point. I didn't take the question that way, but you are right. If any of those questions refer to pictures taken by someone else, then yes, then there is likely some infringement if it doesn't fall under fair use. I'll modify my answer a bit to make it more clear that I'm talking about personally shot photos. – TunaMaxx Dec 12 '13 at 22:08
It might well be me that misunderstood. But question 2 and 3 seems to be the same, unless he means "official photos from the zoo". – benteh Dec 12 '13 at 22:12

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