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Original poster

To ask how to obtain illustrations for an e-book

33 replies

Sunnyday125 · 19/04/2019 18:38

Thinking of doing an e-book
Any advice on 1) How to go about doing an e-book ?
and 2) How do I obtain images for it ?
I want to use photos . If I get them from the internet , how do I make sure they aren’t copyrighted? Thanks
Ps going out shortly but will look at replies later in case it looks like I’m not updating/ replying
Thanks!

OP posts:
Beamur · 19/04/2019 18:41

My DD has an account with an app called something like desyner which she uses for the bits of fan fic she posts to design covers/titles for.

bridgetreilly · 19/04/2019 18:41

(1) Google it. Seriously. There are plenty of detailed tutorials on how to format and upload your ebook.

(2) Commission an artist. Assume everything on the internet is copyrighted.

bridgetreilly · 19/04/2019 18:42

Actually, also on (3) there are sites with some photos available for free commercial use. Try librestock or pixabay. Or go to a paid stock photo site and pay.

LunaFortuna · 19/04/2019 18:45

You can’t get them from the internet, the copyright will belong to someone. If you find one you like, you could approach the photographer and ask to buy a license to use it. Alternatively there are stock sites you can use or you can commission a photographer if you want photos that are exclusive to you.

jenthelibrarian · 19/04/2019 18:53

If you find a photo you like on Flickr, or a similar site, and contact the photographer via the site email link you can ask to use their photo.

This is how a picture of mine was used as an illustration in a Dorling Kindersley book.

I have full credit in the list at the back of the book and the lovely kudos of being published by DK.

Similarly photos of mine are on several websites, from architectural shots to botanical subjects Grin

LunaFortuna · 19/04/2019 19:10

Please expect to pay - credit pays no bills!

Original poster
Sunnyday125 · 19/04/2019 23:40

How much would normally be charged for use of one photo?
I guess the only other alternative is to take the photos myself . It’s of some landmarks.
I take it there’s no problems with me using photos of landmarks that I’ve taken?
Thanks for replies so far

OP posts:
LunaFortuna · 20/04/2019 10:19

Hi Sunnyday - how much depends on what photo you want, what you want to use it for, how many copies you might potentially sell etc. You are probably fine to use photos you have taken yourself but that also depends on what the landmarks are, some of them are actually weirdly restricted if you want to use the image commercially!

Original poster
Sunnyday125 · 20/04/2019 11:12

Thanks Luna- so I guess it’s a case of me phoning whoever ‘runs’ the sights and seeing if I can take photos and use them - thanks

OP posts:
Jaxhog · 20/04/2019 11:16

I did my books through Amazon and Bookboon. For images, there are plenty of sites that sell them with suitable copyright e.g. Pexels, shutterstock, iStockphotos etc. Some are even free!

Lockheart · 20/04/2019 11:30

Be careful. Some landmarks might be copyrighted.

For example, the Eiffel Tower is considered public domain during the day, but at night it usually has artistic light installations, and those ARE copyrighted. So you'd be able to use an image of it during the day, but possibly not at night.

Allthepinkunicorns · 20/04/2019 11:33

You can buy stock photos which you will be able to use commercially. Don't just take any photo of the internet as you won't have the rights to it and could find yourself in a bit of trouble.

Original poster
Sunnyday125 · 20/04/2019 12:13

Jaxhog- with the free photos , how do you make sure they are free? Eg would you still get confirmation that they can be used ?
Allthepinkunicorns-what sites did you buy your pictures from if you have done this?
Also a Q for anyone- what is the best, most reliable site to buy pictures from ?

OP posts:
Jaxhog · 20/04/2019 12:52

Sunnyday125 - you need to check with the agency selling them. They will ask you to confirm a copyright agreement stating how you can or can't use them.

I do know someone who just 'used' a photo from the internet. The photographer sued him.

nutbrownhare15 · 20/04/2019 13:22

Pixabay have images where it specifically states they are free for commercial use

Original poster
Sunnyday125 · 20/04/2019 13:44

nutbrownhare- great - so if I go on Pixabay and find relevant images, I can go ahead? Thanks

OP posts:
PlatinumBrunette · 20/04/2019 14:05

If you use Pixabay images, the information by the picture will say something like
'Pixabay License
Free for commercial use
No attribution required'

If attribution IS required, you simply have to add a note to the image in your ebook saying who took the photo. Stock image libraries all have this kind of attribution requirement.

Lockheart · 20/04/2019 14:07

@Sunnyday125 it sounds like you have a lot of reading around the subject to do before you should try to publish an e-book. I'd recommend reading up on the use of trademarks and images in the public domain, fair use, and so forth. I don't know what your e-book is about of course but many of these laws around copyright and trademarking will apply to all forms of media, including written stories (so for example you might need to be careful that a character you have modelled on an existing fictional character is not in breach of copyright).

If you Google things like using public domain images, image licensing, fair use and so forth you will find lots of information, certainly more than anyone could ever write in an MN thread!

PlatinumBrunette · 20/04/2019 14:08

And for your first q How to go about doing an e-book ?
What do you actually mean by e-book? Something a few pages long in a PDF format for people to download. Or a full-blown Kindle book?

Original poster
Sunnyday125 · 20/04/2019 14:11

PlatinumBrunette - not a long kindle book
More like a short ebook of 10 pages maximum

OP posts:
PlatinumBrunette · 20/04/2019 14:13

OK - just get writing then! In whatever app works best for you. Add your photos when you've found them and once it's finished, convert to PDF.

FenellaVelour · 20/04/2019 14:17

I self published, though no images in the body of the book (fiction).

For the cover I purchased three royalty-free stock images from Shutterstock, and I employed a friend of mine (who is a graphic designer) to work with the photos to create my cover. Note: employed. I paid him because art is work.

I also paid for the use of the font I used for my chapter headings, as it wasn’t in the public domain.

BeansandRice · 20/04/2019 14:33

How do I obtain images for it ?

Pay an artist or photographer. Commission an artist or photographer. Don't steal.

Original poster
Sunnyday125 · 20/04/2019 15:15

PlatinumBrunette- Thanks! Once converted to pdf where is the best place to send it / best way to get it published as an ebook ? Do you know offhand ? I do have reading to do about this, but just wondered if you knew offhand?
BeansandRice - I wouldn’t steal; that’s why I’m checking the best way to go about things
I’ve also no idea what a standard price would be to either buy 3 photos or get a photographer commissioned for 3 photos ...?

OP posts:
PlatinumBrunette · 20/04/2019 16:09

Most ebooks like you’re talking about are just PDFs that people share to download from their own website. There isn’t a publishing method, per se. So, for example, someone with a business, will create a short ebook on that topic as a method of getting people to sign up. In return for their email address, they get the PDF ebook.

How do you want people to read your book? Do you want it on Amazon? If you do want it on Amazon, look into KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) as it’s the only way to get it on there.