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Using Pen Name Photos of Other People - What Do You Do?

by Allen Graves
10 replies
Warriors,

I am having discussions with several authors right now about how, when and where to use photos of other people for their pen name accounts.

Do you do this? What do you do?

I was under the assumption that the author had to have exclusive rights to the photo. Is that correct? :confused:

Do you think it is a good idea? ...a bad idea?

Thanks for your time and comments!

Allen
#pen #people #photos
  • Profile picture of the author Zanti
    Hey Allen,

    Really looking forward to the responses here. I've not used any other photo other than my own, but I do write under a couple of pen names.

    I've considered using a female pen name for a particular niche, but haven't done that yet. When thinking about a photo, not sure how I feel yet.

    I kind of have mixed feeling right now, about would this be right to do.

    Great question.

    Brian "Zanti" Alexzander
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    Brian Alexzander ~ Irie To The Highest - Respect
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  • Profile picture of the author 1960Texan
    Allen,
    I think it has the potential to cause a few problems. Let's say I wrote fitness articles and used a photo of a young, good looking gym rat to represent my pen name (Rock Buffington). A bit later, the gym rat gets a modeling contract, or a role in an action movie. The jig is now up, and when everyone who previously thought that "Rock Buffington" was the go-to guy if you wanted to get washboard abs finds out that I'm pushing fifty and have a small belly, all of the articles I wrote are going to be looked upon with a jaundiced eye. In the case of pen names, I would use an avatar or nothing at all.
    Will
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  • Profile picture of the author SeanSupplee
    Instead of using a photo of someone I will instead create a graphic image that looks professional and has to do with the topic I will be advertising.
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    Sean Supplee -Expert Insight of an Affiliate Marketer (Blog)
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  • Profile picture of the author Allen Graves
    Good point, Mr. Buffington. LOL

    Here's another question. If you came to an article and found an author's picture was an avatar...would you be turned off? Would it make you think they were hiding something...or that they were just creative?

    Come on - I know for a fact that a ton of you guys and gals use "fake" pictures...what are your thoughts?

    Allen
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  • Profile picture of the author 1960Texan
    A few years ago I was turned off anytime I saw an adult using an avatar, but it seems that now they are more widely accepted. The niche that you're promoting to might also have something to do with the effectiveness of photos vs avatars. A targeted market at the high end of the Boomer generation might prefer photos, while a demographic made up of twenty-somethings wouldn't really care either way, as long as they received the product they were looking for.
    Will
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  • Profile picture of the author Nicola Lane
    Id suggest that unless you have exclusive rights to the image of a person, then you can't use it! So in reality you can only use photos of yourself. You can use very different images of yourself though.

    But to allow for multiple pen names - people should be allowed to use a suitable avtar. Which would mean something like a caracture or similar image - no LOL cats, tattoo art or silly graphics!
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  • Profile picture of the author Fun to Write
    I write under several pen names and don't use a photo for any of them. I don't see the need for one. Okay, I suppose it helps to build trust in the author. But, I'm just not one to worry about who visits my profile and whether or not they see a photo.

    As to should an author use another person's photo under an assumed pen name, my gut tell me NO WAY. It feels too much like false advertising or promotion.
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    • Profile picture of the author Martin Luxton
      My avatar isn't fake. It took me 3 years to grow that beard!

      But seriously, why use photos of other people? Why not photoshop one of your own or wear heavy makeup?

      At least then you can truthfully say "That is a photo of me".

      Martin
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      • Profile picture of the author richporr
        What I've done a couple of times is use a photo of me when I was much younger--looks very different from me now but it is still me.

        -Richard
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