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Profile Pic for Pen Name?

by Stephanie Trahd
23 replies
I was just wondering what you all do about a profile picture when you're using a pen name. I write under a couple of different identities (mostly for my clients), and I want to have a profile picture for article and social networking sites so folks know I'm a real person. I definitely don't want to use a logo, my real pic (I don't want the confusion with 4 names and one picture!), and I really don't want to use a caricature.

Does anyone have any suggestions? How do you handle it?

Thanks!
#pen #pic #profile
  • Profile picture of the author Mike Hlatky
    I usually just don't have a face for my pen names.

    You could always buy a few stock photos.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    I use istockphotos.

    Saves messing around, and prevents any unwanted "hey, take my photo down" moments.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stephanie Trahd
    Thanks guys I didn't know whether or not there would be any issues using a stock photo!
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    • Profile picture of the author Shannon Herod
      Originally Posted by Stephanie Trahd View Post

      Thanks guys I didn't know whether or not there would be any issues using a stock photo!
      When you are purchasing stock photos you also need to read the license agreements. Some license agreements for certain photos do not allow you to use their pictures as profile pictures.

      So, when you purchas the stock photo just make sure you are purchasing one that allows you to use the photo at an actual profile photo.
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  • Profile picture of the author tpw
    I don't use images with pen names, although I have dozens of them.

    Stock photos is the way to go, or get permission from a friend.

    The only issue in using a stock photo is that perhaps you pick an image that is known on the web in connection with other articles. But the chances of that are slim at best.
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    • Profile picture of the author Stephanie Trahd
      Originally Posted by tpw View Post

      I don't use images with pen names, although I have dozens of them.

      Stock photos is the way to go, or get permission from a friend.

      The only issue in using a stock photo is that perhaps you pick an image that is known on the web in connection with other articles. But the chances of that are slim at best.
      Great! That's what I'm hoping, especially since none are in the IM niche!
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      • Profile picture of the author Stephanie Trahd
        Just thought y'all would want to know the response I got from istockphoto when I asked:

        "As per our phone conversation yesterday, I checked with my manager this morning regarding your inquiry. Unfortunately, I was correct in thinking that this would fall under non-permitted uses on our website, due to the personification of the model. This would unfortunately constitute misrepresentation, thus the model cannot represent you or your pen name."

        Here was my question:

        "I am writing under a pen name, and I'd like to use one of the model's photos to represent me under that pen name. Is this acceptable under your terms of service?"

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        • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
          Originally Posted by Stephanie Trahd View Post

          Just thought y'all would want to know the response I got from istockphoto when I asked:

          "As per our phone conversation yesterday, I checked with my manager this morning regarding your inquiry. Unfortunately, I was correct in thinking that this would fall under non-permitted uses on our website, due to the personification of the model. This would unfortunately constitute misrepresentation, thus the model cannot represent you or your pen name."

          Here was my question:

          "I am writing under a pen name, and I'd like to use one of the model's photos to represent me under that pen name. Is this acceptable under your terms of service?"
          That's what I would have expected.

          Most people only think of copyright issues when using photos. As such, they think they're okay if they license a photo from a stock photo service.

          But, when photos involve people, there is also a Right of Publicity involved.

          Most notably, this is an issue with celebrity images. You may license a photo of a celebrity to illustrate an article about that celebrity, but you're going to have problems if you use that photo in such a way that it appears as though they are endorsing a product or service.

          A model, for example, may pose for photographs to be used for illustrative purposes but not for others to use as representative of themselves. You may be able to strike a deal with a model for such an arrangement, but that is not likely to be a standard arrangement with photos found on stock photography sites.
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        • Profile picture of the author Michael Shook
          Perhaps you could try sxc dot hu and run a search for photos with no licensing restrictions. You might have to crop them. But that might work. I looked through the image licensing terms and it does not say you can't use them for that.

          You might also try a creative commons search through flickr. I don't use photos from flickr but I think its possible that other people might.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
    Originally Posted by Chris Kent View Post

    You could try using the image of someone who has been dead for half a century and that you found on a .gov (mostly public domain) site. That's what I did today.
    Right of Publicity in some jurisdictions can extend as much as 70-100 years after a person's death.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Please excuse me if I'm stating the obvious, here, but 11 replies have apparently gone by without anyone commenting on this: you also need to read the terms of service of any site(s) on which you're proposing to do this. They do vary, and there are consequences of breaching them!
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    • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
      I was going to chime in that this use would not be permitted by istockphoto, but since others are on it let me add this suggestion:

      Start with the proposition that images cannot be used for any purpose.

      Then review the terms of a site like istockphoto and see what rights are granted and uses are allowed.

      Use accordingly.

      Also, I like stock photo sites in the US, where I am, so in case of catastrophe: fraud, a lawsuit, etc., the real "bad guy" can reasonably be dragged into the problem.
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Originally Posted by marketwarrior06 View Post

        i also don't like stock photo. i think its best to find a pic of a person who is familiar in this field and also publish articles, write articles in other sites. remember to re size it and simple edit is good.
        You are joking, I hope.

        If I'm reading you right, if I want to publish articles on quack psychiatry I can just grab a picture of Dr. Phil and use that?

        If so, my friend, you are a lawsuit waiting to happen...
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        • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
          Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

          If I'm reading you right, if I want to publish articles on quack psychiatry I can just grab a picture of Dr. Phil and use that?
          Bad example, IMHO.
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  • Profile picture of the author marketwarrior06
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    i also don't like stock photo. i think its best to find a pic of a person who is familiar in this field and also publish articles, write articles in other sites. remember to re size it and simple edit is good.
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  • Profile picture of the author cashcow
    Originally Posted by Stephanie Trahd View Post

    I write under a couple of different identities (mostly for my clients), and I want to have a profile picture for article and social networking sites so folks know I'm a real person.
    A real person with a fake photo?
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    Gone Fishing
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
      Well, for women, options are wigs, hairstyles, glasses, etc.

      For men, wigs, mustaches, beards, goatees, glasses, etc.

      I know some people that look completely different in every one of their photos, even when not trying to! So, it shouldn't be too hard to use multiple pictures of yourself and not have people immediately recognize that all of them are of you.
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      • Profile picture of the author Stephanie Trahd
        Originally Posted by Dan C. Rinnert View Post

        Well, for women, options are wigs, hairstyles, glasses, etc.

        For men, wigs, mustaches, beards, goatees, glasses, etc.

        I know some people that look completely different in every one of their photos, even when not trying to! So, it shouldn't be too hard to use multiple pictures of yourself and not have people immediately recognize that all of them are of you.
        Interesting option I never thought of!
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    • Profile picture of the author Stephanie Trahd
      Originally Posted by cashcow View Post

      A real person with a fake photo?
      Sort of? I use my real photo with my real name when I write in my niche. However, I write for some of my clients and I don't want to dilute my expertise by writing about, let's say public relations, fly fishing and accounting. So yes, I'm a real person (last time I checked ) but I'm using a pen name and a photo that is not the real me for those pen names. Now I just need to figure out how to get a photo to represent my pen names!
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  • Profile picture of the author Prisqua
    If I don't want to use my real pic I would use my Second Life avatar or for gaming sites I use my xbox or sims avatar. But an idea would be to look for a gig on Fiverr where they "transform" your picture so it would still be you but somehow will look totally different.
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  • Profile picture of the author jasonmorgan
    I don't want to dilute my expertise by writing about, let's say public relations, fly fishing and accounting.
    Your assuming that a person who reads your fly fishing stuff is also reading your accounting stuff.

    Unless your cross-linking-promoting your sites you can use your image for as many pen names as you want and nobody is going to notice. Just don't use the same picutre.

    Works out well for Eben Pagan / David DeAngelo.

    Something to consider, if you use stock photos as a representation of your pen name, you're limited yourself. You can't make a video staring your stock photo.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      I know you said you didn't want a caricature, but have you considered something that looks like an artist's rendering? A realistic representation that looks more like a painting or sketched portrait than a caricature...

      (Think Betty Crocker or Uncle Ben)
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