I wanted to offer a quick and easy 5-point guide for sharing someone else's work on your own Instagram feed. I often come across others sharing images of my work, which is wonderful and lovely, as long as I am properly credited and the image isn't altered. Sadly, just over the past two days alone, I've come across other Instagram users sharing my work without credit and altering my image to promote their own services. So, here are 5 quick and easy tips when it comes to reposting someone else's image on Instagram.
1. Check their profile to see if they have any specific details about sharing their work or contacting them.
2. Send them a direct message to ask if it is okay to share. While most people don't do this, I find it to be a super nice common courtesy.
3. Credit, credit, credit. Mention their Instagram handle in the caption AND tag the owner in the image.
4. Do not crop, edit, filter, or alter the image you are reposting in any way. It's just not cool or ethical to alter someone else's work without his or her express permission.
5. Do not pass the image off as your own, use someone else's image to promote your own work, share the image without credit, or add your own irrelevant hashtags (for example, #followme). Do what's right!
Also, if you come across someone that appears to be using another person's photo without credit, share it with the original owner. It is always greatly appreciated.
And, if you do find someone using your photo without permission, not providing credit, or passing it off as your own, report it to Instagram. They are pretty prompt in removing images that violate copyright, IP, or trademark.
