Sometimes, reposting photos is a fun way to add variety to your feed. It helps to fill the gaps between your own original content while also giving exposure to the original poster.
HOWEVER, reposting content the right way can be tricky, and most people don’t get it right. After all, that picture you want to repost is someone else’s intellectual property, and you can’t just take it. It has to be for the right reasons.
So, check out these tips for how to give photo credit.
How To Give Photo Credit On Instagram
Ask For Permission BEFORE Reposting
Always, always, ALWAYS ask the original photographer for permission to repost their content. You may find yourself legal trouble if you fail to do this.
Just because you see an image on someone’s feed, doesn’t mean they took that photo. Your first step is to actually make sure you are reaching out to the original artist. Do a little bit of research before sending that Instagram page a DM.
This leads me to the next tip: always use a reverse image search program to learn where the photo originally came from. Asking someone for permission to repost their photo won’t do you much good if you’re not asking the right person!
If you can’t contact the photographer directly (or they just don’t respond) — don’t repost the photo! Not only is this rude and disrespectful, but the original creator could sue you for copyright infringement.
Give Credit Where Credit is Due
Once you have permission to repost the photo, give the creator their proper credit. In that caption of your post, make it clear that you do not own the content. Thank the creator with a little shoutout, and tag them.
Tagging the creator’s Instagram account allows your followers to check out their work. It also makes it clear that you are not taking credit for creating the photo in question.
Apps like Repost make it super easy to credit the original source of pictures on Instagram.
Do NOT Edit (Without Permission)
When reposting someone else’s content, you may want to give the photo your own original spin or touch. While this can be a fun little project, it’s not necessarily fair to the person who took the photo.
The original photographer posted their photo as is because they already felt like it was complete. Editing their photo can be insulting… unless, of course, you ask for their “ok!”
If you want to get creative with the content run the idea by the creator first. Offer the idea is a collaboration.
While asking for repost permission, ask if an edit would be okay. They may even wish for you to send the edited version to them first for approval. Art is personal and you don’t want to misrepresent the artist’s work!
As a business management professional and avid photographer, Edward Tomasso loves collaborating with other artists.
Learn more about his photography workshops on the Bartering Exchange Network.
