populating visuals...

[s0real]

i was just wondering what people did when having to find specific people to photoshop into visuals...
do you worry about chopping people out of random google / flickr search result photos etc?
is it ok to do that legally or not?
has anyone ever had any come back from photographers or maybe somebody you've 'shopped in from a found image on the web?

or do you just do it and not worry about it?

thanks!

[trick]

This is a very very grey area. I know (even BIG) architects doing it all the time...even shopping in movie stars doesn't seem a problem to them.
Generally I always use people from purchased collections or do shoot in studios by clients demand after explaning them how these things (legally) work! You should always realize that if problems arise, the client is the one that is addressed first! Can you take that risk ?

[plastic_]

Just one advice, don't use something like getty images or shutterstock to cut out people from preview images. They make a living suing people who use their stuff unlicensed. If you extract something from a regular flickr image, chance is low that the owner of the picture 1. will ever know 2. sue you.
Of course you shouldn't do it probably, but in reality everyone does it.
Personally I'm more and more trying to use my own people photos instead of purchased collections (because it sucks to see those damned RPC's etc. all the time on every archviz image).
When I'm bored I go out and shoot crowded places (not single persons, paparazzi style). In case of my camera (5d mkII) the resolution is so crazy high that I can cut out like 20 people from a single photo and they are still hi res enough.

[crazy homeless guy]

+1 on shooting your own. Your work will look better.

[s0real]

i agree that photographing your own people is the ideal solution, but fairly often i produce visuals for clients in other countries where the traditional outfits worn by many of the population is very specific to that country.
in that instance i find myself trawling through flickr/google etc. and chopping people out...

the worry is that one day i'll photoshop in a national TV star or something who i'm not familiar with but is easily recognisable to the client!