I've been enjoying CC for a few years now and get many of my ideas from the galleries and forums. When I post my cake/cookie photos, I usually give credit to the CCer as my inspiration.

Today, I got a comment on one of my photos asking if I got permission to use it. I pm'd the comment poster and the original inspiration CCer (she was given credit on my photo.) saying that it was my work and the inspiration CCer was credited.

I felt so terrible, I removed the picture from my photos before I heard back from them. But now I realize that for a number of my cakes/cookies, while credit is given to the CCer's photo that inspired me, I didn't ask for permission prior to making my cake/cookie. Should I delete those too?

I've read other posts discussing "giving credit where credit is due" but need advice about whether I should delete some of my photos?

Thank you for your advice.

Honestly, I feel if people are worried about having their ideas taken, they wouldnt post their photos on here to begin with. People here post their photos to SHARE with the cake community. They should EXPECT their photos to be used for inspiration. Otherwise, why are they posting it? To show off? We dont care about that. We arent buying a cake from them. I feel like you are fine. I wouldnt worry about that at all. If people are worried about their ideas taken, or used for inspiration, then they shouldnt be posting them to a community full of their peers...or as they might view them, competition.

My opinion.

BTW that cake in your avatar is GORGEOUS!

IMHO, Unless you are doing a direct copy (which most of us put our own spin on whatever we create) then it is YOUR cake. Yup, by all means say something along the line of "thanx to so and so for your wonderful design" but no one can copyright a cake design...every single cake on here is created with some sort of inspiration...maybe from another cake or another piece of art, etc. Nothing new under the sun.

I always try to make a cake my own by giving it a new spin but think of how many wedding cakes that are three tiered, round, ribbon on the bottoms of the tiers with flowers on the top or cascading down...on this site alone I'd say there were more than 100.

Who came up with that style originally, who knows...are we grateful for this beautiful simple design, absolutely...but do we have to track down our inspiration every single time and ask them permission to use that inspiration..a design that they themselves were inspired to make from some other persons creation? Nope..but thank the member whenever you know where the inspiration came from and try your best to refrain from a direct copy of any one's cake.

Directly copying can feel like stealing and what cake artist wants to directly copy someone else's creation...as artists we want to make our own creations...so be careful to make your own creation with inspiration from others and not directly copy and you will be just fine.

I agree. The whole point of the gallery, IMO, is to look at other cakes and gain inspiration. If someone doesn't want you to do that, they shouldn't put it on the internet.

You are under no obligation what so ever to ask permission to copy anyone's cake design, and to even suggest you are is total BS. How do you know the person you "got inspiration from" didn't get inspiration/copy someone else's cake design... and so on and so on and infinity. LOL Seriously, you shouldn't give it another thought. It's been said a bazillion times, if you don't want anyone to copy your design, don't post your pictures, period. The fact that you even keep track & put "inspired by" with your cakes is more than enough... more than the majority of people would do. So you should proudly post any picture of cakes YOU decorated & not worry about one jerk trying to make you feel bad. (((HUGS)))

If you were to post pictures of their actual creations and try to pass it off as something you created, did then yes you should delete the picture. You did not make the cake and you would be trying to pass yourself off as having a level of skill that possibly you do not have. However, if you used a cake that was posted in a picture for an inspiration then you were not trying to pass that other persons work off as something you did.

It isn't as though the icing was the same exact shade and the flowers were in the same exact place to the millimeter of placement and someone could say it was their cake picture. Many things on cakes inspire us and we may use 1 or more of the things to create our own designs.

I say, repost it and forget about the other person, if her cake was so pretty that it inspired you then she should be joyful that something she did was able to do so. I say forget about it and go about your business making beautiful cakes.
evelyn

I think it's just silly that somebody asked you if you got permission. That makes me LOL! I mean c'mon! If everyone needed permission to copy a cake or some aspect of it, brides would NOT have wedding cakes on their special day. I'd be flattered if somebody took inspirationK from one of my cakes. I would, however, like to know when someone is using my ideas so I can enjoy their handywork and congratulate them on a job well done. I say keep ALL your pictures up, give credit to those whom inspired you, and BAKE AWAY!!!

asking permission to be inspired? never heard of it.

You are considerate enough to track where you got your inspration and then to credit the person you got it from, that's more than enough. You should repost your photo (from looking at your other cakes, im sure its gorgeous), and if the Cake-Police come around again, well, ill pm you some inspiring ideas on wonderful places you can tell them to go

Thank you, everyone, for the encouraging words. There are so many talented cake artists here.

Oh Puhleesseeeee! Do not take down your pictures!

We have ALL browsed the galleries for inspiration. I agree that if someone does not want anyone copying their cakes they shouldnt post a pic of it.

The first cake I saw with the slice out style was by Ron Ben Isreal. If you do a search of the gallery you will see tons of them! I rarely see any hat say thank you Ron Ben Isreal for the inspiration!

Your cakes are gorgeous! I really love your Japanese girl cookies.Don't be mad if I use them for inspiration .LOL

I agree completely with everyone above. What a bunch of nonsense! I think that this person should be reported. That is totally uncalled for and mean and nasty. If they are so worried about people stealing or copying their cakes then they should not post pictures of their cakes any where.
As stated above there isn't a design out there that isn't copied from someone or somewhere. As far as that goes what is there that isn't copied from someone else???? Clothing, cars, recipes, hair styles, homes, furniture, landscaping, and on and on and on. It all comes from somwhere for pity sake.

I would post your picture again if I were you and be proud of it. I think you need to post that photo right here in this post so we can see it.

DO NOT DELETE ANY OF YOUR PHOTOS!!!

This is about as crazy as it gets. I love all the previous post. I draw inspiration from many other cake artists from all websites and books and etc. As long as you make it yours, then it yours. I would be thrilled to have someone copy a idea of mine. Some times when I need to get a idea that I just can't creative with , I hit the web and do google searches on those cake ideas, to get my creative cake juices flowing lol. So be proud of your work. We all do it. Shame on this person.....

I also agree with all of the above!! The purpose of posting photos is to inspire and aid others. If someone does a cake from the Wilton yearbook, is that stealing the idea?? No... that is what they are there for! And Your purse cake is AWESOME

Diito to the above. NO cake is copyrighted, you made it, it is yours! If folks do not want their work copied, they should not take pics of it and post it. You are fine - and your work is great!!

I wouldn't delete your photos if I were you, nor would I feel bad. I have several cakes in my pix that I got inspiration from others (one was my version of a big name in the biz cake) and one I actually used Jennifer Dontz's design to do the chocolate shoes.

I mentioned the inspiration came from them and not once did I ever ask if it were okay to do that -- I learned from emulating their techniques and I'm pleased with the results. Do I feel guilty? Not at all. I learned from it in a positive way.

When I did the snow diva cookies, I had originally done them for a charity I did volunteer work for and I did ask specific permission from the gal who originally designed them. She said I could do them if I gave her credit for the idea, which I did not only at the charity, but in my pix here where I posted the end result. And it's none of anybody's business if you got permission or not to do these cakes -- that's between you and the original designer. Period.

did you ever hear back from your PM? i wouldnt worry. i think everyone here agrees, thats one of the reasons this site is here.
to share and be inspired. if you dont want your cake to be an inspiration to others....then dont post it.
common sense.

Im really sorry this happened to you. Ive been on this site long enough to see the same cakes made over, and over, and over again. I myself, have hundreds of cake pictures that Im saving for that day I can get a chance to make it myself. Dont let this persons comment get you down. Upload your picture again. I love to take a look at it.

I agree with ya'll, copyrighting a design, ridiculous : designs have been copied for how many years ? A buzillion !!!!! how can you ever know who the original artist was.

Are peoples ego's so huge that they need to be thanked for something that they actually copied or got inspiration from someone else

o geez, I don't think I can get involved in this, I can see where it's guna go.

OP you don't need to credit anyone and just keep enjoying doing what you do

Ditto !!!

uless its a copyright thing then by all means , othr than that: Heck no, don't take them nor that particular picture down. Thats just someone being a bully

I had some actually take one of the my cake photos I posted on CC and try and pass it off as her own on her website. I nicely emailed her and let her know that I seriously won't have cared if she copied cake exactly...just do the work and take your own pictures...after all I was inspired by someone else here on CC to do the cake in the first place!

BTW it was the easiest cake I ever did!!! Why she chose that one I will never know. I mean what is hard about baking and frosting a cake tying kit kats around it with a ribbon and dump a whole bunch of m&m's on it!

Oh for heaven's sake!!

You didn't try and pass the other person's picture off as your own cake. You gave credit to the person who inspired you.

Go put the picture back up.

If I ever post something it will be purely to show off. But go ahead and copy them, lots of people do.

I totally agree with everybody else, don't remove any of your pictures you made them
and are entitled to show them to everybody. I have seen a few of my cakes that others have tried as well. I have NO problem with that at all and I never even look to see if I get credit for it because that really does not matter to me. We all post our pics to share and so it should not be a problem for someone to attempt the same cake. It is not nice that the person said that to you, keep on posting have a great evening!!!

Sorry that this happened to you. Upload that picture! I'm sure I'm not the only one that wants to see your cake . Not that anyone would want to copy any of my cakes, but I would certainly be nothing but flattered if they did.

BTW looked in your photos and your cakes and cookies are just beautiful.

Man, if I couldn't get ideas for my cakes from other cakes on this site, then I would be back at the grocery store buying those premade suger letters and decorations that are hanging next to the birthday candles.

Shame on whomever PM'd you. Absolute shame! I pity the person who puts their ego before another person's feelings and FREEDOM to LEARN, and whom cannot recognize a compliment when they see one.

Just proves that while someone may be able to create beauty with their fingers, they aren't always familiar with it internally. It just makes me so sad when someone like that tries to dampen our joy and camaraderie.
Put those pictures back up, and stand proud! I agree with everyone else:

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE COPIED, DON'T POST HERE!