"Your opulent chests..."

Found that someone has "borrowed" the image above as the inspiration for a short erotic story on their blog. You can read it in the original Spanish here or read the somewhat faulty Google transliteration here. (The "translation" is where I lifted the phrase "your opulent chests.") So, I guess Iris and I should be flattered that this image inspired someone to actually write something, even if it's a voyeuristic fantasy for a blog.

The voyeur blog chose to remove my mark from the image, even though they claim that it's used with permission (it wasn't). To their credit they did indicate a copyright in the text of the blog, but instead of linking to me, they link to their source, another blog that gathers noteworthy art nude images from various sources on the web, Imagens.

I initially had mildly mixed feelings about these blogs that merely lift images from other blogs and websites as content to drive traffic and presumably ad click-thrus. But then again, a lot of published collections in books and magazines are basically just aggregates of images, albeit usually submitted by the artists or used with express permission, used as content to sell books or ad space. I must say that the shots collected in Imagens are generally outstanding, and I'm definitely in good company there. And if it gets more people to see my work, and it falls within "fair use" guidelines, then it's a good thing.

For a while, I used to follow a number of MP3 blogs that operate on the same premise. They would do a small review of a song from a band, usually an independent artist, and provide a link where you could download an MP3 of a song or two. I have to say that I did actually purchase music from a handful of the bands I learned about in this way, so they made a few bucks from me. The songs that didn't intrigue me enough to actually purchase are ones I probably wouldn't have taken a risk on anyway based on just reading a review, so it's not like they forfeited a sale by providing me with an MP3. I guess it all boils down to basic marketing...get someone to try it, and they're more likely to buy it.

P.S. If any of you readers can fluently translate the Spanish story to English for me, please send it to me by posting a comment. (Although I doubt anyone can provide a translation to top "high and mighty" nipples.) Maybe I'll present it here in a future entry. Fully credited, of course.