Commons:WikiProject Public Domain/PD-NWS review/A25

A.25 Examples of third-party sources asked about ownership

Note:

• The scope of this table does not extend to any further or ongoing discussions with rights holders who might be willing to release their work under a free license; it only captures the existing status, especially so we can examine the specific notation that the NWS applied to these images.
• One creator had not released their image into the Public Domain, but agreed to release it under CC-BY-SA
• One other creator appeared willing to release their image under CC-BY, but stopped responding before that was achieved
• Names of individual photographers are redacted in this summary

Number	Image	Statement from creator	NWS attribution	Already in public domain?	Willing to release into public domain?	Comments
A.25-1	File:MayfieldKentuckyEF32016.PNG	Has not transferred the rights	none	No	(I didn't ask)
A.25-2	File:1997 Jarrell tornado roping.png	Confirmed that rights never transferred, has only ever permitted use by permission, will not license black-and-white use, then... "After additional investigation and consideration, my reply is now NO! Go to hell, MF!"	none	No	No
A.25-3	test case; never hosted on Commons	Rights managed by an agency, never transferred into public domain, available for commercial licensing	"Photo by The Waterloo Courier"	No	(I didn't ask)
A.25-4	File:Weather-related traffic collision on the Kansas Turnpike.JPG	EMA confirms that the photo was taken by an employee on duty and asserts ownership of the rights.	"Picture provided by Butler County Emergency Management"	No
A.25-5	File:Huntsville1974.jpg	EMA asserts ownership of the rights	"Courtesy of Madison EMA"	No
A.25-6	File:El Reno, OK supercell from above 2013-05-31.jpg	Although photographer was an NWS employee at the time, he took this photo on his own time and asserts ownership of it.	"Photo courtesy ..."	No
A.25-7	File:2019-05-17 Minneola tornado.jpg	Although photographer was an NWS employee at the time, he took this photo on his own time and asserts ownership of it.	"Image Courtesy ..."	No
A.25-8	File:MarysvilleINTornadoDamage2012.JPG	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use	"Aerial Photos courtesy ..."	No
A.25-9	File:CookevilleTNEF4rubbleanddamage.jpg	EMA confirms ownership of rights; has not transferred them into public domain. When asked if they would be willing, their Director said "I would prefer we retain the image rights the way they are."	"Putnam County Emergency Management"	No	No
A.25-10	File:2020aug-derecho-damage-Scranton-Iowa.jpg	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use	"Courtesy ..."	No
A.25-12	File:2020aug-derecho-damage-Tama-County-Iowa.jpg	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use	"Courtesy of ..."	No
A.25-13	File:2020aug-derecho-damage-Greene-County-IA.jpg	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use. Blocked me after I asked about releasing under a free license.	"Courtesy ..."	No	No
A.25-14	File:A drone photograph of a supercell from Chamberlain, South Dakota in 2023.jpg	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use. Did not release it into the public domain. "I do not wish to give up my rights to this photo. Please do not use it. "	"Photo from ..."	No	No
A.25-15	File:A tornado near Dryden on June 2, 2023.jpg	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use. When asked about release into the public domain replied, "No [...] They can never steal it."	"Photo Courtesy of ..."	No	No
A.25-16-1	File:The April 19, 2023 Cole, Oklahoma EF3 Tornado.jpg	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use. "I'd like to retain the ability to do things like sell the image and retain ownership, but I am ok with it being used for educational purposes (like those on wikipedia) as long as I can retain the rights to it."	"Courtesy of ..."	No	No
A.25-16-2	File:The April 19, 2023 Cole, Oklahoma EF3 Tornado courtesy of ... .jpg	As above	"Photo provided courtesy of ..."	No	No
A.25-17	File:The August 6, 2023 EF2 tornado south of Edinburg, Illinois.jpg	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use.	"Photo by ..."	No
A.25-18	File:A tornado on April 16, 2024.jpg	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use.	"Photo: ..."	No
A.25-19-1	File:A tornado south of Hinckley, Illinois on February 27, 2024.jpg	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use. "My images are copyrighted and cannot be used under any circumstances unless purchased or prior arrangements are made and agreed upon in writing. [...] I also recently discovered another photo of mine was stolen. [... (on English Wikipedia) ...] No, I will NOT give up my rights to my images to you and the Wikimedia Foundation. You and the Wikimedia Foundation cannot use my images under any circumstances. Please remove my images from your website and sources."	"Photo courtesy of ..."	No	No
A.25-19-2	w:File:Photograph of the August 2024 Mound City, South Dakota tornado.jpeg formerly on English Wikipedia (removed)	as above	"Tornado photo by ..."	No	No	NWS use of photo was unauthorized by photographer and has been taken down.
A.25-20	File:Benkelman_NE_tornado_May_26,_2021.jpg	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use.	"The picture was taken by NWS employee ..."	No
A.25-21	File:Texas tornado 2007 03 28.jpg	NWS employee, off-duty at the time; Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use. "I’d rather not release the image to the world for public use"	"The picture was taken by ..."	No	No
A.25-22	File:2023 Historic Flooding in Mayfield, Kentucky.png	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use. Use by the NWS is by permission. Will not release into the Public Domain: "Licensing my work is how I make a living and I'm constantly battling profitability given the extreme costs of my work. For that reason, public domain is simply not an option for me."	none	No	No
A.25-23	File:Afton, Iowa tornado April 26, 2024.jpg	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use.	"captured by ..."	No
A.25-24	File:AuroraTor4 LookingNorth.jpg	NWS employee, off-duty at the time; Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use.	"Photos courtesy of ..."	No
A.25-25	File:Snow removal equipment at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport.jpg	Confirms taking the photo; did not transfer rights. Appeared concerned that "Alamy.com says that this is now a public domain photo that they have appropriated (due to their claim of expired copyright), and are now selling it on their website."	"Image courtesy of ..."	No	(I didn't ask)
A.25-26	File:June, 17, 2010, tornado west of Holmes, North Dakota.jpg	No attribution, doesn't look like an NWS photo; WFO emailed for clarification, confirmed not an NWS image: "... it is a FGF team member photo and copyrighted ..."	none	No	(I didn't ask)
A.25-27-1	... Stephan, South Dakota supercell.jpg	"That would be great if you could take those down! [...] I still don't like my stuff being shared without permission"	"Courtesy of ..."	No	No
A.25-27-2	... Waco, Nebraska August 6, 2018.jpg	as above	"photo by ..."	No	No
A.25-28	File:Bowdle Tornado.JPG	"The image you asked about comes from [...] and The Discovery Channel. You would need to work with them on licensing the image. "	none	No	(I didn't ask)
A.25-29	File: ... photograph of the 2013 Moore EF5 tornado.jpg	"I still own the rights, but I let the NWS in Norman use it."	"Photos courtesy of ..."	No
A.25-30	File:RuskinNE landspout.jpg	Confirms taking the video this still is taken from; asserts rights over its use. Does not want to put in public domain: "I am not comfortable with giving a wide ranging pre-approval."	"Picture taken by ..."	No	No
A.25-31	File:Parkersburg tornado.jpg	NWS employee, off-duty at the time; Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use.	"Photo taken by ..."	No
A.25-32	File:Pyrocumulus042505-b.jpg	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use. "I would never give up my rights to an image I took. It's easy enough to just ask to use it if someone wants to use it, but I don't just want it out there without my control."	photographer's name added as a watermark on photo	No	No
A.25-33	File:Slide38.gif	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use. "I do wish to keep the copyright. [It] should not be in the public domain."	"(name) (institution)"	No	No
A.25-34	File:Stoughton Tornado.jpg	Confirms taking the video this frame was taken from; asserts rights over its use. " I have licensed it before but it is not released to the public domain."	photographer's name added as a watermark on photo	No	Yes	Agreed to release this still under a CC licence
A.25-35	File:EF4DaltonMNtornadoJuly2020.png	Confirms taking the photo; asserts rights over its use. "This is definitely not Public Domain and I'm not planning to release it into the Public Domain at this time. [...] If there are any others that you suspect are my photos that may be being misused, please do not hesitate to reach out."	"(name)"	No	No