Using Photos
All the photos above were from the City of Toronto Archives. This information tells me where to find the photo and similar photos and whether I can legally use this photo.
Archival citation: Fonds 200, Series 1465, File 383
Title: South Riverdale
Date(s) of creation of record(s) 1975-1988
Physical description of record(s) 25 transparencies : col ; 35mm
Forms part of
Fonds 200; Former City of Toronto fonds
Series 1465; Urban Design photographsScope and content
File consists of images of Little India along Gerrard East, and the Canada Metal Company building on Carlaw at Rushbrooke, as well as houses in the area.
Subjects
Dundas St E (Toronto, Ont.)
Riverdale (Toronto, Ont. : Neighbourhood)
South Asian Canadians
INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES
HOUSES
STORESRecord consists of
25 [browse]
Access conditions
OPEN – No restrictions on these government records.
Copyright conditions
Copyright is held by the City of Toronto….more
To request records at the archives
Please fill out the Records Request Form available at the Reference Desk, indicating:
Location: Spadina Records Centre
Box: 489347
Folio: 3
Why is this information important?
First of all it identifies the work. It also tells you how to find it (and similar photographs) and how to use it legally.
I’ve been using other people’s photographs for years, but I’ve also worked in the copyright field – only as a lowly clerical. It did sensitize me to the nuances of using other people’s work.
Make no mistake about it – photographs, drawings, paintings, cartoons and other forms of visual media are work. Someone made them, usually with a great deal of thought and care.
That someone owns them. I took the picture below so I don’t need permission to use it. But anyone else would. Even though it doesn’t say “copyright” on it or identify “Joanne Doucette” as the photographer, it is my work and my property.
To use photographers and other visual images without permission can be, in many cases, against the law.
As an artist myself, I consider use of my work without permission as theft, pure and simple. It’s no different from someone going into my backyard and hauling off a sculpture I made.
So I am careful about how I use and where I use other people’s work.
All businesses, non-profits and individuals that use photographs need to know about the risks (potential liabilities) involved.
This blog is my own point of view and definitely not a legal summary. More about copyright law is easily available on line. For more about copyright, this is an excellent summary.
https://library.ryerson.ca/copyright/resources/general-copyright-information/copyright-basics/
If in doubt, don’t use or talk to the copyright owner, often, in my case, the Toronto Public Library or the City of Toronto Archives.
When don’t I need permission from the copyright owner?
You don’t need permission to use an image (photograph, painting, drawing, etc.) if the copyright has expired. In Canada, the copyright for a work usually expires 50 years after the death of the creator of the artwork, at the end of the calendar year that the creator died. The work is then copyright free or “in the Public Domain”.
For example, famous Canadian photographer William James died in 1948. His work was under copyright until the end of December 1998. After that it was copyright free and still is “in the Public Domain.” This photo below of golfers and a young caddy on the Toronto Golf Club links at Upper Gerrard and Coxwell is “in the Public Domain”. It is still a courtesy to identify the source — in this case, the City of Toronto Archives.
Famous photographer Yousuf Karsh died in 2002. His photographs won’t be copyright free until the end of December 2052. I will be one hundred years old then so I don’t expect to be posting any of his photos ever.
The photo above is also from the City of Toronto Archives and is in the Public Domain. That means anyone can use it, even for commercial purposes. It is still an apartment building but instead of having an appliance store it has an Islamic bookstore.
Also, for example, Harald Bauder and Angelica Suorineni wrote “Toronto’s Little India: A Brief Neighbourhood History”. It has excellent photos by Peter Scott. The Toronto Public Library owns the copyright for Peter Scott’s photos. I do not have permission to use them but could if they were for “fair use” including educational purposes. To see them download the PDF of the book. It is free and a great read. You can find it online easily or you can borrow a physical copy from the Toronto Public Library. This is one of the photos from “Toronto’s Little India”. I am using it under “Fair Use” as this is for educational purposes.
This is another photo of the Naaz Theatre. It also comes from the Toronto Public Library. This time I’m using it under a Toronto Star License.
Toronto Star License
Personal, educational, and research
Images from the Toronto Star Photographic Archive on display in the Digital Archive may be downloaded and reproduced in print or electronic format for personal, educational, and research use.
Commercial merchandise and marketing use
This digital image is licensed from Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. If material from the Toronto Star Photographic Archive is published, please contact photosales@torstar.com for permission.
More information on access and use of digital content
High resolution images are available for purchase from the Toronto Star Photo Sales. Please contact photosales@torstar.com for more information.
It is the user’s obligation to determine and satisfy copyright, or other use restrictions (such as donor restrictions, privacy rights, publicity rights, licensing and trademarks) when using images made from our collections.
Here is the information from the Toronto Public Library about this photo.
Spicy strip: Gerrard St. east of Greenwood Ave. is Toronto’s Little India. Naaz cinema (above) is focal point for 43 shops and restaurants selling Asian fare. At left; Chaat Hut owner Krishan Vig and son Ashim Vig stand outside Ashim’s Bar-Be-Que Hut; where tandoori dishes come good and hot.
Picture, 1980, English
Rights and Licenses
Provenance
From the Toronto Star ArchivesFile Location:
Canada – Ontario – Toronto – Streets and Intersections – Gerrard St
Branch
Location
Branch
Location
Toronto Star Photo ArchiveCall Number / Accession Number
tspa_0115216f
The colored photo of the Naaz Theatre was taken by Derek Flack and posted at http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/02/what_ails_little_india/
SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND…MAYBE
If you click on the links you will find more photos of “Little India” or as the local BIA prefers, the Gerrard India Bazaar such as these three below from the Toronto Public Library also under a Toronto Star License.
It also pays to search using different words for the search criteria.
So say instead of putting “Little India” into the search box at The Toronto Public Library Digital Archives I use another search term.
I got more pictures such as these below also used under a Toronto Star License.
Subjects
South Asians protest against racism at recent rally at Queen’s Park. Reader urges a solution to the problem.
Picture, 1977, English
Rights and Licenses
Provenance
From the Toronto Star Archives
File Location:
Racial Discrimination – Canada
Branch
Location
Branch
Location
Toronto Star Photo Archive
Call Number / Accession Number
tspa_0012516f
Subjects
Immigration; South Asians in Metro feel delays are deliberate/F4
Picture, 1972, English
Rights and Licenses
Provenance
From the Toronto Star Archives
File Location:
Immigrants and Immigration – Groups
Branch
Location
Branch
Location
Toronto Star Photo Archive
Call Number / Accession Number
tspa_0023726f
One final tip, never assume that the pictures you can find on line at a particular source are all the pictures available. Most are probably not on line. So it pays to contact the Toronto Public Library, the City of Toronto Archives, the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, etc. if you want more photos or different photos.
For more info about the Gerrard India Bazaar go to:
http://www.gerrardindiabazaar.com/
Leslieville Historical Society 
2 thoughts on “Picturing Little India”