As regular readers know, I enjoy photography. One of the few benefits of traveling for my job has been the chance to take photos of the various places I’ve been to around the country. I then take the shots that I feel are the best and post them on my Flickr page.

Although I have toyed with the idea of submitting some to stock photo dealers to see if I could sell any of them, I have so far been content to receive occasional requests from regional organizations or city guides asking for permission to use certain shots with attribution. My basic feeling has always been that if I’m putting them up on Flickr for the world to see, that they are also there for the world to use. Over the course of the past 18 months I’ve probably received 5 requests and I have no doubt that many have been used without requesting permission. Again, that doesn’t bother me, they are there for people to see and use, even without attribution.

But I have to admit, a recent request was a pretty big kick.

Last September I was in Rochester, Minnesota, home of the world-famous Mayo Clinic. I took several photos of the clinic, the park outside the clinic and statues in the park of the Mayo brothers, their father and the Franciscan Mother who partnered with them to create the clinic.

On March 19th, I received the following e-mail from Italy:

I’m an italian “philosopher” and I’m interested in the history of medicine and others health-related subjects.

I’d like to insert some of your interesting Flickr pictures about Mayo Clinic (particularly, those about monuments to Mayo brothers and father) into a non-commercial site I’ve created on this subject.

Expecting your answer, I send you many thanks in advance,

Luca Borghi

I replied the same date:

Hi Luca,

Thank you for asking. You are more than welcome to use any of the photos and I hope they are useful.

Sincerely,
Jeff Wetherington

Sunday I received this e-mail:

Many thanks again, Jeff.

If you want to give a glance to the preliminary result, please go to

http://himetop.wikidot.com/the-doctors-mayo-monuments

Best wishes from Italy and have a nice Sunday,

Luca

Receiving a request all the way from Italy (I SO want to visit there someday and tour the art museums and visit the great works of architecture) was a real charge and especially from someone as nice as Luca which made it twice as enjoyable.

If you have the time, go take a look. Contact and cooperation like this with people from all over the world are part of what make the Internet so fantastic.