DLV 2013 Photos

[kandi.dolfen]

Hi All,
I enjoyed looking at the DLV 2013 photos this morning since I wasn't able to join you this year. You had lots of fun. Being a technical person, I tried out a new feature of Google Chrome (version 30) called, "Search Google for this image". This new feature matches images posted up with its incredible search engine capabilities. My results although not scientific, were amazing and wanted to share them with everyone. To try this feature yourself, just right mouse click on any image and let it search for you. You might try it on your own images to see the results you get.

I tried this on several DLV photos and got connected to the FaceBook accounts of DLV members. WOW! The results worked best on single full-length pix shot straight on.Night time pix were more difficult to match, one attempt matched to Darth Vader of Star Wars! (Sorry) I'm not posting any names here, intentionally for privacy reasons. Group photos were difficult for the search engine to match up and failed every time I tried it.

To find the version of Chrome you have, just go to the About Chrome tab. Chrome automatically updates itself so you should have it sometime this week. You can try this 'experiment" yourself and post your results if you are curious. Anyway, I just thought you should be aware of this when you decide to post your pix.

[annie]

First of all, if anyone out there is in any way concerned about being "outed" for having recognizable images on the DLV web site, it's close to impossible for the search cited below to work backwards, meaning bring up DLV images of you if someone searches on, say, your bio photo on your company's web site. If you need more assurance on this, write off line and I'll explain in more detail.

I know we have a number of camera shy people and I would like to keep their minds at ease.

> Being a technical person, I tried out a new feature of Google Chrome
> (version 30)

I use Chrome in the form of Chromium (the "hacker" version) to QA web pages. It's a solid browser. It's most definitely quicker than Firefox or IE. A quick run of the Acid3 test will confirm this, if it will run at all under IE. I also use Firefox (Aurora version) and IE to QA web pages. The "guts" of Chrome(ium) is a spinoff of the Apple Webkit, which is regarded as one of the best and most complete rendering engines there is.

> called, "Search Google for this image". This new feature matches images
> posted up with its incredible search engine capabilities.

You don't need Chrome(ium) to do this. The Google "Search By Image" will do it with any browser. My usual everyday browser is Seamonkey ("Firefox on steroids") and I've used it on occasion.

> My results although not scientific, were amazing and wanted to share them
> with everyone. To try this feature yourself, just right mouse click on any image
> and let it search for you. You might try it on your own images to see the results
> you get.

My results are mixed. I've found that if the image appears in the same form on a well-indexed web site (Flickr, Facebook, etc.) it will zero right in on it. However, there was a recent test case cited where a clear headshot of a 50s vintage model came up with a headshot of a WWII soldier in such a search as an "identical" image. This was not intended to be facial recognition, but an identical image match. I'm sure that one is fixed by now.

IMAO, the "search for visually similar images" is not ready for prime time. If you give it, for example, a DLV golf photo it will come up with images of soccer fields, family picnics, etc. A search on a group photo will bring up photos of groups of people, but totally unrelated.

> I tried this on several DLV photos and got connected to the
> FaceBook accounts of DLV members. WOW!

Speaking very freely, Facebook scares the hell out of me! I won't use it, and I know other techie types who avoid it as well, mainly for privacy/security concerns. I would advise anyone who is at all concerned about online privacy to be very careful with Facebook. Main reason: Anything by you or about you on Facebook is for sale! You, as a user of Facebook are not the customer, you are the product.

> The results worked best on single full-length
> pix shot straight on.Night time pix were more difficult to match, one
> attempt matched to Darth Vader of Star Wars!

Another one I've played with is the facial recognition in Picasa. It can give some surprising results, but again, IMAO, it's not ready for prime time. There are a lot of very bad (and often hilarious) false positives!

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Vera Delmar
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Oh my gawd...... this is way too techi for me to grasp onto.

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(This posting was entered by Vera Delmar, an external user of MyDLV.)

[Valorie]

While I don't work for Google, my day job is teaching computers how to analyze faces (I've blogged about this before http://valoriesapphire.wordpress.com/20 ... ing-faces/). Eventually computers will be able to reliably match faces, but it is not there yet.

I would agree with Annie, that the chances of a single Google image search finding a match are fairly low unless you have the same photo on Facebook, Flickr etc. In my experience searches will find images with similar color palettes (ie blue clothes will find other people wearing blue clothes) or camera framing (face portraits will find other face portraits), but usually not the same person. If I search for my MyDLV avatar image, I find lots of other girls (and George Lucas ???) but none of them are me. (https://www.google.com/search?tbs=simg: ... =931&dpr=1). It works better for famous people. If you search based on a picture of President Obama, you will find other pictures of Obama but also Rep. Boehner and other politicians standing in similar environments.

I would be more worried about photo tagging on Facebook/Google etc where you explicitly label the faces. Given more more images to train on you can get much better search results. Still little changes in lighting can make a big differece in how a face looks, even before you start changing hair length or adding makeup.

[External Poster]

This posting is from: kandi130 .
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Hi Valorie,

Thanks for this info. I read your blogs and found them interesting.

This one caught my eye;

http://valoriesapphire.wordpress.com/20 ... girls-win/

Let's hear it for DLV!

Best wishes,
kandi

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(This posting was entered by kandi130 ., an external user of MyDLV.)

[Linda]

Question: If I download a photo of myself (or any photo, for that matter), what can I do with it legally, without violating any copyright laws? I assume I can post it in the gallery section of MyDLV, but what about Facebook. Flickr, Experience Project, etc.?

[annie]

> Question: If I download a photo of myself (or any photo, for that
> matter), what can I do with it legally, without violating any copyright
> laws?

Disclaimer: IANAL, but I have done some college-level coursework in media law, so this is kind of informed non-legal advise.

I'm assuming that you mean the gallery photos posted of last year's event or prior years.

> assume I can post it in the gallery section of MyDLV,

Yes, if you use the built-in hook it's just a link to the same image, so there will be no copyright issues.

> but what about Facebook. Flickr, Experience Project, etc.?

Technically speaking, the copyright on each photo belongs to the creator of it. They've given implied permission for us to use it on the DLV web site by submitting it to the Call For Photos, but nothing else, so strictly speaking, they have not given permission to post it elsewhere.

In the real world, however, the chances of someone coming after you for re-posting photos from the DLV web site are very low. They could if they wanted to be a jerk about it.

If you do so, please be considerate of others who may appear in the photos besides you.

#include <facebook_privacy_concerns.h>