Cake design etiquette

Hi, I’d like to know the answer to that one too!

Miranda,
I would say both. If you know who the phot your friend gave you came from.mi would try to reach out to them to see if they mind you using their ideas. And where ever you post the picture you should give a nod to them as well.

Miranda
We have debated this question at my cake club meetings many times. Our leader has owned her own decorating business for over 40 yrs. She has always told her customers she would never copy a cake design 100%. She changes the colour, certain embellishments, etc., so it’s similar, but not 100% the same. If she knows who the decorator is, she does contact them and says she’s makng/made a cake based on there design, then acknowledges the decorator when posting. That being said Miranda, if you don’t know the decorator…as often happens with cakes seen on the Web, Pinterest etc., our consensus at the meeting was….once your cake is “out there”…. meaning on the Web..you have little control who sees it world wide. So it’s impossible to stop anyone seeing it and copying it. We felt, if you don’t want someone to copy your cake/design…..don’t post it…period. My cake leader keeps a cake portfolio of pics in a book…..especially her original designs. This is is always a tricky subject, with many different points of view.

I have this same problem constantly. Clients will bring me pictures without watermarks and I dont know who the original artist is. I never try to copy 100%