A friend brought me a pic off the internet of a cake from a professional baker/ decorator and asked me to replicate it as it was from an out-of-state bakery. What is the proper etiquette? Is it wrong to post a pic? Should I say who the original decorator is? Should I not post it at all?

I usually post and say "This is a cake off so and so's website that a customer requested" or something.

I don't think it is poor etiquette, sometimes I will acknowledge whose cake inspired me, once a cake is done and out in the public eye, I believe it is fair game....

As long as it's not from somewhere in your area, I don't think there's anything wrong with copying it. You can post a picture of the cake YOU made based on their design, and I think the most ethical/courteous thing to do is include with the picture that it was inspired by a cake originally designed by ..... Sometimes you can't track down who the creator of a cake was, but if you know I think one should acknowledge them.

If I know who did it, i say inspiration from so and so. I think it is a compliment when someone copies. Just make sure to give props! You can always say it wasn't an original design.... but if you made it, you have the right to show it off

Although I never think it is okay to copy for a competition....

Thanks for the answers! I will definitely acknowledge the original designer!

I would bet that 90% of my brides bring me a picture of a cake they've seen that they like. I have no idea where most of these come from.

When I can ..... I have a few pics on my collection where I have "This is the picture the bride brought me .... and this is the cake that resulted."

Unless a design has been copyrighted I don't see why you can't do this.

I use the galleries here and magazines, books etc. for inspiration and to attempt to copy.

Some say it's the nicest compliment you could pay a person.

It is nice to mention them if possible of course.

When we upload our photos here we are allowing CC do what they like with our photos so I don't see the problem.

There is a lot of repetition in cake decorating and always will be.

Cake makes my world go round and if people start copyrighting things then it's time to throw the towel in.

If I want to express my creativity by doing the same cake as someone else who is to say I am not allowed?

That would make one person selfish and the other unhappy and nobody would be any the better off!