How do you make the variations though? Start uo a new company called StableVariations and let them deal with the Getty lawsuit? To create the variations you're still using the original images in a commercial way.
Also variations have to be extreme in order to not violate copyrights, and even then may still violate. Otherwise youtube would have no issue with me uploading all of Shrek as long as I mirrored the video and pitched the audio up by 3%.
> you're still using the original images in a commercial way.
Thats not illegal.
For example, right now, for whatever job you are doing, you have probably looked at copyrighted works, that you don't own.
You have copied those copyrighted works, because in order for you to view the image that you don't own, you had to download it to your computer.
So, you have thus used copyrighted works, for commercial purposes, if you have ever looked at copyrighted works on your computer, for a professional purpose.
What is infringement, is not using copyrighted works for a professional purpose. Instead it is distributing copyrighted works to other people that is infringement.
Also variations have to be extreme in order to not violate copyrights, and even then may still violate. Otherwise youtube would have no issue with me uploading all of Shrek as long as I mirrored the video and pitched the audio up by 3%.