Image pro web site, stolen pics.

<p>I use the image pro website for my portfoilio. I just found out that a picture/pictures I took of a family portrait was taken from image pro and used on the families home computer desktop screen. Is that stealing? Is the web site image pro not protected? I dont know much about this, Im knew and Im learning. However, I feel this is wrong. Earlier this week the family was kind enough to pose for the pics, so I could get practice and get some for my portfoilio. To me this is total disrespect, My blunder of not putting watermarks across the middle cost this problem. ARGH!<br>

Can anything be done about this? Should I be contacting someone from image pro?</p>

<p>Thank you, Steve</p>

<p>No web site is "protected." If you can see an image on a web site, you can easily save a copy of that image to your local computer, and use it in other ways. Stop worrying about that part, for now - nothing you can do about it for the image in question, or for any image in the future (other than not putting images up in public spaces, or if you must, only putting them up at low resolution and well watermarked, if you're worried about mis-use).<br /><br />Speaking of mis-use ... what was your arrangement with this family that was kind enough to pose for you? Did you plan on providing them with anything in exchange for what they did for you? Letting them use a photo of themselves as computer wallpaper seems like very little to ask, don't you think? Not that it matters. What matters is: what did they tell you about what they expected out of you photographing them, and what did you tell them about your requirements/expectations, in advance of photographing them? Please be specific, so you're clear.<br /><br />Total disrespect? It doesn't particularly sound that way from here, unless you're not telling us much about the whole situation. If you haven't given them permission for casual personal use (on their own computer!) of the image in which they posed for you, then maybe you should reconsider that position. Unless, of course, you paid them to sit for you, and part of the arrangement would be that all images were going to be off limits ... but that doesn't seem lkely, since you say you put the photo up on a public web site.<br /><br />The fact that the image <em>was</em> up on a public site doesn't grant them any sort of license to reproduce or otherwise use the image, but it does suggest that you're not feeling too terribly worried about what becomes of a low-resolution (right?) version of it.<br /><br />No, you should not be contacting anyone who runs hosting operations of the web site. They're not responsible for your decision to show your work on the web. That's entirely your call, and it's between you and the people who offered to pose for you.</p>

<p>I would let it go. In fact if you are an amateur, as it sounds like your are, you should take it as a compliment. I was giving out prints to people that were kind enough to allow me to photograph them back when I was starting out.</p>

<p> </p>

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<p>Can anything be done about this? Should I be contacting someone from image pro?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>In most cases, the only person who can do anything about an instance of copyright infringement is the copyright holder.</p>

<p>Matt, disrespect as in taking something that belongs to me, well thats my opinion. the deal was I to take photos of them, in return I would give them some (not a specific amount) on a disc for there personal use. What irks me is that I said i would get them the pictures on disc and then find out they have one of them on there pc. I dont know that websites are not protected, I did mention that Im knew and learning. It's just messed up, your friend(or so called) helps you out then takes something thats not there's</p>

<p><strong>Everything</strong> you post on the internet WILL be stolen.</p>

<p>The only question is whether or not you'll find out about it.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

<p>Thanks Leigh. so should someone who puts it on websites watermark it?</p>

<p>Anthony, I am a ametuer. That does sound good about it being a complement. Thanks</p>

<p>Steve,</p>

<p>Every photographer learns one way or the other about protecting their images. For some it's an expensive lesson for others an easy one. This is an easy one.</p>

<p>Let it go.</p>

<p>Your position is going to be seen as unreasonable by 99.9% of the public. And if you are aiming to be a working photographer, that is a terrible sort of reputation to get. The deal was that these people would get some of your images in return for taking the time to pose for you. This was a good image, they saw it on your website, and figured that it would be okay to put up on their computer. They didn't sell it, they didn't use it for commercial purposes, they didn't even display it publicly. All they did was put it on their personal computer. From their viewpoint, they probably felt as though they were just getting an early sample of an image you were going to give them anyway. If it was good enough for you to put on your website, it would be good enough to give a client, right? And since they did you a favor by posing, they probably feel doubly so that they were within their rights to download the image. Were they legally within their rights? Maybe yes, maybe no. There's a large tangle of things that need to be considered in a situation like this. Suffice to say that while you are not on strong ground (particularly as far as public opinion would go) morally, you are not on much stronger ground in a strictly legal sense.</p>

<p>There is no point in getting worked up about this sort of "theft". You have absolutely nothing to win by doing so and a lot to lose. Since no money was made from the image and it wasn't even displayed publicly, there is nothing you can gain by pressing the matter. But you could lose everything from a friend over a silly argument to your reputation as a pro photographer before you even really get started. How well do you think it will go over to prospective clients in the future if word gets out that you were hassling people over this sort of thing? Just take the whole thing as a lesson about how clients view the photographic world and move on.</p>

<p>Dealing with people is the hardest part of being a people photographer. By FAR the hardest part. People have emotions and opinions that must be worked with in order to be a successful people photographer. This is even more true if you are trying to be a successful professional people photographer. If that sort of thing frustrates you, there are always landscape and still life images to shoot. No joke, I know some very good photographers who stick to those subjects for the sole reason that they do not like to deal with people. It's something to think about.</p>

<p>Like I said, we've all been there. But part of being a pro is knowing when to raise a fuss and when to spend your time on more important things. This is a "more important things" time.</p>

<p>And Anthony is right about it being a compliment.</p>

<p>I've been lucky enough to do some pretty cool stuff in my pro photography career. But the biggest compliment that I ever get is when I see that someone has put a photo of mine up on the wall or above the mantle in their home. It means that something I did had great meaning for them. And that's a pretty amazing thing.</p>

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<p>should someone who puts it on websites watermark it?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>You could, but it's generally a waste of time.</p>

<p>The only person who can pursue copyright infringement is the copyright holder, and it has to be done in court.</p>

<p>No attorney would touch an infringement case unless it was commercial use and the infringer had enough money to actually pay substantial amounts if he lost the case, so the lawyer could get paid.</p>

<p>Bottom line is... Your only protection is not to post the images in the first place.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

<p>You mean that you didn't bother to return the favor with a photo. Any time I'm lucky enough to get free models they always get at least a free print. When I beg someone to allow me to shoot old buildings on their properties the same applies, in some cases I even supply a cd with all the photos I take if the people are elderly and want a record of their past for their children.</p>

<p>As has been pointed out, put it on the net and it will be stolen. The worst insult is if it isn't.</p>

<p>Should you contact someone? By all means, immediately make at least an 8x10 print and deliver it to those who were willing to sit through the ordeal while you experimented to your advantage.</p>

<p>Dang, Steve, you're lucky. I'm fortunate if any prints I've given people actually end up displayed on a wall. I had photos posted online for years before any of them were considered interesting enough for anyone to reproduce on a blog or use as desktop wallpaper. I was almost tempted to give that blogger a cyberhug for using one of my photos. But then I found out cyberhugs were cyberpassé and a little cybercreepy.</p>

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<p>... I said i would get them the pictures on disc ...</p>

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<p>So, they "stole" pictures you were going to give them anyway? You are completely unreasonable. If you accuse them of stealing they will think you are a total jerk. Word will get around and nobody will ever pose for you again.</p>

 

<p>How exactly did you manage to see their personal computer? I hope you didn't break in... Or are they holding a public viewing (in which case... you have a case)?</p>

<p>If you put an accessible image on the web, how is anyone to know you don't want it to be used as a personal wallpaper? And even if you don't, so what?</p>

<p>See the other thread here... <a href="../business-photography-forum/00ZAW3">http://www.photo.net/business-photography-forum/00ZAW3</a></p>

<p>edit: I guess you're merely angry at your so called friend for doing something unexpected (from your point of view) and see it as a breach of trust. From his/her/their point of view, they liked the image so much, they couldn't wait to display it (personally). This is entirely normal. The best way to deal with it would be to deliver the edited image ASAP. About watermark, good TFCD policy is giving unmarked images, or at least images where the copyright/ self promotional info is not on the image itself but a border and does not detract from the image. It is unfair that you would be able to promote yourself with the image while your client would not (since many model agencies might not accept a watermarked image).</p>

<p>I would next time you are posting photographs of other people you took photographs of put a water mark right in the middle of it with wide enough lines like a big X on it so it covers enough of the photograph. On the image pro site you get with your subscription from photo.net it does say any photograph on the site marked or not is copyright. <br>

But, that doesn't mean any one is really reading that. My friends steal my photographs off FB and my imagine pro site all the time for what ever they want to do with it. I never get upset with them, they do leave my small copyright in the corner so people know who took the photograph. If I find one with out it, I send them an email and ask them to credit me for the photograph which they do and that is all I ask.<br>

Anything on a Website that you don't mark with some kind of water mark so it is on the photograph even with that, will be taken by someone for something. If they are making a million dollars on your photograph I would be a little concerned, but to display it on their home computer as a background or family website, I wouldn't get to excited about it.</p>

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<p>The only person who can pursue copyright infringement is the copyright holder, and it has to be done in court.<br /> No attorney would touch an infringement case unless it was commercial use and the infringer had enough money to actually pay substantial amounts if he lost the case, so the lawyer could get paid.</p>

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<p>Although you could represent yourself in small claims court (you're not allowed to have a lawyer representing you there anyway) but it's probably not worth the effort.</p>

<p>A lawyer isn't necessary and in any case, legal action should be a last resort. A polite letter to the infringer should be the first step.</p>

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<p>in return I would give them some (not a specific amount) on a disc for there personal use.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Whilst they didn't get the images in the way you intended to supply them, they have the same images which you were going to give them anyway so it's not really a case of infringement and you have not suffered any loss.<br /> Their behaviour in the matter is not what you expected but other than your indignation that they got the images before you could hand them over, there is nothing much to be done.</p>

<p>I posted this question in order to find answers to areas I dont know about. I recieved a lot of answers to help settle issues that were running around in my mind. I am an ametuer, only been shooting for a little over 2 years. I thank you all for the input. It does help solve issues I wondered about. Now I have an understanding of sort.</p>

<p>Thanks Steve</p>

I hope that family doesn't put your name into a search engine and find these comments, especially if you ever hoped

to do business in the community where they live. Even an amateur should use tact when posting comments of

frustration online.

<p>wow, nice . You come across mean. i guess i have no tact<br>

signed Amateur</p>

<p>Steve: Dan's just making a very helpful and constructive point. When he says "amateur," he means "not someone who makes their living at photography." That has <em>nothing </em>to do with skill or results or quality or passion. It just means that someone is making photographs because they love to do so, rather than because that's how they pay their bills. <br /><br />An amateur's reputation is just as important as a professional's. We're in a time, now, where Google picks up on <em>everything</em> that's said in public forums (like this one), and people who are considering (for example) having someone into their home to shoot photographs of them and their kids <em>do check folks out online</em>. You want every conversation and thread that they encounter - and they <em>will</em> encounter theads like this one - to convey a positive, constructive, non-angry-sounding image of you. Dan doesn't sound "mean" to me, he sounds like he's looking out for you, and I agree with him.</p>