Beware the photo thief

[ugot2bkdng]

I just had a "doctored" version of one of my photos emailed to me. Apparently, the person operating this web site http://www.humandescent.com/index2.shtml
downloaded my copyrighted original, removed my copyright, docotored it and added their own logo.

My original http://www.pbase.com/image/20530450



Note the copyright notice.

The doctored copy


Note the site's logo.

Not nice.

I realize some of you may think this is funny; but, stealing copyrighted photos is not nice, even if the doctored version is "funny."

[mauraenjan]

funny site, thanks for the link

[ugot2bkdng]

You might not find it so funny if it was your work that is being stolen.

[mauraenjan]

You might not find it so funny if it was your work that is being stolen.

I would feel honored - Life is too short to get angry about little unimportant things

[eric_s]

I recognize a lot of those photos from that photoshop contest website http://www.worth1000.com.

[slowglue]

I have too agree, who cares, this happens all the time.

Its like rap music using samples or fashion going retro. He used your work but didnt claim your work as his own. Its not exactly stealing. Hey better somone used your work than never looked at it in the first place. Honestly I dont find either image particularly interesting but there is just no way to protect it. Now your post did get me too look at some of your other pics, I liked the vegas gallery.

I mean if you think that everyone is going to honor your copy right statement then the internet is the wrong place to put your work .

[neovolatile]

Weird site but interesting concept. I agree, I don't like being ripped off but then I have to remember not to do it to others, either.

Regards,
Ellsworth

[jmphotography]

Hmmm, you know communication is the number one reason why we have wars today. Well,, maybe not the number one reason, but it's up there on the top ten list of reasons I bet. Seems like no one is ever on the same page. A simple email from artist to artist couldn't have hurt a fly,, but the outcome of a communique could have resolved the differences.
I guess it is unfortunate that there isn't much we could do about these mishaps. I will admit, I would be unhappy of the event one of my photo's would be used and altered without my consent.
I pray for resolution.
jm

[slowglue]

What???

[kirstenmary]

You might not find it so funny if it was your work that is being stolen.

I agree. It's not funny, and i hope you get it resolved soon.

[mannxx]

It seems a shame you evidently didn't bother to contact the site owner before you posted here. If you check the site, a message has been posted about the source of the photos the artist uses - had you considered someone else might submit your pictures as their own? It's a bit rich to call that artist a thief without proof.

http://www.humandescent.com

see for yourself, it's on both the front page and guestbook. Did you post abusive messages by any chance?

Personally, I'd be flattered if someone used my pics, but fair enough if you don't like it. I don't think it's theft though even then, as this artist has changed the image substantially!

[ugot2bkdng]

Actually, I posted a message requesting that they ask first. When I received no response and my first post was deleted, I posted again. The second time not so polite. If there is an explanation now, it was not there when I posted. BTW, I was not the only one that posted negative posts. Rather than respond, they were deleted.

What I would like to know is why do I have to defend myself. I am not the one that broke the law by downloading my photo and removing my copyright notice. Sorry, a thief is a thief.

This my last post on the subject. I don't feel that I owe anyone an apology.........

[ukexpat]

Actually, I posted a message requesting that they ask first. When I received no response and my first post was deleted, I posted again. The second time not so polite. If there is an explanation now, it was not there when I posted. BTW, I was not the only one that posted negative posts. Rather than respond, they were deleted.

What I would like to know is why do I have to defend myself. I am not the one that broke the law by downloading my photo and removing my copyright notice. Sorry, a thief is a thief.

This my last post on the subject. I don't feel that I owe anyone an apology.........

Unless you are prepared to sue there is little you can really do about this. Yes your copyright was infringed but rights are only worth anything if you enforce them. Digital media of all forms have made infringement of intellectual property rights much more widespread and now that the cat is out of the bag, so to speak, we all have to live with that. Your only option is not to post your pics at all, or post them and accept that there will always be a few wankers out there who don't give a stuff about IP rights and will happily infringe them. A sad fact but reality I am afraid.

[bobt54]

Personally, I'd be flattered if someone used my pics, but fair enough if you don't like it. I don't think it's theft though even then, as this artist has changed the image substantially!

What sort of half baked logic is that??? If I took your car, repainted it and added new seats, does it now become mine? Just for the sake of discussion, lets assume you have a point here. Exactly how much would a picture have to be changed before it wouldn't be considered theft? What point is there to having a copyright if all you have to do is change the image to invalidate it?

I mean if you think that everyone is going to honor your copy right statement then the internet is the wrong place to put your work .

So basically are you saying that if it is posted online then it is fair game??? We are all sort of on the honor system here. Just because others choose to violate the law, how does that now make it right? From what I am reading here, you are saying that his copyrights are meaningless because he posted his pictures online. In what medium would they be meaningful? If Chuck had published his picture in the print medium, would it be ok for someone to scan it in and change it "substantially" and republish it as their own? The fact that the person who did take and deface Chuck's image didn't claim it as his/her own only means that that person is too much of a coward to claim responsibility for what they had done, knowing full well that it was wrong.

Chuck, you don't have to explain yourself to anyone. It is those who support this theft who have a lot more explaining to do.

[thejerk]

I was just over at that site and your photoshopped image is gone and he has the following text posted at the top of the page:

"I received a complaint that one of these images was stolen from
their photo gallery. I have deleted the offending photo.
If you believe someone has taken one of your photos and sent them in
to humandescent.com please email me at:
hd @ humandescent.com
and I will remove them immediately ! "

Problem resolved this time.

Ignor the folks that see no problem with your images being STOLEN. I agree with you it is your image, your intellectual property nobody has the right to take it and use it for anything without your permission.

Regards Bill