PBase

I'm curious about something here. This site has caused a furor here and rightfully so, however why doesn't someone mention something about a negotiation about rewarding some of the sales proceeds to the owners of the copyright. I'd say it would be a pretty good thing to get some money from use of low res images. I have nothing against people wanting to remove their images from the website but why not try to make some money instead. I thought copyright laws were less about theft and more about compensation anyway.

Edit: It looks like the format is based on a Flickr arrangement. I'm not entirely sure if the products being shown by the poster are actually controlled by them. At this page merchants are encouraged to "use" the poster's collages as a sales tool. So, if the Pbase image can be identified with a price back to the original Pbase member, it maybe a source of revenue or at least advertisement. I know this doesn't absolve the original taking of images without permission...I'm just saying some of the more commercially minded here might use it as a tool.

I found two of my images there. One had the link back to my site, but the other did not. There would be no way for a potential user to contact me for permission. I used to form to ask that both be removed.--Rene

Thinking about this, everyone should at least delete their original photos, so the full resolution of the photo is not obtainable.
Probably a good idea to watermark them too. I am sure everyone know how to delete their original.

It's not going to be as easy to sort out as it originally looked. Not all the pbase photos have retained enough information for anyone but the photographer to identify them. There are 41 pages with 48 images on each one. The unidentifiable ones seemed to be concentrated toward the back, page 41 and forward. If you are concerned, there may be no other recourse than to page through the collection looking for your images.

Another wrinkle is that some of them appear to be from private galleries.

What a mess!

I just found another of my images. This time two derivative images have been made from the original.

Has anyone had any luck getting their images removed from the site. I have received no responses to my copyright infringement messages.

It appears you cannot contact the individuals posting the images unless you register on the site.

If anyone has success is getting their images removed, please let me know.

Thanks--Rene

I sent them a stiff email and they removed the image pretty darn quick with an apology. I also asked them for an audit of sales incorporating my image but surprise, surprise, no response.

Sheila

PS Just found two more images near the back (thanks Soenda) and have sent them yet another email and again repeated my request for an audit.

I don't think that you will find the actual Polyvore membership very cooperative. The ones responding to this blog seem
quite sure that their artistic imperative guarantees them the right to use anybody's photos.

http://blog.polyvore.com/2008/01/import ... right.html

Hurl

Thanks for the headsup... Found one. Unreal...

I searched Polywhore but there were none of mine there.



I tell you, I get no respect...

My photos are released under a Creative Commons 3.0 copyright licence.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

Clearly Polyvore infringes the "Non commercial" and "No derivatives" part, if not the "Attribution" part.

So I will sign the online petition to change their copyright policy or close

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/cop ... ement.html

PS
I've also recycled a photo of the other week, as a form of pressure

http://www.pbase.com/image/109265073

I had another pbase user link me to one of my own images used on Polyvore without my permission, and sent a stern email.

Hi, Thanks for heads up.
I found two photos from my gallery, but without my name upon it.

Also have seen several of sushislee, Anna Pagnacco, lots of Gary Kapluggin, Kilkenny Photographic Society, tons of Richard Calmes, Doug Cruden, Banhup Teh and Manuel Libres Librodo Jr.

I have signed the petition to stop polyvore. Their actions are to be condemed for stealing the use of images so blatantly.

Big thanks to Inga http://www.pbase.com/imorozoff/profile for allerting me.

Thanks to Inga Morozoff who alerted me to one of my photos appearing on Polyvore. I've sent a "copyright infringement" notice to them and hope they pull the image. I don't earn a living off my photography but would hope that others would respect my rights with regards to my images.

I wonder if Pbase.com could give you the option to block the "save image as" function? I could password protect my galleries but several are put in place on behalf of large organizations and what little I do make on photography usually is generated through Pbase hits through Google.