copyright

Digital Piracy

Do I post about this? Do I not? Do I let it slide?

Plain and simple – it’s theft in my opinion. I will post about this. I won’t let it slide. I’m willing to die on that hill.

I know this may alienate me from members of this community. I’m prepared – here we go. This is about potential theft. This is about my ethos. My branding. My work. I’ve been a media creator now, in some capacity or other, for roughly 26 years. It comes with its own set of issues, as does any profession. Simply put – this is piracy.

Back in 2015 a Handley student attempted to pass my work off as their own. He posted something on social media that was blatantly misleading – using my image as his own. Actually directly taking credit for it. I called him on it and it went as deep as the superintend of Winchester Public schools becoming involved. I believe I received a letter from the school system (or at least a call) and the parents voluntarily brought their son to me to apologize face to face. It was an incredible situation in which to be involved.

Fast forward a couple years when my alma mater, James Madison University, created a commemorative brick program for anyone who wanted a collector brick from the demolition of the long-standing Gibbons Dining Hall. I signed up. I wanted one. I worked there all four years of my college career. I was pretty excited about it actually. It came in the mail, I opened the box and was shocked to see MY image used on the commemorative Certificate of Authenticity. Without permission!! I was floored. I pursued it. I won my case. Another incredible situation with which to be involved.

Fast forward to now. Here we go again! Are you kidding me?! Why photography? Help me understand the mentality behind this. I’ve had people post my images and use them in various outlets throughout the years. I’ve even had the local University directly tell me to send them one of my photos. No asking, just basically “give it to us!” Yes, I get it. This won’t stop. But to have my photo actually stolen and passed off as being owned by someone else? Where’s the disconnect? What’s happening that makes people think, “yeah, I like that. I’ll take it. It’s mine now?.”

  • a rhetorical question for which, I’m aware, many have a specific answer

Help me understand. We need an about face. We need a u-turn. Let’s do a 180. #volte-face

A side-by-side of the latest situation. The complete metadata from my image (left side) is front and center on this post. I’ve had a bit of a back-and-forth with the supposed owner of the image on the right. He alleged that he used my image in an attempt to frame his own photograph. IMHO – too many aspects of the image on the right are just too exact and precise to not be the exact image on the left. I offered him my metadata. I asked him for his.

It’s Not OK!

We devote an enormous amount of time and effort to improve our craft.  To develop our own style.  To create art.  We put ourselves out there, sometimes in very vulnerable situations.

When I say “we” I mean Creatives – anybody who creates.  It could be paintings.  Perhaps videos.  How about crafts or wood carvings?  For me, it’s photography.

And those “vulnerable” situations I mentioned have everything to do with this phenomenon called the interwebs.  Internets.  The internet folks.

For most Creatives, their art is their main source of income.  It’s a business.  It’s a job and a career.  It was a choice.  IT’S NO OK, PEOPLE, TO EXPECT US TO ALWAYS GIVE IT AWAY FOR FREE!  You don’t expect to walk into your local grocery store/pharmacy/department store and walk out without paying do you?  Why is it any different with photography?  IT’S NOT.  I’ll continue to consider freebies and I’ll make decisions based on my own business model and expectations at the time, but don’t get upset if I come right back at you with a link to purchase a commercial  license to use my work.

The experts say that you need to have a web presence these days.  A social media presence.  Ok.  Done.  That opens up a can of worms doesn’t it?  So how do I keep people from taking my images and sharing them elsewhere?  There’s no way you can catch everything.  It’s a pretty vulnerable situation indeed.  Here’s my thinking:

  • I post an image to a social media platform (an actual image, not a link) – I expect people to share it if the desire hits them.  That’s the way it works.
  • I post an actual image to my blog (here at cedarmeadestudios.com) – I expect people to “like” it or share it.  That’s the way it works.  By the way, all the images on this site are posted with a Creative Commons License.   Creative Commons License
  • I post an image to my online galleries (cedarmeadestudios.smugmug.com) – I expect people to purchase those images if the desire hits.  It’s an online store people.  This screen grabbing has got to stop.  IT’S NOT OK!  Just because an image is on the internet does not mean it’s “up for grabs.”  IT’S NOT OK.  Did I mention that already.  Technically it’s stealing.

Like I said, I can’t catch everything.  It’s impossible.  I have, however, discovered multiple issues where an image of mine is being used (one from my online galleries) and I have no record of it being purchased.  That’s stealing people.  IT’S NOT OK!

But the latest issue (the impetus behind this post) has really got me heated.  Angry.  Downright pissed off!  And I’ll be addressing the issue with the guilty party.  I’m hoping that it’ll be a simple “Oh wow, I’m so sorry.” but I feel this goes beyond “simple.”  Who knows, maybe this person will approach me after I post this – we’ll see.

I discovered one of my online gallery images imbedded in a Twitter feed.  I have no record of it being purchased.  And credit was given to someone else for having created it!  WTF?!

IT’S NOT OK!

I've steered clear of watermarking, but perhaps I'm on to something with this watermark.

I’ve steered clear of watermarks, but perhaps I’m on to something with this one.  Maybe you’d like to order a print of this image – the actual image with no watermarks.