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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
I need help. Someone selling my photos
Peter Buehner, Photographer
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Orono | ME | USA | Posted: 7:43 PM on 05.05.10 |
->> I just found this site with a google search. Not only is this site using my photos, they are selling prints.
How should I approach this?
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.theforecaster.net/files/imagecache/large/2009/11/16/P-sportsTreister2-111809.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.theforecaster.net/node/33098/&usg=__p_x-LNcM4kJkMNYn-yoPLRwlBi4=...:&tbnh=95&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpeter%2Bbuehner%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=q__hS6nOO5Ps7AORooDLDg
Should I contact them directly? I cannot believe that they are selling prints. Using the photo doesn't shock me. I am sure that the AD at my university supplied them (this has been an issue in the past) but never has someone blatantly offered to sell the image.
Also I am not a staff photographer. The photos are mine. |
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Peter Buehner, Photographer
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Orono | ME | USA | Posted: 7:50 PM on 05.05.10 |
| ->> And the worst part is that the images suck. |
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Chris Mackler, Photographer
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Cape Girardeau | MO | United States | Posted: 8:27 PM on 05.05.10 |
| ->> Are your images registered with the Copyright Office? If not, you don't have much recourse for legal action... |
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Tami Chappell, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Atlanta | Ga | USA | Posted: 3:08 AM on 05.06.10 |
| ->> Peter, Yes contact them and tell them that you own the copyright. See what their response is and go from there. |
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Allen Hubbard, Photographer
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Spokane | WA | USA | Posted: 3:25 AM on 05.06.10 |
->> Hey they gave you photo credit isn't that worth it! LOL
I was in a simular situation a few years ago where the school I was doing contract photo work for gave or sold my images to 2 book publishers and I found my images in the books when they came out in stores.
I immediatly registered the photos, made a demand for payment from the university which they refused so I filed a copyright lawsuit.
After many months of attorneys sending letters back and forth we ended up in Federal Court for mediation. I got
almost 10 times as much as I originally asked them to pay.
Plus I also received payments from the book publishers too.
Get your images registered now and demand payment. If they won't then get an attorney to help you.
Get ahold of me if you have any questions. |
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Peter Buehner, Photographer
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Orono | ME | USA | Posted: 6:04 AM on 05.06.10 |
->> Thank you all very much for the replies. I have sent an email to them and am waiting for a reply.
I will get all of my images registered too. Thanks.
Peter |
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Tom Sperduto, Photographer
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Jon Gardiner, Photographer
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Durham | NC | USA | Posted: 9:29 AM on 05.06.10 |
| ->> My guess is that it is a CMS issue where most of the photos are labeled as "buy a print." when you drop in the image. The same thing happened at a local paper here. They do need to correct it, though... |
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Dave Breen, Photographer
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Somerset | PA | USA | Posted: 11:27 AM on 05.06.10 |
->> Allen, Do you still do contract work for that school? I assume the litigation was expensive; do you think winning was worth it?
I understand the need to protect our work; I guess we all draw our own lines. |
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Allen Hubbard, Photographer
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Spokane | WA | USA | Posted: 9:00 PM on 05.06.10 |
->> Dave,
No I don't do any work for them anymore but yes it was worth it.
I received over $55,000 in damages, 1/3 went to the attorney but I still came out well ahead.
With the agreement I was shooting under it would have taken 4 years to earn what I took home. |
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