WHat would you do If some one used Pics. ect of your Chin website without permission

iayla · Feb 5, 2009

My business partner & I have actually had this happen, and at first she politely asked them to please remove it, or give credit to our website. Instead they acted like they had no idea what she was talking about. Then they tried to say it was their photo, even tho its clearly posted on our store site as an original one-of-a-kind product. (Right down to the fabric that was used, which was custom ordered)

I'd feel the same way if it were a pic of one of my chins being used - they have no right to 'steal' my image & post it without giving credit, nor asking permission. Our next step is to send a cease & desist letter to them and their webhost. Its just too bad things had to go that route. All we wanted was credit for the image/item, because it was being misrepresented as their own creation.
~Barb~

daistarya · Feb 5, 2009

Picture stealing is one of those things that REALLY gets me upset. Most people dont understand or care that it is stealing. Its taking something that isnt yours. Even worse is when someone steals your picture and says it was theirs, or uses it for commercial reasons.

I watermark pretty much all of my pics as well as resize them, and sometimes crop them. I also edit the exif data. So if it came down to a dispute over who really owned it, Id have the original unedited picture with exif data and serial number.

When my pics are stolen I try to contact the people politely first. I state the facts and send screenshots of their website with my pictures. I also save the page source and a copy of the sites page itself. You can find out who owns a website online (whois.net). Contact them first and then the host/server if they dont respond.

I hope that I never have to, but especially because Im a photographer, I would stand up for myself if my work was stolen and contact a lawyer.

As a side note, if you can get the thief to use a watermarked or credited photo sometimes it can be helpful. Free marketing.

Diamond Bar Chins · Apr 6, 2009

I have recently started marking all of my pics with either my ranch brand my ranch name or my name for this exact reason.. usually in a place that it would ruin the pic if they cropped it out... Some times I am to lazy to care where I put the name but that is exactly why I do it.. Some of us take a lot of time taking pics and dont want them taken from us or used with out our permission. I hope no one is using my pics with out my permission. I have had several people ask me if they can have a copy of my pics and I have always sent them to them or said yes and just asked that they credit me for the pic.. its usually pretty easy... But some people just cant play nice

ForCHINate Chins · Apr 6, 2009

Normally that doesn't bother me so much but this last time it did. I have the wheel that I sell on my site (if you've seen it) and someone swiped my pics and started selling the wheel on ebay using my pics that are on my site. I reported it, did the paperwork I had to do and had it removed. Now they're still selling the wheel, but they stole the pic from someone else this time who also makes the wheel and used to sell it on ebay. Can't they just take thier own pic? Its REALLY not that hard! If they would have asked, I would have probably been ok with it, but they didn't ask me and when ebay emailed them to let them know what was going on they did not respond, so I did what I had to do.

Midwest Exotics · Apr 6, 2009

I wouldnt be pleased if someone stole my work.
I would start with trying to contact them & then would progress my way up the legal ladder. If its not yours, dont take it, if you like it, ask, its quite possible the maker may be flattered & allow you to use it. (perhaps with or without credit.) I for one ALWAYS ask that credit be given to ME if its my work. No reason not to.