Copyright Infringement Reports (Review guidelines in post #1 before posting here)

[James Langford]

Ahh, it's always interesting to find my own work being stolen by searching via Google:

http://www.northtexashomefinders.com/home-buying-tips.php

I've sent them a formal demand letter with a $$ amount in it, so we'll see how it goes.

James

 

[Jim Saueressig]

Yeah, they cut off your copyright?

 

[James Langford]

Yeah, it looks like whomever built the website for them just cropped the image to remove my copyright:

This is one of my most distinct, marketable images, so I am pretty upset that is was used in this way.

James

 

[David Drummond]

That is a stunning image. Hopefully you have it filed with the copyright office. Otherwise you're out of luck recovering much in the way of money from them. If you did, it's time for an attorney. I just recovered off one of my thefts this week. It took a year but it was worth the time and most of all I made my point with them.

 

[Ryan McGinnis]

That is a stunning image. Hopefully you have it filed with the copyright office. Otherwise you're out of luck recovering much in the way of money from them. If you did, it's time for an attorney. I just recovered off one of my thefts this week. It took a year but it was worth the time and most of all I made my point with them.

I think you can recover with a well written demand letter, even if you don't have your copyright registered -- though at that point it's basically bluffing, since you won't find an attorney to take the case unless the infringement was HUGE. If you register your copyrights, you have a much greater chance of an attorney taking your case. (I always register my copyrights so I'm never bluffing.) David is 100% right -- it really is worth it to register your copyrights if you make or ever plan to make any kind of money off of your photography/videography. I may have spent $250 over the past few years regularly registering my photography, but I've recovered much, much more than that from infringers and people who exceeded their licenses.

 

[Jason Boggs]

I had to bluff with an attorney's letter one time when a local bank here in town stole one of my images to put on their website. Unfortunately, the image wasn't registered, but I still got a grand from them. I sure wished it had been registered though.

 

[Jim Saueressig]

This is one of my most distinct, marketable images, so I am pretty upset that is was used in this way.

James

Anything come out of this yet James?


Here is a few collections with a few of ST member's pics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIYKU8WfOAA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oByIKe3iLw << Ryan and Many More

 

[Steven Marshall]

Let me throw this question out to you all since we are talking about copyrights etc.. How do you feel about other chasers( or just an average person for that matter) simply right clicking and saving your shots for private use on their own computer as a screen saver? We had a discussion about this a while back and some of our guys were against and others didnt care as long as it didnt go any further.

 

[Robert Dewey]

Let me throw this question out to you all since we are talking about copyrights etc.. How do you feel about other chasers( or just an average person for that matter) simply right clicking and saving your shots for private use on their own computer as a screen saver? We had a discussion about this a while back and some of our guys were against and others didnt care as long as it didnt go any further.

Not speaking for others, but I wouldn't have a problem with it as long as there's no monetary gain or unauth redistribution.

 

[David Drummond]

http://tornadosquad.com/photos/gallery.cfm

You guys might want to check this site out for your photos.

 

[Jason Boggs]

ILLEGAL VIDEO USAGE

I'm just finding out that the chief Met from KTAB is using chaser video on air from chasertv without permission.

EDIT: I'm not sure who's it was, but a friend that works at KTAB told me.

 

[Ryan McGinnis]

FYI there is a Copyright sticky thread in the announcements for this kind of thing -- lot of chasers who are interested watch that thread. You might want to post there too.

 

[David Drummond]

I'm just finding out that the chief Met from KTAB is using chaser video on air from chasertv without permission.

EDIT: I'm not sure who's it was, but a friend that works at KTAB told me.

Again? That happened last year.

 

[Billy Griffin]

I'm hoping I can post this comment without being attacked personally... but if you don't want your stuff stolen, manipulated, edited, or otherwise fall into someone else's hands; keep it off the internet.

Me, I don't personally care because most of my stuff is crap anyway. But for the few really proud photos and videos I have, I do not post them anywhere; period.
Many of you have stuff that would sell and make you good money. And it's easy for anyone of almost any age to play around with it. We all know the web is just not a safe place no matter the copyright notices.

That is all. Please color me done on this topic.

 

[nickgrillo]

That's very true! Because some people will steal your stuff, then claim it was indeed their shots, then claim it was all mistake, then blame it on their kids.