How to stop people from "stealing" your images?
Feb 15, 2012 | 03:53 PM
#31
Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,120
From: Europe
I remember reading this post by Trey Ratcliff a few months back. He shares some insight into what he does and why he doesn't watermark his pictures.
https://plus.google.com/105237212888...ts/UTKKo5Su6Rj
Why I Don't Use Watermarks
I get this question a lot, and I know it came up in the live hangout last night. I know my opinion is different than many other photographers, and that is okay.
As you may know, my work is all Creative Commons Non-Commercial. That means people, as long as they give credit and link back to Stuck In Customs HDR Photography , can use my images on their blogs, wallpaper, personal use – anything – as long as it is not used commercially. Every day, I upload a HUGE 6000+ pixel max-resolution image to the Internet. I do not have any fear at all… Believe me, it’s quite liberating living in a world without internet-stealth-fear.
People that want to license our images regularly contact our licensing team – we get many of these every day of the week.
So why don’t I use watermarks? It’s a multi-part philosophy –
1) Watermarks look ugly. Whenever I look at a photo with a watermark, often times, ALL I can think about is that watermark! It's so distracting. Maybe this is just me.
2) Legitimate companies do not steal images to use commercially. So I don’t have any logical fear there. *In case of emergency, break glass and see #4
3) There are other services, like Tineye (and Google) that can help my team easily find bottom-feeders.
4) We do register our images with the copyright office, so if someone uses an image commercially without a proper license, it is an easy lawsuit.
5) I don’t have to maintain two versions of each image – one with a watermark and one without.
6) NOT using watermarks and using creative commons helps more and more people to use your image freely for fun, which increases traffic and builds something I call “internet-trust."
7) As image search and image recognition get better and better, there will be no need to watermark things. In 1 year+, we'll be able to r-click an image and choose "Google-find the original creator" -- there is a bit trail to first-on-the-internet.
8) Yes, last, there will be bottom-feeders that steal your stuff. I call this the cost of doing business on the internet. These are the Tic-Tacs that are stolen from the 7-11. It is impossible to maintain 100% of your digital inventory, so wanting "perfection" in your online strategy is an illusion.
I get this question a lot, and I know it came up in the live hangout last night. I know my opinion is different than many other photographers, and that is okay.
As you may know, my work is all Creative Commons Non-Commercial. That means people, as long as they give credit and link back to Stuck In Customs HDR Photography , can use my images on their blogs, wallpaper, personal use – anything – as long as it is not used commercially. Every day, I upload a HUGE 6000+ pixel max-resolution image to the Internet. I do not have any fear at all… Believe me, it’s quite liberating living in a world without internet-stealth-fear.
People that want to license our images regularly contact our licensing team – we get many of these every day of the week.
So why don’t I use watermarks? It’s a multi-part philosophy –
1) Watermarks look ugly. Whenever I look at a photo with a watermark, often times, ALL I can think about is that watermark! It's so distracting. Maybe this is just me.
2) Legitimate companies do not steal images to use commercially. So I don’t have any logical fear there. *In case of emergency, break glass and see #4
3) There are other services, like Tineye (and Google) that can help my team easily find bottom-feeders.
4) We do register our images with the copyright office, so if someone uses an image commercially without a proper license, it is an easy lawsuit.
5) I don’t have to maintain two versions of each image – one with a watermark and one without.
6) NOT using watermarks and using creative commons helps more and more people to use your image freely for fun, which increases traffic and builds something I call “internet-trust."
7) As image search and image recognition get better and better, there will be no need to watermark things. In 1 year+, we'll be able to r-click an image and choose "Google-find the original creator" -- there is a bit trail to first-on-the-internet.
8) Yes, last, there will be bottom-feeders that steal your stuff. I call this the cost of doing business on the internet. These are the Tic-Tacs that are stolen from the 7-11. It is impossible to maintain 100% of your digital inventory, so wanting "perfection" in your online strategy is an illusion.
Feb 15, 2012 | 08:59 PM
#33
Thread Starter
| Photographer Extraordinaire
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,879
From: Bellevue, WA
Thanks everyone for your support. What cracks me up about this guy is that I was trying to be as amicable as possible by asking him to please remove my photo. When he refused to comply, I reported the photo to FetLife and this is what he said to me:
"Fet life removed the pic, not me ! But please sue me for damages, this 140 beast will meet you@ the door !"
"I am not afraid of anyone u asian shit ..........mess with Greek & see what happens !! Remember u are not from Canada, things are different here ~ I will be waiting, do u want my address??"
I'm just letting this one go but you're welcome to harass him. To see his page you'd have to sign up for Fetlife:
https://fetlife.com/users/243303
Or you could just email him directly at petethegreek59@hotmail.com.
"Fet life removed the pic, not me ! But please sue me for damages, this 140 beast will meet you@ the door !"
"I am not afraid of anyone u asian shit ..........mess with Greek & see what happens !! Remember u are not from Canada, things are different here ~ I will be waiting, do u want my address??"
I'm just letting this one go but you're welcome to harass him. To see his page you'd have to sign up for Fetlife:
https://fetlife.com/users/243303
Or you could just email him directly at petethegreek59@hotmail.com.
Feb 15, 2012 | 09:11 PM
#35
Thread Starter
| Photographer Extraordinaire
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,879
From: Bellevue, WA
You'd rather I not post any more of my photos for you guys to enjoy? I know how you feel about me so..
FetLife removed the photo in question but that's a good idea. I haven't been filling in the metadata but I'll look into doing it from now on.
Good point, Robert. And I know it'd be impossible to keep track of where ever a photo goes. This isn't just for me but also for other photographers that share their work on here. We have an incredible array of super talented photographers on Teamspeed. I've saved many of their work and sometimes I even post them up elsewhere but I always make it a point to give credit where its due.
That's a good point also, Mark.
Once a while ago, I took a picture of my old M5 with aftermarket HID bulbs and a whole bunch of HID websites started using that same photo to hawk their own products so, it's bound to happen one way or another.
Trey is one of my favorite photographers and he has an excellent point there. I'm wondering about this copyright service that he mentioned. I should look into that too.
Again, thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts.
Are you embedding your metadata into the photos when you process them? I have all of my contact info embedded into the photo when I process them.
If you look at the properties of the photo, your name and contact info should always e there. Have you heard anything back from reporting him?
If you look at the properties of the photo, your name and contact info should always e there. Have you heard anything back from reporting him?
Your work is fantastic. Take it as a compliment that there are individuals that would risk a lawsuit for claiming your pictures as their own.
I'd say unless it's costing you $$ in the form of lost revenue, the very few that would be willing to steal do not outweigh the vast majority of us that like looking at your work.
If that doesn't cut it the fork in the eye that alzilla recommended ain't so bad an idea.
I'd say unless it's costing you $$ in the form of lost revenue, the very few that would be willing to steal do not outweigh the vast majority of us that like looking at your work.
If that doesn't cut it the fork in the eye that alzilla recommended ain't so bad an idea.
Unless the offending party is making money out of your pictures, don't even worry about it. It's more the hassle to use your legal rights than to let it go. I have a small tactical knife design company and a chinese manufacturer started copying some of my designs and sold the for cheap. There is no enforcement over there whatsoever. When I contacted them, they laughed at my intentions...
Again, thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts.
Feb 15, 2012 | 09:27 PM
#36
Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,559
From: New England
Jason personally I love your photos. You are in a unique position to photograph a lot of exciting cars that some of us will never see in person. Stealing is wrong but if someone stole your car it's not like you would never buy another one... Keep postin and we will keep loving them!
Feb 15, 2012 | 10:01 PM
#39
contract neg repper for hire
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 3,569
From: Louisville, KY
Subscribed. Sorry to hear this happened Jason. Don't let it deter you. I have a feeling this guy has no idea what is coming. We need to sign him up for all kinds of random stuff.
Last edited by mafishman1; Feb 15, 2012 at 10:04 PM.