It is with a heavy heart that I actually have to write a post like this. Today I want to talk about copyright and your images. Copyright by definition is as follows: “Copyright is the set of exclusive rights granted to the author or creator of an original work, including the right to copy, distribute and adapt the work. These rights can be licensed, transferred and/or assigned. Copyright lasts for a certain time period after which the work is said to enter the public domain. Copyright applies to a wide range of works that are substantive and fixed in a medium. Some jurisdictions also recognize “moral rights” of the creator of a work, such as the right to be credited for the work. Copyright is described under the umbrella term intellectual propertypatents and trademarks.” If you would like to read up more on copyright feel free to check outWikipedia.
Now, you may be wondering where this random post is coming from. I happen to be browsing on Facebook and happen to stumble upon this:
As you can see, the image that that baby is holding has my watermark on it. Unfortunately, this image was copied from this clients viewing gallery and printed out. This is a HUGE no no! This violates copyright and is stealing. I understand that the economy sucks right now and times are tough but when something like this happens it is taking money out of my pocket and off of my dinner table. Doing this would be like going into Dillard’s and walking out with a shirt without paying for it.
This is, also, a big no no:
I take pride in my work. I do not give anyone the right to edit my work as they please.
Other HUGE no no’s include: scanning your prints and printing more, scanning your prints and posting them on the internet, trying to print the images I post on facebook and here on my blog, using your images for other purposes than personal purposes, trying to sell your images for profit, taking pictures of your prints with you phone and posting/printing them, etc. If it has any of my watermarks on it, then it’s not meant to be printed.
I do my very best to provide you, as the client, the very best product and service I possibly can. When things like this happen, it is very discouraging. If you are booking me as for an OpLove session or a Think Pink session, then please be grateful for the FREE gift you are getting. I volunteer my time for these two organizations and provide free products to you. They are free to you but not to me. I have to pay for your products out of my own pocket. You, also, get an additional discount on products you do order. I never expect a sale off of these two types of session. What I do expect is that you are grateful and appreciative of my gift to you. I don’t really know what else to say on this topic. I try to give back to deserving people and a few bad apples who have screwed me over, are possibly ruining it for everyone. This is not the first time something like this has happen, but I do have to say it will hopefully be the last time.
The images on Facebook are there for you to use on the social networking sites you belong to. I have no problem with that. The only thing that I ask for in return is that you do not crop out the watermark. To me, that is a pretty fair trade.
I hate having to do a post like this, but I feel like it is necessary. I don’t blame anyone who does this. I guess I look at it with a naive eye and hope that people who are doing this are just uneducated about the subject and aren’t trying to screw me over.
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