T-Shirts and stuff...

Originally Posted by a_god_s

Just a follow up...It would be easiest to find out how many were made by getting the name of the company who did the print work.

You could get a lot of other useful information from them as well. What date they were contacted to do the work and by whom....etc

Good luck with this!!

Thieves make me

Actually, the guy that made the stickers for them has already been named in the BOI thread. I haven't contacted him as of yet. I won't bother him with the issue unless I DO need to get a lawyer involved.

The reality is quite simple...I don't want to go to court. I don't want to sue the group. I want the person that stole my image to grow a pair, admit they were wrong, and apologize for it. The only reason I am considering legal action is because they refuse to do this very simple action...

I have been contacted by other members of the group. Believe me...they want the guilty person to do this as badly as I do. At least they are smart enough to realize the situation and it's potential for serious implications and repercussions against the group...

Originally Posted by tyflier

Actually, the guy that made the stickers for them has already been named in the BOI thread. I haven't contacted him as of yet. I won't bother him with the issue unless I DO need to get a lawyer involved.

The reality is quite simple...I don't want to go to court. I don't want to sue the group. I want the person that stole my image to grow a pair, admit they were wrong, and apologize for it. The only reason I am considering legal action is because they refuse to do this very simple action...

I have been contacted by other members of the group. Believe me...they want the guilty person to do this as badly as I do. At least they are smart enough to realize the situation and it's potential for serious implications and repercussions against the group...

I admire your restraint. I can only hope that they (Amanda & Bobby) do as well. I'm sure they know they've dug themselves a deep one, lucky for them your offering a way out...they may lose face but geez how hard is it to man up and accept responsibility for your actions?
It wouldn't have grown to these epic proportions if they would have just admitted from the beginning, apologized, taken a few lumps; it would have been over, but no.....

Sorry to hear about this - what a mess they have gotten themselves into!

As a photographer, Bill occasionally finds his images being used without authorization, so I can empathize with your situation. It is amazing that these 1 or 2 (or ??) people are being let off so easily, yet refuse to take the obvious route to dig themselves out!

A lot of people never think about asking permission to use stuff on the Net. That doesn't make it right, but it is a common mistake. But one has to live with the consequences of mistakes. If a simple acknowledgment of the mistake and an apology is the only consequence, they should be really happy to get off so easily!

Good luck on a quick resolution!

Originally Posted by kathylove

As a photographer, Bill occasionally finds his images being used without authorization

I will be the first to admit that I've posted a picture that Bill took a while back in another forum (I think it was of the scaleless BP?), but I also put at the beginning of the post "Photo by Bill Love", followed by a link to his site. It really didn't take more than 30 seconds to do.
People need to give credit where credit is due, and take responsibility if they make a mistake. It's such a shame that the "leaders" of this group are so proud that they can't even (I hate this phrase) "man up" enough to apologize.

Originally Posted by kathylove

As a photographer, Bill occasionally finds his images being used without authorization..

How does Bill handle this?

Wow, I just read that entire BOI thread-

I'm so sorry you're going through this and it amazes me that people can be so stubborn!

"How does Bill handle this? "

It depends on the use. If it is for a profit making venture (so far, that has included books, magazines, some jewelry, and once it was sales brochure for a company that made electronic reptile equipment), then he makes out an invoice for around $300 or so and sends it to them. Sometimes they pay up, sometimes they negotiate different terms, and sometimes they pull the product. Only TFH books (as far as we know) stole photos (about 16, used in their 3 volume set on reptile care, I believe) from him and steadfastly refused to do anything whatsoever to compensate him. They basically said that they have lots of lawyers on staff, so invited us to get a lawyer and sue them, knowing it would not be worth doing it, since their usual rate of pay is extremely low. That is why you won't see Bill's photos in their books (other than the unauthorized use noted) - both because of the low pay, and because we have never been too impressed with the quality of most of their line of books. As you can imagine, we don't recommend their books!

If it is an individual or non-profit who is just using it for education or for their own non-commercial use, he usually just asks them to credit him, if he decides that the site or use is something that he wants to be associated with. If not, he asks them to remove the image. Most people are very apologetic - it just never occurred to them that they should ask permission first.

...If it is an individual or non-profit who is just using it for education or for their own non-commercial use, he usually just asks them to credit him, if he decides that the site or use is something that he wants to be associated with. If not, he asks them to remove the image. Most people are very apologetic - it just never occurred to them that they should ask permission first....

They had a link on their website offering it for sale at a lower price than my own website. But still...I just want the lesson learned in this one. I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt. But the longer it goes on, the worse it gets. And unfortunately, all of the lying and backpedaling actually makes it look worse, because the very first contact they made with me was a bold-faced lie. It STRONGLY implies that it was willfull and maliscious in nature...

The worst part is...if they had sent me an email and asked, I would have sold them bulk stickers at my cost for use in their group and even to turn around, mark them up, and sell them. They said they sold them to their group members "at cost", and I can assure you...if they were being sold "at cost", it would have been cheaper to buy them from me in bulk...and it would have saved a lot of trouble...

Robbie-
Usually if you're using an image in a post on a forum, as long as you provide credit for an image or text, and if possible a link to it's original context, most people won't mind.

I have seen a website created entirely with images that the site owner had "borrowed" from Google, and not one shred of credit was given. I know this because I found pictures of my own as well as pictures from a few other sites I was familiar with. When I emailed the owner of the site, he was very apologetic, and within hours ALL of the pictures were removed, and there was an apology in place.

The matter has been closed. I recieved this email this morning:

Chris,





Hello. After ‘speaking’ with Amanda and a bit more investigating into this issue, this is what I have discovered:





v Mrs. Warren emailed your image to me back in August 2008. I informed her that we would just make our own.



v The image was emailed to the printer.





v 10 stickers (which I have confirmed) were made and printed the first week of September 2008.



v To my knowledge they were all sold to members with the exception of 1 or 2 at the Richmond Virginia Show.





Your image was used without your verbal or written permission. I would like to apologize privately and publicly for the usage of your image. I did not have the authority from you to have these made. I sincerely hope that you can forgive my misdoings in this matter.







Sincerely,





Bobby Jenkins


Bobby Jenkins

President

VIIPER

Virginians Interested In Protecting Every Reptile

Accepting this public admission of guilt and apology, I have stood by my word and removed all referances to the group of VIIPER from all of my blogs and postings surrounding this issue.

I have also contacted the Vice-President of the group and offered to sell them bulk-quantity stickers at my cost, and my shipping expense to aid them in any future programs or sales they may want to offer them at.

Bobby has posted a Blog of the above apology at ReptileGeeks.com and also at the BOI.

I am considering the matter closed. Thanks to everyone for supporting me and helping me work through this.

Glad to hear it is finished! Too bad it took them so many emails and pages on various websites to do what should have been so simple!

I have not actually been to your site to see how it is set up. But if you are not already doing so, you might want to protect your images, one way or another. On my site, Bill has (very lightly) either written "sample" or an "x" on each one, here:
http://cornutopia.com/Corn%20Utopia%...cornsnakes.htm

Sometimes he embeds his little Blue Chameleon logo in other photos. The photos CAN be cropped to eliminate it, or it can be erased in PhotoShop. But most of the people who use images without authorization are amateurs who don't bother, or don't use such programs. He also often uses only low - res photos on the Net, so they don't look very good when printed. A skilled thief can get around some of these precautions, but most will either ask for permission, or just go on to an easier target.

Good luck on your future sales!