A Notice on Copyrighted Images

Carola let me know today that a website was using one of my photos to sell a Breyer model. (See HERE) All of my photos are copyrighted by me and they are not a free-for-all for anyone to use. If you ask me, okay, but that's another story. This person did not contact me to use this image and it upsets me.

From now on unfortunately all of my photos will have a copyright tag on them. I'm giving this company the benefit of the doubt that they didn't have a photo of Picasso for some reason and my image happened to come up with a Google search. But that doesn't make it right to use any photo you find on the internet.

Yes, only registered users on STS can view photos and links but yes photos will also come up in Google searches even if the person does not have a registered account here. I know I can trust everyone here that my photos won't be used without permission, please do not feel that this is because of anyone on STS. It's not at all. From here on out I am using the copyright tags on my images only to protect myself and my own property, and I hope this will discourage others from taking my photos. I've also included a notice on my blog that all images on my blog are copyrighted by myself or Carola (she guest-blogs sometimes, as some of you know ), I sure hope we have no more issues with this and that the website takes my photo down!

It is disrespectful.

I understand your anger.

Thank you Fernando This is the first time it's happened to me and I hope the last.

Ohh, that makes me angry also ! And a DANISH site

I will write to them

SUSANNE wrote:

Ohh, that makes me angry also ! And a DANISH site  

I will write to them  

I thought of just writing too first, but would check with LeeAnn first.

It is true that photos posted in STS topics can appear in Google search. I've seen hat in several occasions.

--

Did you know, that a Copyright(the right to copy) lasts until 80 years after your death.
Copyright is almost always applied to somthing artistic - photos, paintings, other works of art.

EDIT: Actually it's only 70 years, and this applies for Denmark. It may be different in other countries.

I haven't checked the whole site but I discovered a flaw in the general additions. It is repaired

Kikimalou wrote:

I haven't checked the whole site but I discovered a flaw in the general additions. It is repaired

Does that mean that pictures from STS do not appear in searces ?

Some appeared and some not. The fact that pictures doesn't appeared in shearches is a good thing for privacy, not for STS growth...

Personally I think it is ok if they do appear .
I don't care if somebody "borrows" my pictures, - I am quite proud if somebody can use them, - but of course I would like to be asked

SUSANNE wrote:

Personally I think it is ok if they do appear .
I don't care if somebody "borrows" my pictures, - I am quite proud if somebody can use them, - but of course I would like to be asked

The same with me. I'm flattered if someone thinks my photos are good enough, but not when my permission or credit is not given.

Certainly

BTW, I saw that you but your name on the pictures of the Breyer western horse, - it looks really nice
Some people make a huge "stamp" across the motive, and that is ...irritating :)

When I make pictures for TAI, I try to put the logo in a place where it disturbes least, but at the same time will be visible if somebody cuts out the motive in a square

I'm so glad you think so! I was afraid they would be annoying, but I didn't want to make them so small you can't see them.

Unfortunately, the "stamp" thing is the only certain way to mark your pictures.
People can still cut off the corners of your taken pictures to get rid of the name...
It's one of the downsides that comes with the freedom of internet.

Uugh, no good words for art thieves... >.<
DeviantArt has the same problem, I also stamp my photos.
Of course they can crop them... But I'm hoping my photos will never be used in any way.

I was searching Kaiyodo on Google a while ago, and came across some photos of me! (and other STS members)

Kikimalou wrote:

Some appeared and some not. The fact that pictures doesn't appeared in shearches is a good thing for privacy, not for STS growth...

I personally like to see STS photos on searches, as it simply spreads the word about STS. Then if someone decides to use them without permission and credit is of course an issue, but a thing that is difficult to avoid completely. Adding stamps to pictures does help in a way I guess, as it warns the beholder, that this image should  not be used without permission.

LeeAnn wrote:

SUSANNE wrote:

Personally I think it is ok if they do appear .
I don't care if somebody "borrows" my pictures, - I am quite proud if somebody can use them, - but of course I would like to be asked

The same with me. I'm flattered if someone thinks my photos are good enough, but not when my permission or credit is not given.

I agree completely on this. I'd be flattered too if someone liked my photos enough to use them. But of course if don't add the credit and if they earn money from it or in other ways abuses the art/photo, I won't be happy about it and will take action.

---

Another thing. If I for example sold a drawing that I made of Princess, I'd actually be breaking the copyright rules, even though I may have copyright on the drawing itself, the design of the Shire Mare is made by Schleich, so they have a Design Right on her.

You should sell the drawing to Schleich and they can use it as promotional material

LeeAnn wrote:

You should sell the drawing to Schleich and they can use it as promotional material

That would be totally awesome

I undertsand you. That's not right. Its good to have your tag on photos specially in case you share a lot of photos on internet like STS'ers do. But hey that just proves your photos are excellent



Im a bit ashamed bcos I've used reference photos in my CM topic that aren't mine. There's no "no copy" -tag and I always write that the photo isn't mine but its still wrong I guess xO

Thanks Jonas

Don't be ashamed, I'm sure we all do it. Nowadays it's easy to just Google for some random image. You're not claiming you took the images or that they belong to you.

And the big difference, you don't use the image to sell something Jonas

I don't care for example if someone is using my pic, even if I prefer to be asked for, but I would not appreciate if someone would use my pics to make money without permission.

I too am a victim of Photo Theft. I seen some of my CollectA photos being used to sell models on Ebay. Personally I don't see a problem with that, unless they can hack my computer then i get a little fiery.

Takama wrote:

I too am a victim of Photo Theft. I seen some of my CollectA photos being used to sell models on Ebay. Personally I don't see a problem with that, unless they can hack my computer then i get a little fiery.

That would make me really upset. I would be contacting that seller, reporting them, and calling eBay to get it removed.