Stolen pictures on other photo sites

Tgranville · 02-19-2008, 06:06 PM

Hey everyone,

i figured i would bring this to everyones attention. There is someone on another photo sharing site that is using RP.net accepted shots as their own. i know at least a few of the photos are on there.

here is the link of the person that is stealing the pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10128121@N05/

i know he has at least one of Gary Knapps Lagrange shots and a shot of Joe Nugents on there.

I know if it was me, i would be furious with this person. i know there is a way of filing a copyright infringment against this person on the photo site.

Just thoughti would bring this to people attention

Tom

willig · 02-19-2008, 06:15 PM

Wow. I've just seen one of mine on there. There are an awful lot of others there that I recognise from RP.

How do we stop this guy?

socalrailfan · 02-19-2008, 06:21 PM

I don't see anywhere he says there his. He may just be collecting and showing off shots he likes? I'm the ddevils advocate, plus none of mine are there! LOL

Ben Kopicz · 02-19-2008, 06:25 PM

Thats wrong... I wouldnt ever do that. Heck i dont even use the pictures for desktop backrounds with out asking the taker first... This is SO wrong

willig · 02-19-2008, 06:26 PM

I've filled in a copyright infringement form and sent it to Flickr.

Here's the page http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/copyright.html

Let's see what happens.

It does have a copyright sign and "All rights reserved" under each shot. So as far as I'm concerned he's passing them off as his and he can get 'em off there.

JRMDC · 02-19-2008, 06:30 PM

He's got one Frybourg shot where Frybourg's name is part of the file name and was not removed! It is possible that this is one person (of the MANY) that has no knowledge for copyright or just doesn't think it is important, as more and more people do.

Tgranville · 02-19-2008, 06:34 PM

so far i have found picures on his site form the following people:

Joe Nugent
Gary Knapp
Gary Schemerhorn
Ross Fotheringham
Drew Jacksich
Darrell Kreuger
Paul Duda
Gregory Weirich
John Rice
Jamie MIller
Dustin Grizzle
Matt Smith
Kevin Piper
JM Frybourg
Georg Trub
Tim Gobeil
Matt Hicks
Joe Osciak
Steve Schmollinger

hoydie17 · 02-19-2008, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willig

I think that's a default setting on FLICKR, but could be wrong. . . I'd put money on the idea that it's some 14yo kid who just went around copying his favorite photos to post them on FLICKR and either didn't know, or doesn't really care that someone could construe it as copyright infringement.

I left a comment on Gary's Lagrange, KY photo, his response, if any, will hopefully shed more light on the motive.

Northern Limits · 02-19-2008, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by socalrailfan

I don't see anywhere he says there his. He may just be collecting and showing off shots he likes? I'm the ddevils advocate, plus none of mine are there! LOL

Good point Dave.
Should he include a disclaimer or explanation of the "collection"?

I saw ones by John Rice and Matthew Hicks.

Ween · 02-19-2008, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northern Limits

Good point Dave.
Should he include a disclaimer or explanation of the "collection"?

I saw ones by John Rice and Matthew Hicks.

Regardless, I doubt he has permission to use these shot...which includes displaying them even on a site like Flickr.

trainboysd40 · 02-19-2008, 08:07 PM

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10128121@N05/2276953531/
Hasn't that one been stolen before? Ouch...
Hey, I'm honoured to have my pics stolen!

That being said, let's take this guy down.

Andrew Blaszczyk (2) · 02-19-2008, 08:09 PM

Thanks for the heads up, Tom. I also left a comment on my photo he copied demanding its removal. An email is going out to Yahoo!'s Copyright 'police' as soon as I post this about this individuals actions.

goremirebob · 02-19-2008, 08:28 PM

Thanks Tom. I've found one of Michael Rhodes and 1 of mine on there too. I've posted a comment for each pointing out that they have been posted on Flkr without permission.

Is it me, or is Flikr a very user-unfriendly site? I always seem to have difficulty navigating my way around it.

Bob A.

alstom · 02-19-2008, 08:30 PM

He obviously does not want people knowing where he acquired the photos, as he cropped the RP.net copyright ban off the bottom. If he is going to do that just display photos he likes, I think he is taking it too far. Regarding the same matter, if you want to display photos you like, give credit to the photographer, explain yourself and ask permission of the photographer.

JRMDC · 02-19-2008, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alstom

He obviously does not want people knowing where he acquired the photos, as he cropped the RP.net copyright ban off the bottom.

Excellent point!!!! I did not pick up on that. Not just an "innocent" youth.

Darryl Rule · 02-19-2008, 09:04 PM

It's amazing what some people do out there. I had a guy over the weekend post a message on a public forum saying he liked my shots so much, he printed them. I just about fell off my chair reading it. I was shocked that someone would have the nerve to post on a public forum that they were stealing work of others. Amazing.

Callufrax · 02-19-2008, 09:16 PM

I've yet to come across any of mine that have been stolen. Thankfully, most of my photographs are probably not up to an appropriate level of quality to steal!

But people like that really infuriate me, and I have no sympathy for them if they get caught. No one does anything responsibly, these days (for the risk of already sounding like an old git!). If you wish to use something, done by someone else, then ask. For example, if you wish to use someone's car, you don't just go and take it. It's not yours to take. Same with photographs as well. If you wish to use someone's photograph, ask. Using someone else's photograph(s), without permission, is like stealing someone's car.

Removing the copyright footer shows that he clearly knows he's doing the wrong thing.

Lock and load. This guy needs to be taken out.

socalrailfan · 02-19-2008, 09:18 PM

The problem is that once something is posted on the internet it is fair game unless used for profit. Now if someone uses an image of yours to promote their website and it's used in a way that they make money from having your image on the site then it's illegal.

There's lots of gray areas here folks and I think some are jumping the gun a bit without having all the details or even trying to contact the Flckr owner.

Tgranville · 02-19-2008, 09:22 PM

Well guys,

This keeps getting more and more fun. on a hunch, i checked the same first part of the name but changed the numbers at the end of the name and guess what.

I came up with 5 more accounts like the first. Most pictures taken from here, banner chopped off and posted on his page. I do notice a lot of shots from here on these.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34974381@N00/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7650167@N05/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7778651@N06/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7871795@N03/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8401316@N06/

So i dont think this is some kid who is posting and not knowing what is going on.

PLEzero · 02-19-2008, 09:31 PM

Unfortunately, this is what comes with posting your photos online to a site that many people visit everyday. No watermark or copywrite banner will stop individuals from doing this. It's just a risk you have to take to get your photos out for everyone to see.

socalrailfan · 02-19-2008, 09:43 PM

I think I found at least 5 of my photos there. It still doesn't bother me too much as I'm sure there's lots of other places my photos are sitting as well.

JRMDC · 02-19-2008, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darryl Rule

It's amazing what some people do out there. I had a guy over the weekend post a message on a public forum saying he liked my shots so much, he printed them. I just about fell off my chair reading it. I was shocked that someone would have the nerve to post on a public forum that they were stealing work of others. Amazing.

Well, for printed material, there is a "fair use" doctrine. That means, for example, that one can copy certain amounts of stuff for one's own use, pages from a book, a magazine article at the library. How that would apply to printing of a non-commercial photo (at low resolution!) is not clear to me. If a person is selling an image, say it were stolen from a person's photo sales web page, then there is a specific (presumed or claimed) lost value. Here, that is less clear.

Anyway, it's a complex subject, and I'm not in a mood to ponder today, but you may want to start with
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use

Jon Wisnieski · 02-19-2008, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tgranville

Well guys,

This keeps getting more and more fun. on a hunch, i checked the same first part of the name but changed the numbers at the end of the name and guess what.

I came up with 5 more accounts like the first. Most pictures taken from here, banner chopped off and posted on his page. I do notice a lot of shots from here on these.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34974381@N00/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7650167@N05/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7778651@N06/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7871795@N03/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8401316@N06/

So i dont think this is some kid who is posting and not knowing what is going on.

I cannot believe someone would do this. I also noticed that the post names were the same (trains_04,trains_06, etc.) Could it possibly be the same person posting them under different names?

socalrailfan · 02-19-2008, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Wisnieski

I cannot believe someone would do this. I also noticed that the post names were the same (trains_04,trains_06, etc.) Could it possibly be the same person posting them under different names?

Just different account probably. Not sure how many photos or albums Flckr lets you have.

JBCagle7073 · 02-19-2008, 10:26 PM

The last flickr album posted above has a calendar shot from the NS calendar this year. All the albums were done within a several day window as well.