Lightmancer
Legend
- Location
- Sunny Frimley
- Name
- Bill Palmer
Long story short.
I took this photo ten years ago, on film (a Leica llD, if you are curious.):
It is my and my wife's hands. The ring you can just see on my little finger is quite distinctive and the table is my dining table. I still have the negs. There is no doubt it is mine.
I use Pixsy to monitor and flag up any copyright infringements. This one is quite popular among those who think everything is free. It sits on 500px and is watermarked.
Normally, an auto-generated takedown notice does the trick.
To the point. About six weeks ago I discovered through Pixsy that this image has been appropriated by a US-based right-wing religious organisation. They have turned it into an advertising image for an anti-abortion campaign they are running. I won't repeat their breach here but suffice to say they have cropped to remove my watermark and put wording all over the image along with their name and phone number.
I am taking legal action both for copyright infringement and for reputational damage. I find the use to which my image has been put particularly personally distasteful and that is being taken into consideration.
My solicitor and I are struggling to arrive at a suitable sum. He writes "I believe that the basis of our assessment of damages would be founded in the fee to which you could reasonably expect to receive if you were to licence the use of the image."
This is a fair point, and here's the rub. I don't make my living from photography. In my professional life I sell outcomes, and if I need to sell my time I charge well over a thousand pounds a day, but it is not directly comparable.
I'd welcome anyone who can give me a pragmatic view of what to charge. Since the thieving b******s are US-based, an understanding of the American market would be particularly welcome.
I took this photo ten years ago, on film (a Leica llD, if you are curious.):
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
It is my and my wife's hands. The ring you can just see on my little finger is quite distinctive and the table is my dining table. I still have the negs. There is no doubt it is mine.
I use Pixsy to monitor and flag up any copyright infringements. This one is quite popular among those who think everything is free. It sits on 500px and is watermarked.
Normally, an auto-generated takedown notice does the trick.
To the point. About six weeks ago I discovered through Pixsy that this image has been appropriated by a US-based right-wing religious organisation. They have turned it into an advertising image for an anti-abortion campaign they are running. I won't repeat their breach here but suffice to say they have cropped to remove my watermark and put wording all over the image along with their name and phone number.
I am taking legal action both for copyright infringement and for reputational damage. I find the use to which my image has been put particularly personally distasteful and that is being taken into consideration.
My solicitor and I are struggling to arrive at a suitable sum. He writes "I believe that the basis of our assessment of damages would be founded in the fee to which you could reasonably expect to receive if you were to licence the use of the image."
This is a fair point, and here's the rub. I don't make my living from photography. In my professional life I sell outcomes, and if I need to sell my time I charge well over a thousand pounds a day, but it is not directly comparable.
I'd welcome anyone who can give me a pragmatic view of what to charge. Since the thieving b******s are US-based, an understanding of the American market would be particularly welcome.