Reporting Theft Of Another Artist's Work

Kurt, I too know of a photographer who sells the works of other photographers......and changes the images to boot. I tried reverse look-up on the images and didn't get enough proof. It seems that once I told FAA admin about the member using others' works without accreditation, that was all I could do; and all that I've seen done by FAA - i.e.- nothing. I hope you are good at proving your theory...I gave up. Can you imagine one photographer in the space of less than a year circumnavigating the globe? It would have taken that to achieve their portfolio........I gave up and have had misgivings ever since. I hope FAA supports you.

The original artist needs to step forward and contact support.

so wrong

if you know for certain its stolen, report it to FAA - about>contact>tech support. however they say the best way is to contact the artist they took it from, and have them file a DMCA. taking the name off i think is an offense, and is more fineable in court.

faa tends to not chase down people, because there are probably a ton of stolen things in a day. and unfortunately tells us we have to do it, which is kind of a waste of time. if you can at least show a tineye or google log of stolen images that may knock them down.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

I actually think you should tell the artist whose work is being used illegally and let them report it to FAA. Give him or her the contact information. It's not really your fight when you get right down to it.

It has to be the original artist that contacts FAA with the DMCA

To follow on with JC's post

please provide a Notice with the following information to the Website's Copyright Agent:

Fine Art America
1450 Second Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401

E-Mail: fineartabuse@stites.com

1. An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest;

2. A detailed description of the copyright work that You claim has been infringed;

3. A description of precisely where the material that You claim is being infringed is located on the Website;

4. Your address, telephone number, and email address;

5. A statement by You that You have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent or the law;

6. A statement by You, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in Your Notice is accurate and that You are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner's behalf.

Gotta be careful with pointing fingers you could be defaming character unawares. We don't really know if the two parties have an agreement. Best to let the original artist know and let them sort it out.

I haven't yet, came across a FAA artist using another FAA member's work.

However, I have within the past few months came across a photographer's website, who has stolen another photographer's images. I was able to track down the original photographer and notified them. They contacted the one who stole the images. Although the images were removed, the photographer who stolen them.... she stole more images, from different photographers. Once again, I was able to track down the original photographers and I contacted every single one. It got to the point, that the photographer who stole, made a blog, telling people to stop contacting her about removing the images.

I've blog about this photographer. Here, you can read all about. http://crystalwightman.com/cmjvphotography-stealing/
I actually made 3 blogs about her, on 3 separate incidents.

About a month ago, a woman emailed me, letting me know, the said photographer was in a facebook group asking for advice when someone keeps blogging about her. :) Of course, there were answers about suing. No one in this facebook group knew what the blogging was about. No one knew, she has been stealing, using other photographers pictures on her website.

So, with that being said. If I come across another FAA artist using another FAA artists work. I will contact that original artist and let them deal with it.

Crystal;

I didn't go to your blog, but be careful naming names. I hope you are at the very least doing a "Print Screen" on her versions and also the real photographers.

That wedding photographer who stole other people's photos for her website is just setting herself up for a lawsuit by misrepresenting herself to clients.

By all means let the artist know that you thinks work is being stolen so they can do something. We artsts have to help each other with this, no artist wants this to happen if they are in it whole heartedly

Joseph, yes I took print screens. At first I was taking print screens just so I can show proof to the original photographers that I would contact (in case stolen photographer changed things, before original photographer was able to see for themselves). But then I decided to make a blog about it, and the print screens are in my blogs.

I agree Edward.
I've actually contacted said photographer, before I tracked down the original photographers. I told her, by using other photographer's work to represent her business is misrepresenting her to clients. She said she's not doing anything wrong and she tells her clients the pictures is not hers. Typically, when it comes to wedding photography, clients want to see the photographer's work, before considering hiring them. Telling the client, the picture is not hers... I would run the other direction if I was them.

Crystal you could also contact http://stopstealingphotos.com/ let them know about the thieves.

Since we are on this topic is there any place on FAA where artist can educate them self on this topic. I am sure there are many who simply do not know the thin line they are walking when it comes to copyright. I have contacted the original artist when I saw infringement as well. I consider it a professional curtesy to my fellow artists.

http://fineartamerica.com/groups/copyright-terms-and-usage.html