Help! Coach copyrighted my free photo

vgoodrich

I'm a newbie to the forum! Here's my story! I photograph sports at a local high school and post the photos for parents and students to purchase.
I spend many nights photographing in a high school gymnasium.
A basketball coach asked me to take photos of the seniors with their parents one evening. He offered to purchase the photos, but I told him that I would just give him the photos. SOOO, I purchased the photos (5X7) and added a label on the back with my web address. Thinking this would be a great marketing tool to get my name out there! Well, guess what!! I was just informed by a parent that the coach had my photos made into "decorated posters (to use her words)!" I was shocked and disheartened! Would you confront the coach? Any ideas!

To add to that I had a student tell me last week that they LOVE my photos and put them on their MYSPACE! I have watermarks on my photos!
How is that possible?

sweet caroline

Kids are very savvy these days. They can figure it out, and they usually don't realize that they are doing anything inappropriate. I had a talk recently with my middle school yearbook committee, about rights and about etiquette.

Caroline

Angelo

let's deal with one thing at a time - the coach

can you better explain what the coach did with the photos you provided?

action-pics

I have kids all the kids with my photos, watermark and all, on their mySpace pages. All they do is take a screen shot (print screen on the computer). Some, that don't know how do the screen capture, just take a picture of the screen with their cell phone.

As far as the coach, well, you did give him the pictures for free. I'm sure he didn't think he was doing anything wrong. I don't think there is much you can do, or should do, at this point. Just chalk it up as a lesson learned: don't give away anything for free! Side note, stickers (labels) can be removed. Make sure your photos are backprinted with your copyright information.