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Stolen wedding images
catherinelacey68
Registered Users Posts: 5 Beginner grinner
:cryHi
Recently did my very inexpensive first wedding. Results I was delighted with. Worked 20hrs being new to weddings and with new editing software Aperture 3. Client paid for my talent and time on the day, no digital or print purchases since until she "has some money". Go to her new website via a Facebook post and see my 3 of photos used on her advertising materials for her graphic design company which of course means she probably has a coffee table book of my images and prints by now. Any ideas how best to handle please. No contract in place (short notice, various other reasons) but images have always been (1) right click protected (2) disclaimer at the bottom of my site (3) watermarked (fear I didn't do that til after she may have first seen them).
Will probably be advised Better luck next time but when you're starting out, this is often learning the hard way and it's been the first time I haven't sold the licence to use the images as part of the shoot eg portraits, birthday parties etc I've done before.
My site: www.catherinelaceyphotography.com
(wedding shots now unlisted til issue resolved)
NOTE: All other photos are set to be downloadable as included in the price of the shoot (though I may now change that) including the couple's engagement. With the wedding, we agreed beforehand that prints and jpgs were not included in the price and thus their photos are right click/watermarked (now hidden til issue resolved).
Thanks
Catherine
Recently did my very inexpensive first wedding. Results I was delighted with. Worked 20hrs being new to weddings and with new editing software Aperture 3. Client paid for my talent and time on the day, no digital or print purchases since until she "has some money". Go to her new website via a Facebook post and see my 3 of photos used on her advertising materials for her graphic design company which of course means she probably has a coffee table book of my images and prints by now. Any ideas how best to handle please. No contract in place (short notice, various other reasons) but images have always been (1) right click protected (2) disclaimer at the bottom of my site (3) watermarked (fear I didn't do that til after she may have first seen them).
Will probably be advised Better luck next time but when you're starting out, this is often learning the hard way and it's been the first time I haven't sold the licence to use the images as part of the shoot eg portraits, birthday parties etc I've done before.
My site: www.catherinelaceyphotography.com
(wedding shots now unlisted til issue resolved)
NOTE: All other photos are set to be downloadable as included in the price of the shoot (though I may now change that) including the couple's engagement. With the wedding, we agreed beforehand that prints and jpgs were not included in the price and thus their photos are right click/watermarked (now hidden til issue resolved).
Thanks
Catherine
0
Comments
Upon a quick visit to your website I was able to access an original size image and copy it. Also no watermark.
Once you post the images they will snatch them if they can. Many have no idea it's even an issue.
You can always make a contract. It can be on a napkin and still be a valid contract. In this case it probably wouldn't make any difference. Today's world seems to think art, images, music, writing's should be free.
I am not sure you will be able to settle this but a lot of clients today want image files not prints. Perhaps offer her a CD with the images. Especially since this was a budget wedding she may never have money for prints.
Explain that the original (budget) price was only to shoot the wedding with print orders, and or other uses being a separate issue and available as she can afford them.
Sam
Hire an attorney.
BTW... Like Sam, I was able to download images from your site. You may want to check your gallery settings and make sure that you have "Medium" as the largest size and disable downloads.
Also, run a spell check on your site. "Favourites" is British. "Favorites" is U.S.
Neal Jacob
[URL="http://nealjacob.com/twitter"]Twitter[/URL]|[B][URL="http://photos.nealjacob.com"]SmugMug[/URL][/B
Thanks guys. Good points made. I'm British so struggling whether I should write "favorites" which feels weird or "favourites" as some of my clients are UK based. My images other than the wedding are all paid to be downloadable, original res. thus the issue isn't there. The wedding was different being the price for time at the event and processing for viewing. I think you're right to suggest making a positive out of it and not treat it emotionally.
in this day and age....it is imperative to be as secure as possible......it is impossible to be as secure as a bank vault...but we can slow done the thieves
with disabling right clik and adding a nice pretty colorful watermark deadcenter of work..........as long as your clients know that the watermark will not be on any
image they purchase or download they purchase....also you might want to start making client galleries private with a password, but keep a great photo featured for the public to see.
I thought that was the case, but since you're US based, you should use US spelling.
You need to fix the image download problem right away.
Neal Jacob
[URL="http://nealjacob.com/twitter"]Twitter[/URL]|[B][URL="http://photos.nealjacob.com"]SmugMug[/URL][/B
I make racer handout photos during the summer months here in Minnesota. and had a similar dilemma with a local t-shirt maker. H would take the Handouts and scan them to cut the car picture out of the background and make a shirt for a person with my photos on his background design. It wasn't just my handouts he did it with either. I know the guy pretty well and asked him where he was getting his "action shots" for the shirts. He showed me what he was doing using a competitors photo handouts. I about lost my mind!!! All the cards have Copyright info right on the front of them!! He was totally oblivious and said he didn't care that the cards were for public consumption. well one phone call to the local PD and an Attorney, that is also a racer, and he was shut down on the spot!
I have also used local outlets for printing the Handouts, I do tons of them and they all know me. I get a call from one of them this year asking me if i know how to get a hold of a competitor as they have a problem involving him. Turns out a friend(and customer) of mines mother took one of this competitors cards and scanned it and made 100 copies. A big issue ensued at the store and she signed a release saying SHE was the creator and owned the copyrights to that image!! ALL said It has cost her over $1000 us to try and save $20.... I don't get it.
Anyways, Your not alone in this instance. I wouldn't make things downloadable for free through your site. There is a Download option in the shopping cart let them utilize that and leave your company tag on the front. You set the download price and get the money you deserve, your time equipment and skills aren't free.
JMO
Randy
EOS Rebel XS Digital/ EOS 7D/ EOS 6D
50mm f1.8/ Tamron 70-200 f2.8 is/ 24-105 f4L
Canon speedlights and Alien Bees
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
My curse. All the girls say that.
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
I've always had a weakness for the accent.
Neal Jacob
[URL="http://nealjacob.com/twitter"]Twitter[/URL]|[B][URL="http://photos.nealjacob.com"]SmugMug[/URL][/B
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
I second this!!!
But on to the topic... sadly, I'm one of those that believes that EVERYTHING can be saved, printed, photoshopped and re-printed - if I can do it, they can do it. I also post tagged teasers on fb, yes watermarked and they're often made into the client's profile picture, which I'm more than completely ok with. Let them steal it, it has my name ALL over it.
On the flip side, I goofed and forgot to make a watermark free version of a file when the client ordered and spent a half hour to an hour photoshopping my OWN watermark out of her picture to send off for printing. If I can do it, anybody with better photoshop skills than me can do it. Finding a way to put a watermark on your shot to claim it as yours but yet have it not be distracting is a toughie, I've seen some easy to erase watermarks and I've seen some that totally distract me from the shot itself.
I've been screen shot'ing for YEARS, but I mainly do it to save a whole screen's worth of info to file under the "photo ideas" folder on the desktop, especially if there's a description under the picture.
Yes, it's one of those "learn from experience" type things, but sadly without a contract, it might be a toughie when it comes to court. Just a head's up.
Good Luck!
photography facebook
twitter
Don't start a fight when you cannot win. Many people would be happy to be paid anything for their first wedding and have an excuse for starting to learn Aperture. Now you succeeded with the shoot you should focus on how to milk the future business and not worry about what you MIGHT have earned had you NOT been an untried wedding photographer doing her first gig.
She owes you a big one, and you owe her - she gave you your break. Working together on this gives you both an opportunity to make some real money in future. It is good to have let her know you are upset. Now your interest is to kiss and makeup.
Every one of my images have this. There is no way around the watermark.... period. By the time they photoshop the watermark off.... hours will have passed and the image will look like crap. I have no clue why you don't watermark your images because it's the ONLY way to truly protect them and you wouldn't be having issues like this.
Hey Art:
I was under the impression that the right click protection prevented unwanted downloads or printing unless the thief is a hacker or is it that simple
--- Denise
Musings & ramblings at https://denisegoldberg.blogspot.com
Denise beat me to the answer............right click protection simply stops the causal snatching of an image.
Sam
Yes I agree this type of watermark is as close to bullet proof as you can get.
BUT....and it's a big BUT.............many do not like to look at images with this type of obfuscation. I personally leave websites with this type of watermarking as fast as I can.
If your using your website to promote your photography this approch is very far from ideal.
So in summary a big fat nasty watermark is pretty close to being the best protection you can get, right next to keeping your images in a safe deposit box.
But if you actually want to present your images more attractively you need to decide on how much your willing to compromise on the security, and find a balance your comfortable with.
Sam
You wonder why everybody doesn't
Right click protection is like locking a bank vault with a padlock. It really means nothing...not worth a flip...especially if you offer large (+) or original images for viewing. You've read what others have to say about water marking you images.
For the above reasons, deal with honest, reputable people that understand the value of your work...
It wouldn't be a bad idea...and I'm going to update my contract, now that I think about it, to include...photos for press releases and work for hire brochures are available for little or no charge. Photographer will gladly provide images in these cases provided credit is given to photographer for images used...or something to that effect.
That puts it on the table...and instead of snatching images from the website...maybe those same individuals will be working with you and recommending you for some additional wedding work.
There's an old saying in the business world..."Better to be Best Liked, than Best Qualified."
If it were me in your situation, I'd contact the person using your images...with a smile on my face...and tell them that I see that they have chosen some really nice images for their advertising...and ask if they'd like to look at some more...and casually mention that they're all free if credit is given. (Payment in itself, if someone wants to use your photos in their work.) If you approach this person as if they made an oversight or mistake, rather than a transgression...I guarantee that you'll get a more favorable response than going over there miffed and yelling theif...you took my pictures.
Just some food for thougth...I hope this helps...
Educate yourself like you'll live forever and live like you'll die tomorrow.
Ed
Print Sceen block thing, http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=335387&postcount=1
I too have feeds and collecting disabled. The FaceBook Teasers are pretty simple really(if you have Facebook) if they are a "friend" of yours. I do it often for customers and Friends. Just go to your editing program(cs3, elements, what have you) place your logo in a non destructive manner. Don't cover faces and the like but make it big and visible. Then use the "Save for web" function, leave the quality lower(i use 60 to 75%) and resize it to 600x 480 or smaller and save it. then upload it to YOUR face book in a gallery(album) for them and use facebooks tagging function. That function posts it to your album and shows it in their "Photos of" section and links it back to you. Using the smaller lower quality image makes them not fit for printing as anything but a really tiny image. Even if they try to upsize it a bit it gets pixelated quickly and the quality drops off way faster!
EOS Rebel XS Digital/ EOS 7D/ EOS 6D
50mm f1.8/ Tamron 70-200 f2.8 is/ 24-105 f4L
Canon speedlights and Alien Bees