Copying Product Images

[MDG]

I've noticed a couple of my product images have been copied by other sites, just wondering what others do? Accept it and do nothing or do you contact the site politely asking for it to be removed?

At least one is on quite a large site, they've even left the watermark in the background so I know it's definately copied from mine.

 

[drounding]

if the images are hotlinked from your site you can set up blocking in your .htaccess file. If they have literally ripped off your images and are hosting them themselves then take screen grabs of the images as seen on their site as proof then and write them a stern letter/email requesting that they be removed otherwise they will hear form your solicitor.

You can also try tineye.com to search for your images to see if they are anywhere else that you don't know about.

 

[sysops]

I've noticed a couple of my product images have been copied by other sites, just wondering what others do? Accept it and do nothing or do you contact the site politely asking for it to be removed?

At least one is on quite a large site, they've even left the watermark in the background so I know it's definately copied from mine.

Two things:

Send a recorded letter to the company's registered address informing them that they are infringing your copyright, and demanding removal within 7 days.

Send an email and a recorded letter to their hosting company informing them that they are hosting images which infringe your copyright, and demanding removal within 7 days.

Works every single time (unless they're in China or Russia, in which case it almost never works)

 

[da8iwr]

I have been involved in copyright theft a few times, please see these 2 threads where i won £3500 for one image being used on a university website.

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=155751

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=138110

I would send them an invoice for the image used at the cost that a recognised standard image stock company would charge, mainly being http://www.gettyimages.com/

You will win the case and they will not have a leg to stand on.

Theft is theft, I have no guilt or problems in charging somebody money for my work that they stole. Any photos you took of products, is your work and only you or who ever you give permission "IN WRITING" can use it.

If it was that easy to do and make, then why didn't they just take their own images?

 

[iArtist]

I've noticed a couple of my product images have been copied by other sites, just wondering what others do? Accept it and do nothing or do you contact the site politely asking for it to be removed?

At least one is on quite a large site, they've even left the watermark in the background so I know it's definately copied from mine.

rub your hands with glee

Take a screen shot

then ask your sol to drop them a line requesting £6,000 for each image.

This is what happened to a pal of mine and he paid...after advice he felt he had no choice.


Or just email them and TELL (not ask) them to remove it or else...

As with all things seek advice of legal expert before you proceed down a route that may incur costs.

 

[Coppock]

Cracking letter template for you here;

http://www.artslaw.com.au/legalinformation/CopyrightInfringmentAndLetterOfDemand/default.asp

It's australian and just needs the "Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)" changing to "Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988"

Write to them, ask them to remove it and pay you damages.
They're in the wrong for effectively stealing your property, if they don't comply then go to the courts, with proof that the images are yours it will be a walk through the park.

Good luck!
Jen

 

[iArtist]

Cracking letter template for you here;

http://www.artslaw.com.au/legalinformation/CopyrightInfringmentAndLetterOfDemand/default.asp

It's australian and just needs the "Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)" changing to "Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988"

Write to them, ask them to remove it and pay you damages.
They're in the wrong for effectively stealing your property, if they don't comply then go to the courts, with proof that the images are yours it will be a walk through the park.

Good luck!
Jen

You're a mine of great info Jen

Now if only I could bookmark you!!

I'm saving this template. I've already downloaded the www.tineye.com plugin Ian suggested. All good stuff.

 

[Coppock]

You're a mine of great info Jen

Now if only I could bookmark you!!

I'm saving this template. I've already downloaded the www.tineye.com plugin Ian suggested. All good stuff.

Lol, thanks
my head is full of junk....

3 years of running a business will teach many many many lessons, and each lesson learnt = 10 new skills acquired.

Jen

 

[MDG]

Thanks for all the replies.

I e-mailed the site owners and asked for it to be removed, haven't had a response back but the image had been changed within about an hour of me sending the e-mail so I guess they knew what they'd done was a bit cheeky.

 

[MDG]

There is a watermark in the background of my images, that's why it was so obvious they'd copied it directly from my site as they left the background watermark.

I know the background could be pretty easily photoshopped out but wanted to avoid putting something across the actual image as I don't think it looks as good from the point of view of a customer browsing the products.

 

[da8iwr]

If you make it extremely faint, with it being opaque to about 20%, it is almost unnoticeable and almost impossible to remove with out some huge amount of work in PS.

 

[EH7]

Where does the law stand on photos taken by you of someone elses product?

I.e if i sold chocolate and took my own photo of cadburys bars, if those images were stolen - could you still claim money?

 

[da8iwr]

Where does the law stand on photos taken by you of someone elses product?

I.e if i sold chocolate and took my own photo of cadburys bars, if those images were stolen - could you still claim money?

Yes you can, the copyright is the artwork you produce not what your making the art work of. The original ownership of the branding of the choclate bar etc will still be owned by that copyright holder.

The only thing you cant produce photographs of, or replicate in any way, including drawing it, that i know of, is money.

 

[da8iwr]

Ohh i might be wrong there, i remember hearing about this guy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._S._G._Boggs
But it looks like he was aquitted.

 

[EH7]

You can add a watermark!

Why would i add a watermark if i could get £3500 off of someone if they used it lol