Photography theft

Lonz

Striker
How would you go about combating this? I've been struggling with this for years. I'll post something on my Instagram and then see it popping up on a DJ's Instagram a day or so later with my logo cropped out and not even any credit left. I don't want to burn bridges with potential clients (I work a lot for festivals where these DJs play) but want my work to be recognised.

Today I've noted a DJ "Axwell" (and his team) has lifted my photo from my Instagram page and re-posted it at his own without any form credit or payment.

His post: https://www.instagram.com/p/BU37VQxDa-i/
My post: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUz-EPrFIpj/

It's a tricky situation to play. Currently a group of friends will comment publicly to try and name and shame them into action, but this is normally well after the image is first posted and any potential publicity is lost. Any suggestions?
 


How would you go about combating this? I've been struggling with this for years. I'll post something on my Instagram and then see it popping up on a DJ's Instagram a day or so later with my logo cropped out and not even any credit left. I don't want to burn bridges with potential clients (I work a lot for festivals where these DJs play) but want my work to be recognised.

Today I've noted a DJ "Axwell" (and his team) has lifted my photo from my Instagram page and re-posted it at his own without any form credit or payment.

His post: https://www.instagram.com/p/BU37VQxDa-i/
My post: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUz-EPrFIpj/

It's a tricky situation to play. Currently a group of friends will comment publicly to try and name and shame them into action, but this is normally well after the image is first posted and any potential publicity is lost. Any suggestions?
Time to contact a lawyer now imo, see what they can suggest. Maybe a standard letter to send out

I post virtually nothing online these days, just the odd compo entry on here

You simply have to stand up for your work, you'll get more respect that way anyway

Do you use some kind of image recognition app to find them btw?
 
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Time to contact a lawyer now imo, see what they can suggest. Maybe a standard letter to send out

I post virtually nothing online these days, just the odd compo entry on here

You simply have to stand up for your work, you'll get more respect that way anyway

Do you use some kind of image recognition app to find them btw?
Sadly, getting a lawyer sounds like a more and more viable option.

I don't, I just happened to follow him on Insta and found it by chance. It's a relatively new photo so it's still relevant to his recent gigs. I don't use one by routine but Google Image Reverse Search usually chucks out a few results.
 
instagram tips: how to deal with image theft


File a copyright infringement
, using the link here. Don’t bother using the ‘report as spam or abuse’ options on the photo post – the photograph is technically neither, and this will have no affect. Just keep clicking through, fill in the form, provide links to each stolen image, and links to your own work as evidence. Instagram will always remove the offending posts within 24 hours.
A few points worth noting about this process: it’s a lengthy form, and you’ll need to include your address, but it won’t be shared anywhere. Often I found it wouldn’t load properly, and took two or three tries to open or submit before I could file a complaint. (The cynic in me thinks this is probably deliberate, as the man-power for Instagram to individually respond to these reports must be fairly weighty; A buggy form means only the most persistent and genuine claims are likely to be submitted.)
Instagram won’t ban or delete the account for you. Even if every image in their gallery was stolen from you – they’ll simply delete each image you report, and let you know when this has been done, so it’s still worth blocking the account whilst also keeping an eye out for further transgressions.
 
Sadly, getting a lawyer sounds like a more and more viable option.

I don't, I just happened to follow him on Insta and found it by chance. It's a relatively new photo so it's still relevant to his recent gigs. I don't use one by routine but Google Image Reverse Search usually chucks out a few results.
Just noticed you have boat loads of support in the insta comments on his post. Looks like he has tagged you in it now as well but it's still bad crack.
 
instagram tips: how to deal with image theft


File a copyright infringement
, using the link here. Don’t bother using the ‘report as spam or abuse’ options on the photo post – the photograph is technically neither, and this will have no affect. Just keep clicking through, fill in the form, provide links to each stolen image, and links to your own work as evidence. Instagram will always remove the offending posts within 24 hours.
A few points worth noting about this process: it’s a lengthy form, and you’ll need to include your address, but it won’t be shared anywhere. Often I found it wouldn’t load properly, and took two or three tries to open or submit before I could file a complaint. (The cynic in me thinks this is probably deliberate, as the man-power for Instagram to individually respond to these reports must be fairly weighty; A buggy form means only the most persistent and genuine claims are likely to be submitted.)
Instagram won’t ban or delete the account for you. Even if every image in their gallery was stolen from you – they’ll simply delete each image you report, and let you know when this has been done, so it’s still worth blocking the account whilst also keeping an eye out for further transgressions.
Thanks for this. I did flirt with the idea of just getting it taken down and I have done this in the past but it didn't really help matters. It just pissed the offending party off and got me sort of "black listed".

You could argue that working with people who do this aren't people worth working with so I shouldn't try connecting with them. They do, however, spend a good lot of money on their own photographer who tours round with them. It's ultimately a gig I'd like the pitch for. They're capable of spending the money but I want to make sure I get paid for my work that they're using. It's a difficult balance to be firm but also try to use the situation to leverage a positive outcome.

Just noticed you have boat loads of support in the insta comments on his post. Looks like he has tagged you in it now as well but it's still bad crack.
Yeh it did seem to get some traction in the end. Hopefully I've saved face as well. Still, the credit should have happened at the beginning and I might have actually got some of the publicity that's followed nearly 20,000 likes.
 
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I know it will perhaps detract from the image, but rather than a logo in an easily cropped place (albeit, it looks great where it is on this image), would a watermark across the centre of the image not be more difficult to remove? I know nowt about how this would affect your work and the way it is viewed, but would it not be an easy fix?
 
I know it will perhaps detract from the image, but rather than a logo in an easily cropped place (albeit, it looks great where it is on this image), would a watermark across the centre of the image not be more difficult to remove? I know nowt about how this would affect your work and the way it is viewed, but would it not be an easy fix?
It would totally detract from the image, sadly. I've tried in the past and the pictures simply don't get as much traction on social media. It solves that problem but creates a new one that the photos aren't as good. Part of my pitch is often that I have a strong social media following so the festival gets more coverage and further value added.
 
Aye I've seen plenty of those sort of articles on PetaPixel. Sadly they're all written by kids without enough real world experience to take any sort of firm advice from them. I'm not saying they're wrong but it doesn't solve the problem, unfortunately. Happens all the time.
 
Going through this at the minute. Two photos posted by large (-ish, but not Axwell large) companies (one with 'credit', one without) this week. Fuck off.

It’s an interesting one.
 
Going through this at the minute. Two photos posted by large (-ish, but not Axwell large) companies (one with 'credit', one without) this week. Fuck off.

It’s an interesting one.
Just seen this sorry. I know the feeling mate. Stuck between a rock and a hard place. Feel free to drop me a PM if you want to bounce some ideas off.
 
Some twat from Sunderland copied a load of my photos from Flickr a few years ago and posted them on his Facebook page as though they were his own. I requested he take them down and he refused saying "if they were posted on the internet they were fair game" and I complained to Facebook but they just gave me the runaround. When Flickr started playing silly buggers I moved all my photos to Ipernity and now I have closed my account there. Fuck them.
 
The UFC fighter Mike Bisping has been using a photo of him that someone else took, the guy asked for credit and he just mocked him.
 
instagram tips: how to deal with image theft


File a copyright infringement
, using the link here. Don’t bother using the ‘report as spam or abuse’ options on the photo post – the photograph is technically neither, and this will have no affect. Just keep clicking through, fill in the form, provide links to each stolen image, and links to your own work as evidence. Instagram will always remove the offending posts within 24 hours.
A few points worth noting about this process: it’s a lengthy form, and you’ll need to include your address, but it won’t be shared anywhere. Often I found it wouldn’t load properly, and took two or three tries to open or submit before I could file a complaint. (The cynic in me thinks this is probably deliberate, as the man-power for Instagram to individually respond to these reports must be fairly weighty; A buggy form means only the most persistent and genuine claims are likely to be submitted.)
Instagram won’t ban or delete the account for you. Even if every image in their gallery was stolen from you – they’ll simply delete each image you report, and let you know when this has been done, so it’s still worth blocking the account whilst also keeping an eye out for further transgressions.
Hi! So which one are you? Are you Sara or are you Orla?

Or are you just a Thoring little ingrate?


instagram tips: how to deal with image theft

:p
 
There's fuck all you can do without making your watermark bigger, which makes the photo look worse. I don't really mind just getting credited to be honest. Most of my work I've been paid for by someone else to shoot, but I still own the photos and people shouldn't just help themselves to it. The biggest irony is that it's musicians and their management who seem to be the greatest offenders.
 
There's fuck all you can do without making your watermark bigger, which makes the photo look worse. I don't really mind just getting credited to be honest. Most of my work I've been paid for by someone else to shoot, but I still own the photos and people shouldn't just help themselves to it. The biggest irony is that it's musicians and their management who seem to be the greatest offenders.
I'd rather pass a kidney stone than put a watermark on my photos tbh.

As a follow up to my post up there ^^, I let the photo with 'credit' slide as I wanted to see what 'credit' gets you. The Instagram page with 120k followers got 8k likes on the photo. From that I got (I think) 1 new follower and half a dozen likes. 'Exposure' is great (or maybe my photos are just shite).
 

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