On few occasions I have to send a bill myself to some bloke who use one of my pictures without permission.
Today I had a call from some investment broker who wanted the phone number of a rich guy I had photographed some months ago. He thought it was a story from yesterday so I had to check where he got his news from.
Long story short, I found a picture of mine used for a story online on Faroe Islands and I know they haven’t bought it from me, Getty Images or WireImage. So I just mailed them an invoice for 200.00 $ which is the price in my price list for that usage.
I also have on my price list, that is’s +500% if it’s an infringement. I haven’t used that though (I guess I save that for the hardcore criminals).
Make no mistake, using others pictures, software, writings or whatever intellectual property is criminal.
One of the characteristics of criminals is that they can’t work. They can’t produce a picture, a text or the software they would like to use. But they need it.
The same goes for money, cars, fridges, bicycles, laptops, ideas, etc. If you can’t create or buy it, you steal it. Because you can’t produce it or the money to buy it.
But hey, it was just a small picture. And you already got paid for taking it. And the guy is so well known he is kind of a public person that is anyway all over the place. Hey, it was just laying around on your website, waiting for someone to grab it.
Another characteristic of a criminal is that they can’t think in consequences. Tehy can't get that somebody owned it before them. Or that next thing the police com knocking. It's a very limited view of sequence.
Okay, those people here and the people I’ve dealt with earlier aren’t hardcore criminals that ought to end up in a dirty jail by the Mexican border or at Guantanamo.
But in that instant they think “what the hell” they go criminal for a moment and find reasons why it’s okay to lend a picture. “I’ll just use it very small” or “I’ll credit the photographer in the byline as an exchange.”
If they thought it was cool, they would have sent me an e-mail saying thanks.
They never do.
Because they know.
Well, I send them a bill and then we’re straight.
The hardcore, pink ones with yellow hair you deal with differently. Another story, another day.
You go ahead with your plan, and if you need an "enforcer" just let me know and I'll show up with cousin Vinny and a couple of baseball bats to take care of business, are you up to it, ?? If so, just drop me am email. Buddy you're in good hands here. take care my friend. Ed.
it's sad this shit can happen. how many times do shots go used unnoticed on the other side of the world for use in crappy yellow pages adverts and stuff like that?
are you ready for this, i finally found out what was going on with mike and his younger brother andrew. remember how they never had girlfriends up until this past year, now they are with different girls weekly, well i am the only one who has proof on what happened. they both have been taking enlarge pills from http://www.bolinu.com for many months now, i found 7 empty bottles under mike's bed and he caught me, forced me to promise i would never tell anyone about the pills. well i told dave about them 2 months ago, he ordered 6 bottles from http://www.bolinu.com and now he too is a ladies man overnight. none of these guys talk to me anymore so now i can tell you all about the pills and living proof that they work, they even guarentee your money back 100% if they don't work on you. go now to http://www.bolinu.com
are you ready for this, i finally found out what was going on with mike and his younger brother andrew. remember how they never had girlfriends up until this past year, now they are with different girls weekly, well i am the only one who has proof on what happened. they both have been taking enlarge pills from http://www.bolinu.com for many months now, i found 7 empty bottles under mike's bed and he caught me, forced me to promise i would never tell anyone about the pills. well i told dave about them 2 months ago, he ordered 6 bottles from http://www.bolinu.com and now he too is a ladies man overnight. none of these guys talk to me anymore so now i can tell you all about the pills and living proof that they work, they even guarentee your money back 100% if they don't work on you. go now to http://www.bolinu.com
Your work is profound. It was a delight to come across your page suggested to me by uber as 'similar pages' to my own, although my page is in its third day of infancy, so I really have nothing to show for it, however I look forward to seeing more of your excellent eye for detail. Cheers.
It has been, i confess, long overdue. But i have been procrastinating this simple task of leaving you a comment for weeks. I've been busy and only comment when commented. I do admire your work and your blogs are quite the read. congratulations on a wonderful page. And. xoxoxox :)
I just wanted to say hello and compliment you on your gallery. You've got a really great selection of pictures here, I really like your natural style and your use of light. Lots and lots of interesting stuff to read too! I reckon I'm going to be a regular reader. Take it slow... Mark
Heeeeey... You're another one on here who I see has fanagled a way around (what I thought was the max) of 16 "Top Friends." How'd you manage that one, if you don't mind me asking? Whatever the case, very best of regards to you...CCx
Thanks for the comment on my first post- nice to know I'm not alone in my technological woes! Love your photography- really beautiful shots you've got here.
thnak you. I'm just collecting all the art i see in San Francisco... check out the new slideshow on TINGLETANGLE and WEMARNY sections on the nav bar menu of http://ozcillator.com. peace, franz
Hello Thorsten. I've been doing a lot of uber-diving, and I must say that yours stands out as one of my top five blogs. It's so diverse and interesting! Keep up the good work! All the best, Stewart
Hi Thorsten, Thanks for the great idea for a blog posting on how a designer comes to dress a star at the Oscars. I will have to write it! Continue to check my blog, I'm going to continue to add great stuff in the next few weeks. xoNick
take care my friend.
Ed.