Reply To: Using other photographer's work to promote your business

[IHF]

Steph,

Glad you came here to chime in.  You are always so upfront, honest, and intelligent, and always seem to keep your emotions at bay even when things get heated around here.  I just recently got into an argument/discussion with someone who, along with her friends, were publicly shaming “educating” a lay person (meaning not someone in the business at all of marketing or selling online)  for using another artist’s image as their personal facebook cover photo.  My argument was:  You want to take action?  Contact the artist quietly.  Let the artist handle it.  Dont speak for them.  You have no way of knowing if they allow for personal use, how they feel about personal use, the way they distribute, or how they chose to handle their own personal use infringement.  I then explained how I felt, and how I handle things, and explained how other photographers I know handle personal use without credit given or permission. She took this as me saying I was ignorant to copyright, and didn’t respect it like she does.  Or maybe she felt that as long as there are people out there allowing personal use and/or choosing to negotiate with people, she will never win this battle she fights so very diligently, everyday, to the point of extreme?  No, just that personal use infringement needs to be handled a little more sensitively for all who are involved.  I never got through, or received any additional online support from others for what I was trying to say, and this makes me feel I may just be alone in my thinking.  That type of behavior sets a horrible mood for any artist that wishes to communicate with the infringer for any sort of peaceful conclusion.  The woman who didn’t see the point I was trying to make then said “I don’t negotiate with theives”.

I think all of us are in agreement that using other photographer’s work to advertise your photography business is not only illegal (unless full copyright was purchased on all the images, and I haven’t seen that be the case yet) but unethical as heck.  Pretty much the lowest thing any photographer could do.  I have no problem when they are called out and photographers work together to collect screen shots and get those images down and all the artists notified.  and people go off telling the tog how it is, But to treat the consumer/general public in the same manner as this?!  It shocked me.  but what shocked me more is I was the only one with my jaw dropped wide.

I’d like to know your thoughts on this.  Educate me to your wise ways please 😉