Dealing with people copying your work

On the annoyances of finding someone has used your work

But it was on the internet…

It’s one of those things you have to live with when you run a web site. People decide to help themselves to what’s on offer.

Over the years I’ve seen various technical solutions to deterring casual theft, but none are foolproof, and it’s easy to take a screen grab of any image in a browser.

It may not always enhance the aesthetics of an image, but I now try and remember to watermark any images on this site…

Update 2017: I’ve a discussion about using the Pixsy service to follow up un-licensed commercial use of our photos, and how it just paid out several hundred pounds.

The Datacolor SpyderCube fitted on a small tripod

I just had someone contact me and point out that my entire review of the SpyderCube had been lifted, word for word, for a German eBay shop.

If someone nicks a review photo and includes a link back to this site, I’m usually none too fussed, but this was a trader, and they gave no reference or link whatsoever.

A quick edit in the web site development system and all the images in the eBay listing have vanished except one that now suggests people might like to think carefully about buying from people who steal to promote their business. Some might say this is a bit mean, but sorry, I was feeling annoyed ;-)

I know some photographers would swap the images for something much less pleasant, but that’ll do for me this morning ;-)

During the week I had two requests for use of images from my site for school projects.

One detailed the work and use of the picture – I thanked them for asking and wished them well in using it, just asking that they credit where it came from.

The other merely said ‘for educational use’ and added that no response would be taken as giving permission. I thanked them for asking, but pointed out that no response does -not- give permission and that I’d like to know what it was being used for… I’ve not heard back yet.

Whilst it gives no additional legal protection, we do have a page on the site with our copyright information, along with additional copyright resources .

Just another one of those things you have to keep an eye on if you web site is an important part of your business.

We always pursue commercial use of our images – and it always costs far more than if the image was licensed to start with…