Many of us subject to photo theft, where thieves just scoop up our photos and use them to their benefit. A lot of businesses in the henna industry (and so many others) suffer from photo theft. An artist or business would take a beautiful photo and share it as their own work, or use it to create an ad when it’s not their property nor work.
This is completely and utterly WRONG.
No one wants their hard work to be stolen. Those of us that have portfolios of our work, products, designs etc…are to show potential clients what our potential is, and to represent ourselves. We first spend a lot of money on an above average camera to take gorgeous photos or we pay a photographer. We set up the time to photograph our work, products and take time to get great shots of them. We then edit and prepare those photos to be placed online or used in ads. This is time consuming and a lot of work. Creating a gorgeous portfolio pays off and we all work hard at them. Beautiful photos will sell you!!
Bridal Henna Feet by Khadija
But when someone comes along, and is so LAZY, yes lazy, that they take your photo and just use it for their own benefit is wrong. It’s theft!
Now today I’ve come across an all time new low, and this definitely takes the cake of all photos thefts I have ever seen. The below business has a henna photo of guess who?
Yes of me, actually of ME! A henna design is on my hand, and my hand is across my face. This photo is also my facebook profile photo. Now how low and disgusting of them!
Can you believe this??!!
Has this ever happened to you? What did you do?
You need to kindly ask them to cease and diciest in using your photo immediately. You should also start putting the “Hennasoog” tag line across the bottom part of all of your photos. I am sorry that happened to you.
Hmmm…it is almost tempting to just out right sue them! But, I think a phone call and a warning should do the trick. It is amazing what some people will do.
You must send a cease and diciest and start watermarking all of your photos.
I wanted to add too, and thank you for everyone’s comments, but where they watermarked MY photo, see where it says Miracle Beauty Salon? Right under that is Henna Sooq 2010. View the original photo here: http://www.hennasooq.com/about/
I have to say that I have seen this so much and as a graphics designer… the only way to keep them from doing stuff like this is (also a freelance artist) is to put your water mark ALL the way across the image. I put my diagonally and with a date year and copyright symbol. If someone needs an original image or to see something else, then they can contact you directly. Easier to keep track
Hmmmmm notice how they only have a phone number on there and no email or other contact? Excuse me a moment ladies and gents while I do a number search on the flyer above.
Oh and the same thing happened to Darcy of Henna Lounge. However the person who stole a pic of her posing with her henna put up a FB page with said photo. Needless to say that perptrator got message, reported and slammed with angry comments. 🙂
I feel so bad for you Khadija. People like this hurt not only the individual artist but the dedicated henna community of artists.
For legality purposes, Khadija cannot outright sue them, she would have send them a cease and desist letter first and then if they did not comply and still continued to use her photos she could then sue them.
You should start to watermark the center of the pic, i know it may take away some of the beauty of the photo, but at least they cant crop the center without it looking very out of place
You have the original. Send the cease and diciest and they should remove or it you may have to take legal action…maybe this weekend you get a water marking program and start switching all of your pix. They probably got it off of google images and didn’t think anyone had rights to it or that anyone would care. Just send a certified letter for now and give them a clear deadline to remove the picture(s).
I am really, really sorry to learn this! I must admit that I just love your products and have reviewed them using a picture at times on my blog while giving you the credit of course… I hope this is okay? I feel like it puts a picture to exactly what I’ve purchased and where they can go to get it…please let me know if I have violated in any way. I would never claim them as my own or mean to take away from the hard work you’ve put into your business. Blessings
We don’t mind when people use our photos for their blog when it’s to give credit for a product etc..
I’m a visual artist, and it’s really annoying when things like this happen! People have given some great advice about watermarks, etc. I think there’s also a way you can lock an image so it can’t be used by anyone except you. I’m not 100% sure how to do that, though….Hopefully a computer savvy some one will read this and give the missing link! It’s theft and plagiarism. Glad you let us all know!