Aquarium dealer in Portland Oregon using our photos without permission

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Wow... the plot sickens.

I never post full resolution images or videos on any website. I downsize them significantly and keep the full res versions for my own purposes.

Although I'd love to make millions from my images (cough, cough), I almost always grant permission to use them for free for educational purposes as long as a photo credit is given.
 
"I was just trying to show people what a particular species looked like. not steal an image and make money off of it."

We must have a very different view on this point. You were trying to make money by using very good images to represent your services and create interest in certain species, which you would then collect and sell for a profit. If one steals a car, and changes the license plate, it is still a stolen car, and still belongs to the original owner.
RichH
 
Is there a connection between Coldwater Marine Aquatics and Melissa Harris? Did I miss a reference to the connection?

Pilfering of my photos is one of the reasons I don't post photos here any more. Directing people who are interested in looking at my photos to my website probably doesn't stop the thievery, but it probably won't stop it all.

I guess the real wake-up call for me was finding some of my photos hanging on walls in the homes of some of my friends. I would've been a little less ticked-off if the prints had been done at a quality digital photo lab instead of the local Walgreens.

Maybe the solution is simply to keep shooting poor quality stuff that nobody wants to steal.

-AZTinman
 
drbill:
Wow... the plot sickens.

I never post full resolution images or videos on any website. I downsize them significantly and keep the full res versions for my own purposes.

Although I'd love to make millions from my images (cough, cough), I almost always grant permission to use them for free for educational purposes as long as a photo credit is given.
Click to expand...
So do I, but they still stole small files and even photos with watermarks. I've allowed the use of my photos to about a dozen people just for asking, although none for commercial purposes except the San Diego Museum of Natural History. They're using a photo for a new exhibit in January. When I saw the price tag under my photo I was a bit miffed, but not nearly as much as Chris Grossman, Kevin Lee and some photogs from NOAA and National Geographic.

---------- Post added September 8th, 2014 at 06:19 PM ----------

I had Merry's daughter sign into her Facebook page on my computer so I could look through Melissa Harris’ Facebook page. There were no images there for sale. I signed up on Pinterest and reported each infringed image on her site, Snubnose Sculpin (Orthonopias triacis) and left her a message on each one that included the copyright holder. I also left her this message;
Please remove my photo immediately as well as all the other stolen photos on your site. Coldwatermarineaquatics was forced to remove them and may soon face legal action and removal of their website. I don't have a Facebook page but have been told that you are selling these photos on your page. If this is true, you will soon face the same legal troubles. All of the photos you have on this site are copyrighted by their respective photographers.

---------- Post added September 9th, 2014 at 04:44 PM ----------

You still have these images and dozens more copyright violationson your Facebook page. Please remove them today. And please tell your Facebook friend Melissa Harris that the images on her Pinterest page with price tags are also violations.
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---------- Post added September 9th, 2014 at 07:09 PM ----------

Melissa Harris has deleted her folder containing the stolen images, but Coldwater Aquatics still has them and more on their company's Facebook page. I was looking through them when I found one that Scubaboard users may recognize. :)
529792_343295195721980_1362516701_n.jpg


https://www.facebook.com/ColdwaterM...0.1410313403./343295195721980/?type=3&theater
 
MaxBottomtime:
If they sold dive gear I'm sure they would have used the photo of the bird on your head. I love that one!
Click to expand...

... it's a hood ornament ... :wink:

P8060322.jpg


Seriously, if they'd just asked I'd have given them permission to use my picture(s) ... provided they gave me attribution as the photographer.

Sometimes all it takes is a bit of courtesy.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
Wow, busted badly. If you decide to steal, at least do it smart so you don't get caught.

AquaticEngineer:
So there is no responsibility on the part of the photographer to get the image removed,
Click to expand...

Sound like you are doing them a favor.

---------- Post added September 9th, 2014 at 09:35 PM ----------
AZTinman:
Is there a connection between Coldwater Marine Aquatics and Melissa Harris? Did I miss a reference to the connection?
Click to expand...

I want to know too
 
Apparently she is just a Facebook friend of theirs. Unfortunately she added the photos to her Pinterest site and included prices and a link to the Coldwater website. She deleted the folder earlier today.
 
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https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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