Today's post is a little different folks - I'm writing a letter to the NYPost and putting it up here as well.
Dear Ms. Amaroso,
I have been digesting the article you wrote on Pinterest for the past few days trying to come up with a response. The article is a great synopsis of a lot of what makes Pinterest so popular, which I appreciate your take on. The reason I'm writing however is to let you know you've used my photograph to illustrate your story without proper photo crediting. That's my image up there, of Samantha Hutchinson of the very popular lifestyle blog, Could I Have That?. The picture was created for Tory Burch's blog, which was pinned as such by over 500 people, without crediting.
It is this notion of losing photo credit that makes Pinterest so incredibly frustrating and heart-breaking to us photographers and makers of original content. People pin images I've taken all the time without proper crediting. It's not a new issue, but it is a new medium that has busted the digital media world wide open. Not being able to imbed an original name/credit/link to an image is a problem I hope Pinterest rectifies in the near future, I know there's been a buzz about this in the design blogosphere with many opinions on a solution. You've inappropriately credited my work with 'COURTESY TORY BURCH VIA PINTEREST.' The New York Post is a print/online outlet that is making money. So is Pinterest. If the NY Post or Pinterest were a non-profit, I would feel differently about the situation. But you are stealing from me by using my image without my name.
I do not take pictures for fun. I create photographs for a living. I work hard as a photographer as I'm sure you do as a writer -- How would you like it if someone reposted your story exactly and credited as simply "NYPost.com"
Think about it.
Leela
Read Christina Amaroso's article for the NYPost here
go get'em lee!
ReplyDeleteWhine, whine, whine. That's all it seems I ever see anymore about Pinterest. The whining is getting more annoying than the issue you are whining about.
ReplyDeleteWell said Leela!! Sorry to have this happen to you, but hopefully this will add to the impetus for change with regards to creative content shared online.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Anonymous? how about having the guts to stand up to your words instead of hiding behind a cloak of anonymity? Being an armchair critic is too easy a job.
Great post, and so surprising that they wouldn't search out the proper credit!
ReplyDeleteI understand why the article should have credited you as a photographer. I do.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't understand the issue with Pinterest and proper credit. Before Pinterest, people who wanted to save images they saw in newspapers or magazines just cut them out and filed them in folders, stuck them in notebooks or pinned them on real cork boards. There was no credit for said images because they were just cut out of a magazine.
Now, there is Pinterest. And people who like to save images of things they love or are interested in can be stored digitally. But the theory is the same - people are just saving pretty images that they like.
There are responsible pinners out there - hopefully business accounts- who go to the original source & pin from there rather than repin from who knows where. But in the end, does it really matter? The MAJORITY of people using Pinterest aren't doing so to steal people's digital property. They see things they like on the Internet & want to save the image so they can look at it later. Try a new recipe or craft. . Rather than right click & save to their computer, they are Just putting it into an online file.
The biggest problem with Pinterest are people who get all up in arms because someone pinned their picture of a cute dog. Who cares? If the pinner isn't claiming the image to be theirs, then what is the harm? It's no different than them cutting the pic out of a magazine & putting it in a notebook or scrapbook.
Again, the article you're addressing should have credited you. But that's intirely different than Pinterest.
Nice work, friend! Let us know what he says in response....he better respond...!
ReplyDeleteHow unfortunate...sorry you had to go through something like this. Love your amazing photography...I'm in awe!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Sara
Agree completely. This is the un-brave un-new world of intellectual property disregard. I just turned down someone's offer today to use my work in exchange for giving me photo-credit....A for profit agency that supplies images to other for profits.....and wants images for free...
ReplyDeleteWhat is this world? Why are people who create intellectual content in print or image supposed to be happy when it is stolen and mis-credited?
I'm in your corner....Change the world to a bit of respect!
And.....Beautiful pictures.
Really appreciate all your insight and input guys - this is an issue I'm just starting to think about and I'll keep us posted as to any new developments.
ReplyDeleteI think you might be interested in this article about a copywriter that ended up paying $4000 for using a photograph on a website without permission. The NYP should be falling over themselves to offer you a settlement. - http://blog.webcopyplus.com/2011/02/14/legal-lesson-learned-copywriter-pays-4000-for-10-photo/
ReplyDeleteVery well put together! It is only fair to get credit for one's hard work and believe me I know too well what it is like to watch someone else get/take credit for your hard work. I think you should check out this site: Clipix.com. Very good alternative for Pinterest plus many other features! Guaranteed to love the site.
ReplyDelete