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DPChallenge Forums >> Business of Photography >> Models stealing photos
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03/23/2009 02:55:03 PM · #1
So this has been a minor issue, but still an issue.

Generally when i shoot models, i edit photos, place them on my website, and let the models choose which photos they want. They normally have a model release that gives them 5 High resolution edited photos. Recently I found out at least two models who on top of the five high resolution photos i gave them, copied and posted every edited photo from the site on their websites. Of course this is in violation of their model release and they are only get low resolution photos, but it's somewhat frustrating to see them snag ALL the photos you edited and posting them on your website (all low res versions of course - 640pixels on largest side at 72DPI).

The webpages they choose the photos from are created using the Photoshop web pages and published using Yahoo site builder, so I can't put java on each page and each picture link disallowing right click.

Anyone have any ideas on how to stop this from happening? Sometimes I have multiple edits of a photo that I don't plan on using listed there. Some of these photos are also used for stock purposes.
03/23/2009 02:57:02 PM · #2
1) You could choose the edits for them and just send those versions instead of posting them all
2) You could put a heavy watermark on all the photos you upload
03/23/2009 02:58:15 PM · #3
Watermark any proofs posted to the web?
03/23/2009 03:40:36 PM · #4
Email the website and ask them to remove them
03/23/2009 03:41:35 PM · #5
Don't edit first. Let them pick the 5 they want first, and then edit them. Sitting and editing a ton of pictures is useless.
03/23/2009 05:08:11 PM · #6
Originally posted by ajdelaware:

Don't edit first. Let them pick the 5 they want first, and then edit them. Sitting and editing a ton of pictures is useless.


Agreed.
03/23/2009 06:25:22 PM · #7
don't know if this would work in your situation since they seemed to have downloaded, but if they were hotlinking, you could replace their picture with something really ugly.
03/23/2009 06:34:21 PM · #8
I would ask the hoster of the website to remove the pics since the models are breaking a written contract stating they must not use them.
03/23/2009 07:38:32 PM · #9
Put the PROOF cross something obvious that kills the image for most uses.... Then deliver just the ones they pic without that. Does not have to be huge.... A line across the nose of something.
03/23/2009 10:32:03 PM · #10
I was trying to avoid having the models choose the photos before editing. Quite frankly half the time, I don't even know what the photo is going to look like before I edit it. Also when I first started in photography, i had models do that...and they always seemed to pick the ones that i couldn't edit...like photos that are extremely blurry or with crap in front of their faces.

When I say their websites...it's sites like facebook, model mayhem, one model place, myspace, ect. All the photos have a small watermark on them anyways...I guess making it huge across the photo with the word Proof on it, could fix that.

Actually that may be the way to go from now on.
03/23/2009 10:46:42 PM · #11
Or since you are only talkig low rez 640 web photos you could jsut not worry about it. Pretty much anything low rez out their on the web is fair game to msot people. Your contract calls for hi rez edited photos and that was delivered. Does it really speak to low rez web shots?
03/24/2009 08:30:55 AM · #12
Originally posted by albc28:

I was trying to avoid having the models choose the photos before editing. Quite frankly half the time, I don't even know what the photo is going to look like before I edit it. Also when I first started in photography, i had models do that...and they always seemed to pick the ones that i couldn't edit...like photos that are extremely blurry or with crap in front of their faces.

When I say their websites...it's sites like facebook, model mayhem, one model place, myspace, ect. All the photos have a small watermark on them anyways...I guess making it huge across the photo with the word Proof on it, could fix that.

Actually that may be the way to go from now on.


What you should be doing is do a cursory edit first, go through and eliminate blurry stuff and stuff that is "unusable" then mark them proof and let them select 5, then you edit those 5. Whats the benefit for you to edit 20 pictures if they are only taking 5. Not like you want to have 20 shots of the same model in your portfolio.
03/24/2009 08:48:30 AM · #13
I can see where you're coming from in editing all of them, especially if you end up using them for stock photos. Its a personal pride and taste issue, if the shots are all complete and edited you're happier showing them. I do the same, even though it does take time. I never do an entire shoot though, I always hand pick my personal favourites, edit them, then show them to the model or client. I also never show the 'bad' images to the clients either - whats the point?
I agree with jbsmithana, why not keep the ones they're pinching really small and let them have them? If you watermark them with your full name, or even better - your website address if you have one, then when the model's friends see how great they are on myspace or facebook, they have your details there for their own future shoots. You could look at it as a business card of sorts - its undeniably your work, and they can't print them, so in a way you both benefit.
03/24/2009 09:06:47 AM · #14
Watermark them with 'stolen from [insert address of your website]'.

Out of interest, if you're editing lots of photos why don't you let them have copies of, say, 10 or so? Or do I just not understand the modelling game?
03/24/2009 09:26:04 AM · #15
Maybe they don't want hi-res photos. Maybe they don't see it as 'stealing' from your website. You could post the edited photos as mini-promos for your business & change the agreement to allow them to click at will. Free advertising for you.
03/24/2009 09:56:38 AM · #16
Originally posted by albc28:

I was trying to avoid having the models choose the photos before editing. Quite frankly half the time, I don't even know what the photo is going to look like before I edit it. Also when I first started in photography, i had models do that...and they always seemed to pick the ones that i couldn't edit...like photos that are extremely blurry or with crap in front of their faces.

When I say their websites...it's sites like facebook, model mayhem, one model place, myspace, ect. All the photos have a small watermark on them anyways...I guess making it huge across the photo with the word Proof on it, could fix that.

Actually that may be the way to go from now on.


Dude, your workflow sucks big time.
Shoot. Pull out the bad ones (blurry, OOF, etc). I don't know what/how your doing it but there should be less than 5% like that at a wedding and 1% in a controlled studio or location shoot. If you've got more than that you need to examine your basic photography skills.
Never ever post anything on the web you've not been paid for and are prepared to lose, er, give away for free. Sorry, but it's the new millenium and copyright has no value (to you it might, but in reality, in practice, it has none. Just look at what goes on at utube or read facebook's TOS).
So after you pick your faves have them come back to you to pick their images- you are there to help coach them thru what's good and what's not, etc.

And the bit about 'Quite frankly half the time, I don't even know what the photo is going to look like before I edit it.' is another way of saying "i don't know what i'm doing at all" - As an artist you should have a vision BEFORE you even start of what you want the image to look like when it's done. As a photographer you NEED to know what to shoot to get the results you want or it's a very large random activity that wastes everyone's time.

I've seen the workflow of a million dollar studio that shoot 500+ HS seniors with three photographers and puts out amazing fashion-edgy work. They shoot RAW+jpg, pull out the good JPGs and show them on an 8 foot tall projection wall. NO editing, NO PS. From the camera. And yeah, I've seen it and it CAN be done. That's what sets the pros apart from the wanna be amateurs. I'm not there myself, but Iv'e seen it done, seen that it CAN be done. It's not that hard and it's a hell of a lot less work with better results too.
03/24/2009 10:30:43 AM · #17
100% agree with the good Prof.

Also - Chris I got your email - Ill reply tonite, been a little busy with getting unpacked and a few shoots.
03/24/2009 10:57:37 AM · #18
You need a better relationship with your models. Why are you pissed off that they're showing your work? If you don't like your shots then don't publish them, but otherwise these people should be your allies - helping show off your work and getting others interested in using your skills. You need to get a positive attitude about it and realise that you can't imprison photography on the internet. Let it breathe, relax and ensure that they fly your flag if you fly theirs.
03/24/2009 08:47:34 PM · #19
Last couple of paragraphs on here?

//www.linesandcolors.com/2007/05/31/how-not-to-display-your-artwork-on-the-web/

LOL
03/25/2009 12:24:29 PM · #20
Thank you all for the comments. I think some of you missed some of the words in the original posts. This is minor problem, meaning it's bothersome but not a major deal.

As for my workflow sucking...well there is a slight difference from the "professionals" who batch process thousands of photos and myself. I offer my models a personal touch on my photos. I don't automate all the tasks. When I say I don't know what the photos are going to look like, is because sometimes your ideas change when you go in and edit. Something may look better in black and white or Sepia. I may decide that I don't like the background as bright and darken it. Basically what you visualize to shoot may turn into something different down the road. Putting that personal touch also makes it so that all my shots don't look the same. No I'm not a professional, but every model who shoots with me knows that they are getting personal touch on each photo that i edit. Also the reason I edit so many is that some of the photos do go to stock. I have to edit them anyways to send for stock...why not give the model a look at the finished versions also?

I still prefer to show models only the edited photos...even after removing the blurry images and so forth from the originals, you get a worse problem and thats the models stealing the low res versions of the unedited versions.

I like the idea of putting the website on the photos from now on. I usually put only my name..but putting my name and website seems like a better idea and at least it is more advertising.

Again thank you all.
03/27/2009 12:05:00 AM · #21
What you could do is have them come by the studio (if not right after the shoot, give or take a half hour to load them on the computer) and let them view and select the images from the proofs to their liking. Then print and away they go.

Other suggestions:
-Try watermarking an faded symbol or your name/studio across each of your images diagonally for the low-res proofs (what is low-res for you, by the way? For me I consider low res to be 640-1000 pixels/50 dpi and sharpened for web...it's absolutely impossible to print anything higher than 5x7"; I've tried on my own printers and tried sending to a pro lab - no go).

-Try avoiding flash based browsers for displaying your images.

-Upload images to your website or gallery host and then disable right click on your website.

If you do all 3, it's highly unlikely I could see them able to rip your images, again.

I'd definitely go for suggestion #1, though, it's what I do and let's models/families have a drink, talk, and relax after the shoot while I get everything ready and edited for display. My workflow is extremely fast, however. I can have a shoot done in an hour and then processed, printed and delivered or sent in the mail by the following hour.
03/31/2009 09:25:25 PM · #22
Originally posted by albc28:

I was trying to avoid having the models choose the photos before editing. Quite frankly half the time, I don't even know what the photo is going to look like before I edit it. Also when I first started in photography, i had models do that...and they always seemed to pick the ones that i couldn't edit...like photos that are extremely blurry or with crap in front of their faces.

When I say their websites...it's sites like facebook, model mayhem, one model place, myspace, ect. All the photos have a small watermark on them anyways...I guess making it huge across the photo with the word Proof on it, could fix that.

Actually that may be the way to go from now on.


this might sound backwards, but you actually want them to take these photos- You want your website on it! You want all their friends to see them! Make them your friends on these sites so the images will be in your portfolio- tag them! Word of mouse marketing baby! :0)
03/21/2013 01:17:57 AM · #23
Maybe, they just do not realize that they are doing anything wrong.
Maybe, they think that because it's an image of themselves that they have every right to it.

I agree with pixelpig who states that Maybe they don't want hi-res photos. Maybe they don't see it as 'stealing' from your website.

Maybe, they have no idea of a good picture, given that they are choosing slightly blurred images as their favourites.

Remember, it's your reputation on the line, so only make available those images that will portray your business in the best possible light.

Message edited by author 2013-03-21 02:07:35.
03/21/2013 07:11:39 AM · #24
And while we're at it, I'd like to wish the thread a happy 4th birthday! My how you've grown.
03/21/2013 07:15:31 AM · #25
Some serious thread necromancy here.
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