[fromunderthebridge]

Hello,

A funny situation has cropped up and I'm kind of puzzled. One of my pictures is being used as marketing material (unauthorized of course). While this itself is bound to happen sooner or later I guess, what puzzles me most is that the source of the picture is PentaxForums and my personal sig/watermark had been overwritten by cat sized "PentaxForums" lettering. What has happened here? I'm more confused with the pentaxforums sig than the copying (i.e. I want to know I'm not understanding forum rules incorrectly and pentaxforums doesn't have squat to do with this).

Basically I'm not losing sleep or anything over this, however, I'm going to follow up on this as a matter of interest (interested in how they got the picture).

(for the record the offending page is: About Crawfordsville Snow Removal. and mine's the one with the windswept tundra)

[Ole]

Could you post a link to the post or thread where your image resides on PentaxForums?
Thanks,

[Davidparis]

I see no reason to be happy about this, especially if your watermark has been replaced by a PentaxForums signature. The copyright laws and regulations always cause a bit of confusion in most countries but this example seems pretty unacceptable to me. Interesting to see how this one gets explained.

[bertwert]

PF will automatically add a watermark to an image posted somewhere other than the PF domain that originated from PF.
Do a google search for one of your pictures hosted on PF and you will see the watermark added.

[Adam]

When the Pentax Forums watermark appears in an image, it means that the image has been embedded (i.e. hotlinked) on a different web site, most likely without anyone's permission. The watermark will also show up in google search results. It's there to protect from exactly this type of unauthorized use, though it looks like in this case it didn't go far enough.

I would reach out to the owner of that web site and see if they're willing to cooperate. If you don't hear back, you can always contact their web host and they will most likely take the image down. Best of luck!

[fromunderthebridge]

When the Pentax Forums watermark appears in an image, it means that the image has been embedded (i.e. hotlinked) on a different web site, most likely without anyone's permission. The watermark will also show up in google search results. It's there to protect from exactly this type of unauthorized use, though it looks like in this case it didn't go far enough.

I would reach out to the owner of that web site and see if they're willing to cooperate. If you don't hear back, you can always contact their web host and they will most likely take the image down. Best of luck!

Thanks Adam this clears up the situation nicely and I appreciate both the prompt response as well as the practice of embedding the watermark in this way! I was already planning on contacting the site owner and will do so soon.

Btw. the original thread was https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/12-post-your-photos/292549-black-white-cl...wing-snow.html

[UserAccessDenied]

Three things:

1. How was your personal watermark removed, or am I misunderstanding that part of your initial post?
2. How in Earth did you find this?! I've always wondered how people track down when their images are being used, or did you just happen upon their website and notice your picture? This is what really gets me... It's not like there's a websearch out there that can track down every photo you've ever posted. Or is there??
3. Lastly, great photo!

[fromunderthebridge]

Three things:

1. How was your personal watermark removed, or am I misunderstanding that part of your initial post?
2. How in Earth did you find this?! I've always wondered how people track down when their images are being used, or did you just happen upon their website and notice your picture? This is what really gets me... It's not like there's a websearch out there that can track down every photo you've ever posted. Or is there??
3. Lastly, great photo!

1. I pixel peeped and actually it wasn't. It's still under the PF watermark (which is appropriate given the reasoning by Adam).
2. I googled the picture just out of curiosity what happens if I google my own picture. I heartily recommend to try it out for fun, for one of my photos it suggested "stylistically similar images" with "Tetons and the snake river" being the first suggestion XD. (in google chrome right-click the picture and select "Search Google for Image")
3. Thanks!

[BrianR]

I'd also try to notify a few of the other photographers whose work they've stolen, a few came from stock sites which would have threatening form letters ready to go. People who rampantly copy images like this need to be taught a lesson.

[UserAccessDenied]

2. I googled the picture just out of curiosity what happens if I google my own picture. I heartily recommend to try it out for fun, for one of my photos it suggested "stylistically similar images" with "Tetons and the snake river" being the first suggestion XD. (in google chrome right-click the picture and select "Search Google for Image")

I had no idea you could do that...
Now I'm paranoid and will likely go to each picture I've ever posted. Though, nothing I post is worth stealing.

---------- Post added 03-31-16 at 03:49 PM ----------

I'd also try to notify a few of the other photographers whose work they've stolen, a few came from stock sites which would have threatening form letters ready to go. People who rampantly copy images like this need to be taught a lesson.

Interestingly, many people don't understand the problem behind this...
We do some website building at work, and often times I've seen a "draft" with beautiful images in the background. I am always the first to ask for the image source.
If they did not take the image themselves or have permission and credit posted, I ask to remove the image before publishing.

I've actually offered a few times to replace the image with one of my own.

I'm just saying it's often overlooked because people don't always think like photographers. I've heard too many times, "It's on google images, why can't I use it?"
But they just don't understand that's not how it works...

[BrianR]

I had no idea you could do that...
Now I'm paranoid and will likely go to each picture I've ever posted. Though, nothing I post is worth stealing.

In addition to google, you can also use TinEye https://www.tineye.com/

Both have extensions for web browsers (chrome at least) that let you go straight to the image search by right clicking on an image.

[fromunderthebridge]

I had no idea you could do that...
Now I'm paranoid and will likely go to each picture I've ever posted. Though, nothing I post is worth stealing.

---------- Post added 03-31-16 at 03:49 PM ----------



Interestingly, many people don't understand the problem behind this...
We do some website building at work, and often times I've seen a "draft" with beautiful images in the background. I am always the first to ask for the image source.
If they did not take the image themselves or have permission and credit posted, I ask to remove the image before publishing.

I've actually offered a few times to replace the image with one of my own.

I'm just saying it's often overlooked because people don't always think like photographers. I've heard too many times, "It's on google images, why can't I use it?"
But they just don't understand that's not how it works...

Quite true. Images are so easily accessible that many may not think about the copyright implications. Years ago I might not have realized it myself. "Don't they teach that to kids at school?" -- well, they really don't.

[BrianR]

I'm just saying it's often overlooked because people don't always think like photographers. I've heard too many times, "It's on google images, why can't I use it?"
But they just don't understand that's not how it works...

I've seen photographers rampantly rip off text they found on the internet and at the same time lambaste any type of image theft. You'd almost think people went to schools were plagiarism was encouraged.

It's just so frustrating that I don't have the power to revoke peoples internet privileges for this sort of thing.

[UserAccessDenied]

Quite true. Images are so easily accessible that many may not think about the copyright implications. Years ago I might not have realized it myself. "Don't they teach that to kids at school?" -- well, they really don't.

Right!
They drill it into our heads that plagiarism is BAD! But in reality 99.99% of that is text based in school.
I do not remember a single instance of a teacher pointing out plagiarism or copyright issues regarding images. Even if they were included in term projects or presentations...

---------- Post added 03-31-16 at 03:59 PM ----------

I've seen photographers rampantly rip off text they found on the internet and at the same time lambaste any type of image theft. You'd almost think people went to schools were plagiarism was encouraged.

It's just so frustrating that I don't have the power to revoke peoples internet privileges for this sort of thing.

Watch the show Mr.Robot.
It makes me want to become a hacker. (not really, but it would be cool to mess with people!)

[fromunderthebridge]

In addition to google, you can also use TinEye https://www.tineye.com/

Both have extensions for web browsers (chrome at least) that let you go straight to the image search by right clicking on an image.

Interestingly enough, TinEye seems to find the same picture from DeviantArt (I should know, I posted it on DA), but not find the infringing page. Google does exactly the other way around: it misses the deviantart, but finds the infringing use.

---------- Post added 03-31-16 at 11:02 PM ----------

Right!
They drill it into our heads that plagiarism is BAD! But in reality 99.99% of that is text based in school.
I do not remember a single instance of a teacher pointing out plagiarism or copyright issues regarding images. Even if they were included in term projects or presentations...

---------- Post added 03-31-16 at 03:59 PM ----------



Watch the show Mr.Robot.
It makes me want to become a hacker. (not really, but it would be cool to mess with people!)

Being hacker is cool! I'm one and get paid! (don't trust the advertisements though, most legal hacking isn't quite as sexy as the movies and mostly consists of writing reports...)