All of the images on this blog are owned and copyrighted by me, Ellen Wolff. All Rights Reserved unless otherwise explicitly stated in writing. The contents of this site may not be copied, reproduced or distributed in any form whatsoever, without the express written permission of Ellen Wolff Photography. Please note that it is illegal to screen grab, right click, or copy and print or distribute, any of the pictures featured on this blog.
To my clients and friends, if you are featured on this blog, you are welcome to use the images for your personal web pages only. This includes MySpace and Facebook as long as you keep the logo in place and provide a link back to this blog. If you don’t see your favorite here – let me know and I will make one up for you right away!
Ellen Wolff, July, 2008
UPDATE April 30, 2014
So much has happened in the last 6 years, since I posted the original copyright notice appearing above. Since then, Pinterest was born and there has been an explosion of photographers and other event specialists entering the market. The majority of these newcomers have something in common: a lack of experience and the need for a professional looking website very quickly. It should be no surprise then to discover the fastest way to fill a brand new website for the current crop of event photographers just starting out including the DJs, planners, and fledgling photographers without solid experience…is to steal the photos from an established professional with a good portfolio.
In the Winter of 2014, I discovered my work featured on a brand new DJ and entertainment website. It was the most lavish and beautiful Sweet 16 that I photographed at Oheka Castle. The work was screen grabbed from my blog and the watermark cropped off. How did I find out? I use a powerful script to search the interwebs for [unauthorized] appearances of my photos. I found the DJ website very easily and was able to have that entire website deleted from the Internet in less than one day because it is a malicious act to plagiarize photography and deliberately remove a photographer’s watermark. Generally, host companies require that you agree to upload work that you have the legal copyright to. Posthaste I will be invoicing as well.
This is Fair Warning.
If I find my photographs being used without my written permission understand that I am entitled to recover damages according to Section 1202 of the U. S. Copyright Act.
The following information was originally published by Carolyn E. Wright, at photoattorney.com [you can see the original here]:
Section 1202 of the U.S. Copyright Act makes it illegal for someone to remove the watermark from your photo so that it can disguise the infringement when used. The fines start at $2500 and go to $25,000 in addition to attorneys’ fees and any damages for the infringement. The pertinent part of the statute is included below:
Section 1202. Integrity of copyright management information . . .
(b) REMOVAL OR ALTERATION OF COPYRIGHT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION.
No person shall, without the authority of the copyright owner or the law:
(1) intentionally remove or alter any copyright management information . . .
(3) distribute . . . copies of works . . . knowing that copyright management information has been removed or altered without authority of the copyright owner . . . knowing . . . that it will . . . conceal an infringement of any right under this title.(c) DEFINITION. . . . “[C]opyright management information” means any of the following information conveyed in connection with copies . . . of a work . . . or displays of a work, including in digital form . . . :
(2) The name of, and other identifying information about, the author of a work.
(3) The name of, and other identifying information about, the copyright owner of the work, including the information set forth in a notice of copyright. . . .Section 1203. Civil remedies
(b) POWERS OF THE COURT. In an action brought under subsection (a), the court . . .
(3) may award damages under subsection (c);
(4) in its discretion may allow the recovery of costs by or against any party . . . ; [and]
(5) in its discretion may award reasonable attorney’s fees to the prevailing party . . .(c) AWARD OF DAMAGES. (1) IN GENERAL. . . . [a] person committing a violation of . . . 1202 is liable for either
(A) the actual damages and any additional profits of the violator . . . or
(B) statutory damages, as provided in paragraph (3).(3) STATUTORY DAMAGES. . . .
(B) At any time before final judgment is entered, a complaining party may elect to recover an award of statutory damages for each violation of section 1202 in the sum of not less than $2,500 or more than $25,000.
Lastly, if after reading this you still think it’s ok to steal original, commissioned photography, please understand some of my photos feature minors. Therefore not only are you infringing on my copyright you also need to acquire permission of the parent or guardian of the child in the photo.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.