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I have just discovered one of my images being used on the website www.spotlight.it-notes.ru - when you log on to this website it displays Windows 10 SpotLight Images. Not only is the owner of this website using my image illegally, he is also using a play on the Microsoft logo/brand/name to display them. The owner is basically uploading images from Windows Spotlight Images to his own website fraudulently. I will be perusing this matter without limits. It might be worth other contributors checking to see if their images are being used fraudulently? In the interim, any advice would be most welcome!! Best Regards Peter Liggins

Hi, my name is Aleksandr Vaysberg. My Alamy Username is vaysberg@gmail.com. I am a photographer living in Brooklyn, NY, USA. I've found the Image ID: R12AC1 with a title Panoramic view of architectural city buildings on a cloudy day in Manhattan. Contributor of this photo is Ingimage Ltd I don't know how this photo appeared on your web site because it was taken by me in NY on 1/9/2016. I have original files on my computer. This is a panoramic view of Manhattan Downtown taken from the Brooklyn Bridge Promenade. I have EXIF of these files. I've never posted this photo on Alamy. It was licensed by Shutterstock.com https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/manhattan-panorama-brooklyn-bridge-park-ny-1071017816 These photos (I mean photos that this pano was made from) were taken by Nikon D3200 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 18mm, ƒ/22, 5s, ISO 100 I want to know how to resolve this issue. Thank you.

Good news folks: I just had an email from "Alamy Infringements" checking on a possible illegal image use of a photo which is a good multiple seller. I confirmed it was only on Alamy with no direct licenses. This is the first email I've had of this type but maybe more will follow? Kathy

Has anyone any experience with the Patents Court, Small Claims re copyright infringement http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/courts/patents-court/patents-court-small-claims.pdf if one resides OUTSIDE of the United Kingdom and therefore cannot attend in person. If so, how difficult and time consuming was the procedure and was it worthwhile? I am seriously thinking of pursuing the "painter" who has used many of my photographs of aborigines as derivatives without my permission. He is well aware that he cannot do this as I have warned him months ago but he still continued with the exhibition and is still selling prints and "originals" of his "work" on a website. This I consider wilful use and in the past, I have been in contact with a UK IP lawyer but UK legal fees are really, really expensive and UK lawyers rarely, if ever, work on a contingency basis! The gallery in Oldham, Lancs has not been too forthcoming about which "paintings" were exhibited and now the exhibition is over. For the life of me, I cannot understand galleries who exhibit work when it is patently obvious that the "painting" was taken from a photograph. One of this "painter's" works is one of Clint Eastwood and although Mr Eastwood might be willing to sit for a painting, I don't think he would sit for a guy in Lancashire. Under UK law, one must have the written permission of the photographer if painters wish to use work as a derivative http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/copyright/p22_derivative_works.en.htm and I am constantly amazed that "painters" the world over seem to think that photographs are in the public domain and there is no copyright issue. Just take a look as sites such as Fine Art America and RedBubble and you will see that theft of IP is endemic. Sheila

I just discovered three of my images being sold as pricey prints and merchandise on Photobucket. I am sure it's much more than three as this person has more than 26,000 images posted. I know that UNFORTUNATELY sites like Photobucket can claim 'Safe Harbor' but I may try and go after this seller on an individual basis even though I am sure they posted a fake name,Photobucket has to be paying them or they have a credit card on file... You might want to use services that can locate your images,you might find your images there as well. fYI: None of these images were from Alamy. L

I just watched this very interesting and informational B & H video dealing with all sorts of important issues - model releases, copyright infringement (including dealing with those who misuse your photos), getting paid for your work, and more. It's American so I'm not sure how applicable the laws are universally, but there's still a lot of useful info in it. It's long but entertaining. http://youtu.be/cGRvXB0d3dw

Caught this interview on Carolyn Wright of Photoattorney's website explaining to photographer, Ben Long the vagaries of copyright infringement and licensing arrangements. It can be found at http://www.lynda.com/Design-tutorials/Discussing-copyright-international-level/160107/170938-4.html Photoattorney is my US IP attorney and am familiar with most aspects of her interview but what I didn't realise was one can claim damages under DMCA legislation even if the work is not registered if the infringer removes your watermark. If you have a spare hour, it's most informative. Sheila

In March this year a crop from one of my Alamy images was published by a UK newspaper online, the sale was correctly reported and I received my commission from Alamy (thanks). The original image was both cropped and downsized to 460 x 276 pixels. I have just discovered the same cropped image is now being used by a UK National House builder on their website to promote the local environment around one of their forthcoming housing developments. The crop used is identical to the crop in the newspaper usage (although the image has been further downsized to 290 x 174 pixels). This image is only available via Alamy who have confirmed that they have not supplied this image to the House-builder in question. I'm therefore 99.9% certain the image has been copied from the Newspaper's website and I want to pursue them. Is there a standard letter or form of words I should use? What sort of compensation should I seek? It occurs to me that they may want to use the same image in a brochure for the development and would like access to a higher res version, so I could offer that too. Mark