John Mitchell Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I've discovered some of my stock images available for free on onlyimage.com They appear to have been swiped -- complete with intact watermarks -- from my PhotoShelter website. Has anyone else had the same problem with this outfit? Update: Some of the images (of which I'm finding more and more) might also have been stolen from PhotographersDirect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Morgan Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 It seems most of the free stuff is online wallpapers. Didn't see any of mine from my personal site, but haven't checked them all. How many did you find? Jill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariaJ Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Looks like they've taken images from all over. I found the famous kissing couple from the Stanley cup riots. onlyimage.com/photo/riots-police-kissing-vancouver-couple-hq-images-2785727 With proper credits elsewhere: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Stanley+riot+year+later+Kissing+couple+still+kissing+with+video/6765415/story.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 It seems most of the free stuff is online wallpapers. Didn't see any of mine from my personal site, but haven't checked them all. How many did you find? Jill Can't give an exact number. Their search engine is a total joke (probably a good thing). Suffice it to say there are lots. As Maria mentioned, they seem to have pilfered images from all over the Web. I've sent an initial unfriendly e-mail. Shall let you know if I get a response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 It seems most of the free stuff is online wallpapers. Didn't see any of mine from my personal site, but haven't checked them all. How many did you find? Jill Can't give an exact number. Their search engine is a total joke (probably a good thing). Suffice it to say there are lots. As Maria mentioned, they seem to have pilfered images from all over the Web. I've sent an initial unfriendly e-mail. Shall let you know if I get a response. How did you search? By your name? I didn't see any with my name but with all the images I have I am sure many are there. Who did you email? I'd email the FBI as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I could not find any WHOIS info on this slimebag outfit. Certain lawfirms are now filing infringement suits based on the IP address of a site and all the John Does so they can get quickly get that court order to expose infringers. L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiskerke Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Some are the Bing screen savers from Alamy. wim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierre rochon Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 I found one of my images on this site by looking up my name. Any good reason why I shouldn't send them a menacing email (to what avail, will it result in anything)? Should I send the link somewhere else first (somebody mentioned the FBI)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 I'd really love to see these sites get dragged thru the courts and sued for everything including the shirt on their backs. I'm so sick of wasting valuable time sending DMCA notices;I feel like filing suit and charging them $500 per hour every time I find a photo. Some sites I've found 200-300 images. We need to do the DMCA thing o protect our rights... L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 I e-mailed Only Image, and they got back back to me right away. To their credit (hate to say that), they have removed all my images from their website. Their basic search engine makes it difficult to find images. I searched their website by subject after happening upon one of my photos through a Google search. If you can find any of your pictures (good luck), I suggest contacting them. Here's the e-mail address: dmca@onlyimage.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TokyoM1ke Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 So I'm curious - if someone uses an image off their site for advertising, who do you go after? Ultimately you can't do much about a some outfit operating in... Mogadishu who are running a web site giving your pictures away, but you could have a go at the multi-national who stuck it on their washing powder packets. My question really revolves around the fact that you can't stop everyone showing your images as "free", so do you really need to worry about it that much or is it better to save your energy until someone actually uses one in anger? Although if it's already been sold exclusively that could be a bit of an issue... By the way, can you still use exclusive images on your blog or to promote your photography, for example? Edit: Email just arrived And now I receive an unsolicited email from Dollar Photo Club - the clue's in the name. I presume that there must be a compromise somewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
York Photographer Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 There are loads of similar sites offering "free" wallpapers etc etc, of images ripped off from all sorts of sites including alamy. Might be a good idea to disable the links to those above as its driving traffic to them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 That's strange: when I typed "clement philippe" in their search box and pressed "Enter" I landed on the "Shutterstock" site Cheers, Philippe There seem to be a lot of SS images on there. Name search didn't work for me. I had to search by subjects. It was a pain in the... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 There are loads of similar sites offering "free" wallpapers etc etc, of images ripped off from all sorts of sites including alamy. Might be a good idea to disable the links to those above as its driving traffic to them Thanks. Just disabled the link in my OP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbster Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 I have also discovered my images on this site. Majority with watermarks intact! Diplomatic email sent to them. Image theft really winds me up shame someone cannot shut down these sites with immediate effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losdemas Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Search for 'Alamy' and you'll get a bunch of images. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustydingo Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 What if Alamy sent a DCMA takedown letter? Of can only the copyright owners of each image do that? dd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 I have also discovered my images on this site. Majority with watermarks intact! Diplomatic email sent to them. Image theft really winds me up shame someone cannot shut down these sites with immediate effect. Do you by chance have a PhotoShelter website? That's where they got mine by the looks of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 Search for 'Alamy' and you'll get a bunch of images. Searching with "Corbis" and "PhotoShelter" bring up images as well. It's a really strange site. As mentioned, though, all you have to do is e-mail them and they will remove images. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Lowe Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 How about embarrassing them with some messages on their facebook and twitter accounts? I don't 'do' either of them myself so can't practice what I preach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Brooks Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 It may be legit. I think it is an amalgamation site that collects a commission from the selling agency for directing image buyers to a selling agency like Shutterstock. If a client clicks on a Shutterstock watermarked image the client goes what looks like the Shutterstock site, and Shutterstock offers to sell the client the image. The image is not free. Shutterstock is doing the selling, and paying the photographer. Nothing wrong with that. That doesn't mean that every image on the site is legit. Start the process to download one of your images and see if it leads the buyer to one of your agencies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbster Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 I have also discovered my images on this site. Majority with watermarks intact! Diplomatic email sent to them. Image theft really winds me up shame someone cannot shut down these sites with immediate effect. Do you by chance have a PhotoShelter website? That's where they got mine by the looks of it. John, I used to operate a wordpress blog this is where the images were lifted from. Not seen any from my actual website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 It may be legit. I think it is an amalgamation site that collects a commission from the selling agency for directing image buyers to a selling agency like Shutterstock. If a client clicks on a Shutterstock watermarked image the client goes what looks like the Shutterstock site, and Shutterstock offers to sell the client the image. The image is not free. Shutterstock is doing the selling, and paying the photographer. Nothing wrong with that. That doesn't mean that every image on the site is legit. Start the process to download one of your images and see if it leads the buyer to one of your agencies. Bill, I hear what you're saying. However, I don't think that any website that posts photographers' copyrighted work without their consent can be considered "legit." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbster Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 I have had a reply from them asking for the URL's of my images, it now looks like my images were taken from my blog. Did a search for more of my images and found out they have even lifted images from a MOD site! Obviously with that in mind nothing appears to be off limits for these image thieves! At least I have had a response from them and await a reply, I have also informed the MOD site administrators concerned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbster Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 I have had a reply from them asking for the URL's of my images, it now looks like my images were taken from my blog. Did a search for more of my images and found out they have even lifted images from a MOD site! Obviously with that in mind nothing appears to be off limits for these image thieves! At least I have had a response from them and await a reply, I have also informed the MOD site administrators concerned Sorry duplicate post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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