Unsold Exclusive Photos- Locked Google Docs Website

[MarkK]

Recently I did a reverse image search and found one of my photos in a locked "google docs" folder.  When googling the photo, the url is there along with a description of my unsold photo.  It states "Free Advertising Cleveland Ohio- Google Docs".  Thereafter it reads " Jake s on public square in downtown cleveland, ohio, usa, give diners a view of the st. patrick s day festivities. mark kanning/alamy live news. ... claes oldenburg ..." but when you click on the url it asks for a password.  I cant put an URL here but you can copy and paste the previous section into Google to see the description/URL where my photo is locked by password protection.  

 

I have written to Alamy about it but to no avail.  Has anyone had this happen? Finding their photos in locked "Google Docs" folders that are used to sell the photos or used for free advertising? The photo is an Alamy Live News photo.  I don't recall ever giving permission to use my photos for free publicity to Alamy (or any of the others I submit to).  Since the photo is exclusive to Alamy I am not sure what to do.

 

I just started with Alamy this year and I have only sold two photos and have been chasing down three that haven't showed up in sales (one of them from six months ago, another from two months ago, and now this one in Google Docs).  Sort of diconcerting to a) see my photos come up as "free advertising" and then locked behind a password protected Google Docs folder and b.) to have more photos out there not "sold" than those I am credited with/paid for.

 

The photo that is "Free advertisement" was exlusive to Alamy so I am wondering if there are others out there like this that are locked behind Google Docs password protection but moreso how they are getting those photos without being "sold"?

 

I enjoy Alamy the most of all the sites I submit to but it is difficult to see my photos submitted to them show up as "free advertising". 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MarkK]

Thank you. Yes, the image was uploaded on Live News in January 2017 so it has been 7 months.  As for the second photo, I wrote them and they said to contact them in August if it still hadn't registered, which I did a couple weeks ago.  Unfortunately it was a somewhat condescencing reply email (usually they have been incredibly nice when writing them which is one of the reasons I submit to them moreso than the other sites) so at this point I may just let the photos go rather than chase them.  The third one I didn't bother saying anything.  As for the one listed under free Google Advertising, that threw me off as I would never consider submitting for "free" advertising and then seeing that the photo was uploaded 7 months ago and now password protected was disconcerting.  With only 2 official sales and 3 that are off the books it is a bit disconcerting but as you indicated infringement is just part of the stock world.  I was under the impression that submitting as exclusives would help in terms of pursuing infringement.  Either way, I really appreciate your input as I see you have been here for quite awhile and have a well established portfolio.  As of today I will start to upload non-exclusive whenever I can.  Cheers.

[MarkK]

Gerard....Thank you for the recommendation of copytrack.  I will end up using it for my writing but after my posting on here earlier this week about the photos, I just received credit from Alamy for one of the photos I wrote about.  At sub two dollars net for the photo, I am not going to spend the time chasing down or trying to find photos from my Alamy submissions.  As Geoff indicated, infringement is part of the game.  I am going to be opting out of the distribution scheme (says I must wait until next April to do so for some reason) so that should help. I will also shift my submission/business strategy concerning submissions/exclusivity/RM/RF. 

 

Again, I appreciate your help. As for the photo being used for "Free Google Advertising", I went back to it in my documents and it is listed as RM/Exclusive/Editorial only.