STOLEN PHOTOS. WHAT DO YOU DO NOW???
Hey you guys. So yesterday I randomly came across a photo of my work on a business page on Facebook. And it was not my page. I’m usually diligent about watermarking my work but in this particular photo, it’s of a hand holding a business card that reads HAUS OF LAQUER. Now why you ask would a business want to use a picture of my photo with HAUS OF LACQUER plastered on it? Well this business has decided to use pretty much almost exactly the same name as me. And when I started using this name I googled like a crazy mad woman to see if there was anyone out there using this name already because I didn’t want to use a name that could be mistaken for someone else’s name. Obviously these people don’t give a rat’s ass. So I filled out a copyright infringement form last night on Facebook and they took the photo down this morning. Good work FB.
Now let’s get serious for a minute. I DO NOT bust my ass so someone else can make money off of my work. Just doesn’t work for me.
I didn’t say anything when I found out they were going by the same name. I didn’t even say anything when they had the balls to tweet me and say they loved my work and should I ever find myself in their area that I should come visit. Yah buddy. Ok. But I’m not keeping quiet about it now.
I want you guys to know that if you are the owner of your photos that you have rights. Even if your picture is an image that can be found on the internet, googled, whatever, they are YOUR photos and if someone wants to use it, they MUST have your express consent to do so. Even if there is no watermark or no copyright notice, it doesn’t matter. You are protected under copyright laws. There might be a hundred million photos on the internet of leopard print nails, but YOUR photo of leopard print nails are just that. YOURS. I’m not the first person this has happened to nor will I be the last, but it’s still super frustrating.
So do what you can to protect yourself and your pics. Watermark them. Even if people have the audacity to remove them which I have seen. And when you do watermark them, you need to put the watermark in a place that will be hard for these jerks to crop out.
And just so you know, HAUS OF LACQUER is me. And only me. HAUS OF LACQUER is not a team of artists. HAUS OF LACQUER is not a nail shop (yet.) All the photos that you see here are mine unless it says otherwise. Mine. I’m a greedy bitch. You can replog or repost on Tumblr as much as you want, that’s what they’re there for and I appreciate all the love. Nothing makes me happier, trust. But don’t take them without asking. Not cool. Don’t repost them and remove the source. Also not cool.
Don’t get it twisted. This bitch wasn’t born yesterday.
HOL.
True that!
