Comments on: Stolen Real Estate Photos Being Used to Build Website

By: Rob Vomund

Rob Vomund — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 22:18:20 +0000

Here is the website technical contact that they registered when they established the URL. I got this from Network Solutions “WhoIS” service.

Inglis, Robert inglis@wilshireinc.com
Wilshire Inc
P.O. Box 6405
Oxnard, California 93031
United States
(800) 586-4415

By: Doug Quance

Doug Quance — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 22:36:05 +0000

How funny. I sent Adam an email a couple of days ago regarding some pole seller in Canada using his images. Apparently their pole isn’t good enough to take pictures with!

By: Kristin

Kristin — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 17:14:13 +0000

Shame on them! The site appears to have the pictures on its front page again. Go get ‘em Adam!

By: Vince DeStefano

Vince DeStefano — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 07:06:51 +0000

Almost once a month I send Adam a new link with a new website sellin a poor quality over price piece of junk pole that has stolen his photos. The worst thing about it is that these guys are selling an aeial pole system and its obviously not good enough to produce photos that they can use them self. Adams system is state of the art. Lets get em Adam!

By: Bob Carney

Bob Carney — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 02:59:04 +0000

Site is Still unavailable….We have a lady in our parts that has registered her customized maps, people keep stealing them off her sites and use them on theirs. She sends a cease and desist, followed by a call from her attorney. “$5,000 please or it’s more when we go to court” I am not sure how it applies across the pond…might want to check.

By: Cherie Irwin

Cherie Irwin — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 22:57:12 +0000

All of a sudden their website is unavailable due to “bandwidth limit exceeded” Hmmm….

By: Doug Cranmer

Doug Cranmer — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:37:38 +0000

@Adam–

I agree with Scott. You should notify them that they have used your copyrighted material without license and invoice them (some photographers make it clear on their webpage copyright notice that any unlicensed image use will be invoiced at three times their usual image licensing rate). I would also contact an attorney who has experience in representing photographers.

Carolyn Wright is an attorney whose practice is focused solely on representing photographic interests. Her website is http://www.photoattorney.com/ (Yes, she has registered the trademark PhotoAttorney with the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office). While I have not used her, Scott Kelby and other well respected photographers who have been financially successful have made mention of her work on their blogs. She has been an expert panelist panelist at a number of photographer friendly forums, very recently at the PhotoShelter Town Hall meeting in Atlanta with notable photographers like Bill Frakes and John Harrington.

Good luck. All the best,

By: John Grow

John Grow — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 04:02:25 +0000

Noticed that the http://www.fireflyads.com site is down due to “Exceeded Bandwidth”. Gee, what a shame.

By: Albuquerque realtor

Albuquerque realtor — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 01:38:12 +0000

What a drag. It’s so lame that people do that, especially when there are super good free or almost free stock photos all over the place.

By: Drew King

Drew King — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 01:30:44 +0000

Personally, I would have an attorney friend fire this person a Cease and Desist Letter and let them know that you are pending legal action citing international and US copyright infringement suit and potential grand theft (are your photos worth more than $2500? ). I would also contact his provider and make them aware that they have someone breaking international law and there may be a repercussions involving US and Australian authorities. That should shake his tree if he does not play nice.

Also contact:
Better Business Bureau, Ventura, CA 93001 (800) 493-8817
the Ventura county Superior Court – Small Claims 805-654-2610 and download:
http://www.ventura.courts.ca.gov/forms_packets/small_claims.pdf which is small claims filing and
http://www.ventura.courts.ca.gov/vn087.pdf which is a request to testify via phone
Julie Camacho julie.camacho@ventura.courts.ca.gov Court Program Manager
Alyson Kenyon alyson.kenyon@ventura.courts.ca.gov Court Program Supervisor

Another avenue is to contact the
Australian Consulate-General -Innes Willox in Los Angeles
Century Plaza Towers 2029 Century Park East, Suite 3150 Los Angeles CA 90067
Email is :losangeles@dfat.gov.au
They might be able to direct you in a situation like this..

I would also advise all the major search engines that this site is in violation of federal & International Copyright laws. In most cases they will investigate and pull his site.

Just my 2 cents.

FYI I’m from New Jersey – New York, We don’t play around…