Monday, September 3, 2012

Winners and Etsy Losers


Recently I've been demoing some photo editing software, and I thought I would share some of the black and white images I processed using it.  When you process images using all of the wonderful digital tools at our disposal these days, it can be easy to go overboard and fall off the cliff into processing oblivion, something I'm not a big fan of for my own pics.  But I do love a good post processed image for a little extra drama.




Adding things like tonal contrast, sharpening things a bit, and using layer masks on various images can be pretty cool.  I've been having fun with this, and once I settle on a particular program or bundle, I will report back as to which software I love the most.   I can tell you right now that I'm leaning towards OnOne Software , which I used on all of the images in this post.  But with college tuition to pay, my wallet won't allow me to pull the trigger yet.  And because I'm still trying out some other companies...including Nik Software, I will reserve my opinions until a little later.  In the end, my guess is that I will end up with a combination of several different companies because they all bring something different to the table, and because I'm easily bored, variety is good for me! :-)




Speaking of winners and losers, I got an interesting email this past weekend telling me that someone is using my images to sell their wares on Etsy.  The offender, which I won't mention unless she doesn't remove my pictures from her shop, is apparently threatening other sellers not to sell items similar to some lights she has...which she claims to hold a copyright/patent to.  

The irony of the whole thing is that she is using my copyrighted materials (the pic even has my watermark on it) without my permission to depict Ball Mason Jars and glass insulators she's selling.  And come to find out, many of the photos she uses on her page which appear to be representing what she is selling, are not her own.  One is even from an internet company who sells lighting made from glass insulators, and she's using their image of pendant lights to represent her light fixtures!

I've had images misused before, I think all photographers run into that problem.  As a matter of fact, a hotel in Greece has a pic of my pink bicycle in Germany (go figure) on their website.  I've contacted both the hotel, and the above mentioned Etsy owner, but I've heard nothing from either party.  Not surprising really since if you steal stuff to misrepresent what you are selling, be it a lifestyle in Greece, or glass insulator lights on Etsy...well you probably aren't a winner in my book...just sayin!

I'm a pretty laid back person, really I am, but I have contacted Etsy since the owner of the shop ignored my request to remove my picture.  Of course Etsy wants me to jump through "6" hoops of proof that I own the image.  Thanks Etsy...how's about you have the shop owner "prove" that all of the unauthorized pics she's using are her own, and tell her to stop threatening your other legit shop owners about copyright infringement?!

Ok, enough about this nonsense...it's time to announce the winner of my latest Giveaway.


And the winner is Chania!  Congrats Chania...a gift card to Amazon to help you buy some new books will be on it's way shortly!

Thanks to everyone who entered to win!

14 comments:

  1. Congrats to Chania :)

    Kat, sorry to hear about the Etsy person and the hotel in Greece! I think I need to start adding watermarks to my photos. They are not professional photos, but I still put a lot of time into them. I hope the Etsy seller will do the right thing.

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  2. Third photo down - wow! Congratulations to the winner and darn, sad about to hear about the loser.

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  3. It didn't take long for me to find the photo in question in that Etsy shop. I'd know your kitchen windowsill anywhere. Shame, shame, shame!

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  4. How awful about your pictures being "swiped". My pictures are so bad that I don't worry about it. Maybe you should practice lousy photogaphy?;>) There will always be LOSERS out there and it looks like a couple of them have found you. LOVE the one using your picture with YOUR watermark on it- what and (pardon the word) IDIOT!
    As my auntie used to say- Don't pay them no never-mind, honey~

    Congrats to the winner. xo Diana

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  5. Too bad about the etsy nonsense...your watermark is right on the photo! Really bad!
    Congrats to the winner...and love your black and whites...

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  6. plain and simple...losers suck. that is too bad that Etsy is making you prove it when it wounds pretty easy for them to verify just by looking into this. Can you talk to a person there? Keep insisting...?
    congrats to the winner and in my book and many others you are a big winner because they are only jealous of your talent and have none of their own.
    keep your head high
    peace n abundance,
    CheyAnne
    www.cheyannesexton.etsy.com

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  7. plain and simple...losers suck. that is too bad that Etsy is making you prove it when it wounds pretty easy for them to verify just by looking into this. Can you talk to a person there? Keep insisting...?
    congrats to the winner and in my book and many others you are a big winner because they are only jealous of your talent and have none of their own.
    keep your head high
    peace n abundance,
    CheyAnne
    www.cheyannesexton.etsy.com

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  8. an extremely low act....not cool!
    Good luck on your quest to have them removed.
    Bec x

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  9. Your images are beautiful, Kat!
    I'm sorry about the people out there that think nothing of taking someone else's work and making it their own. When they are confronted...it means nothing to them.
    Ironically, your work means everything to you.
    Congrats to the winner of the drawing!
    xo

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  10. Hi Kat,
    your photos are amazing as always. Sorry about the photo thieves!! I'm not as laid back as you so found this quite stressful when it happened to me. The person never replied to my (nice and polite) emails and I never asked for anything other than for them to confirm that they would remove the design and never try to sell it again (or pass it off as their own design). Just to prove a point (or just to be a right cow!!) I'm now about to send them a solicitor's letter and will seek compensation for the cost of the letter - they should have just sent me an e-mail, it'd have cost them less!
    It is a pain that Etsy doesn't really get involved. It sort of makes it easier for the thieves and plagiarists to get away with it! I hope this gets resolved quickly for you.
    I also hope your husband has fully recovered from your car accident. xx

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  11. Kat,
    This is not nonsense at all! It's outrageous that anyone would do this after you've brought it to their attention. Make your watermark bigger or something, no one should expect to benefit from your unique, one of a kind work-your a professional this is your income and your reputation!!!
    Dare I say, time to lawyer up?
    xo,
    ~R

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  12. Wow, that is awful that someone is using your pics and others to sell her stuff. And the hotel in Greece? Shame on them.

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  13. Hi Kat,
    This is such a beautiful and well written post...very important for you and others who take such care, pride and the
    expense to produce such beautiful work..protecting your work with a watermark does not take away from it' s beauty, it just makes it right❤

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  14. Oh Kat I hope your photos were taken down by now and that the burden of proof won't have to rest on your shoulders! Congrats to the lucky winner. xo ~Lili

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