BEWARE!
It has been a very stressful couple of weeks.
One evening after work, I went to my computer and a website popped up with one of my interns portrait on it. I scrolled down to look at his work only to find five photos of mine which he renamed and claimed as his own. The next morning, I opened up the site again to show a friend and not only had he added five more photos of mine but put his copyright on all ten of those he had stolen. When I asked him why this happened, he calmly started double-talking. When I pointed out the discrepancies in his story, he only continued. When I asked him to take them down, he said in one week.”Not in one week,” I said, but “NOW.” He took them down quickly and I kindly gave him a second chance.
The following week, after finishing a shoot, he was working feverishly to finish retouching a photo I had taken that day. The following day, after he had left, I opened up his website and to my amazement and disbelief, he posted my photo under his authorship once more. I wrote him an e-mail, telling him not to come back and explained if he ever used any of my photos without my permission again, I would hire legal counsel. I was disappointed, felt betrayed and angry all at once. All I could think of was his arrogance, brazenness and psychopathic behavior. There was a THIEF among us and he had to go. Was his whole life a lie? Were any of the photos he claimed to have taken actually his? He is just starting out in this business, as an agent said to me, and it will be very difficult for him to work for anybody decent if they know he steals.
It’s been a stressful two weeks and my question to for you is: Do any of you know about a legal document that can protect photographers from employees from stealing files?
Themocracy
andrea, the guy did not deserve a second chance. finally by now you know why.poor guy anyhow if he doesn’t believe in his own talent, and needs to claim your images to be his.
the only legal thing I can think of is to make anyone sign a paper if he starts working for you.eg. that he agrees to pay a fine if a situation like that occurs. that could help but still sounds awkward if it was necessary at all. but how goes the saying: once bitten twice shy. for the future you have good reason to explain this to your assistants on the grounds of that experience.sad but true.
best, daniel
Loser – write him off!