That is of course sarcasm.
I feel it nessisary to mention what happened today before I doze off.
Today I got an email from Chip when I got into work. He mentioned that he came across one of my photos in a thread at 4Chan. Sure enought, there it was, my pour shot.
Now, some history needs to be mentioned before we continue. First, three years ago, I published that photo on a website at that time was called GfxOasis. It was a small site, about 150 members, and unlike DeviantArt at the time, it was more of a hangout/group critique site. I got a lot of positive feedback about it and eventually shared it on DeviantArt. If you know anything about DA its that copyrights have almost never been respected there. The reason I haven’t posted work there since and probably won’t forever. Anyway, about a month after being up on DA, sure enough, someone ripped it and made it into a wallpaper using an “eefect” he claimed to have created. (Actually, I duplicated his “effect” in Photoshop in about 10 minutes). He was claiming it as his own and didn’t even mention me. I got the DA admins involved and I get an email from the guy that made the wallpaper. He asks if he can release it and apologizes for the mix up. I give the guy the benefit of doubt and say yes on 3 conditons:
1. He has to keep my website and logo on it.
2. He has to credit me in the description.
3. He won’t make any other versions or post it anywhere else.
After that he subsequently put out 4 versions without telling me, took my website off it and I’ve personally seen it on at least 5 of the most popular desktop websites and a handfully of smaller one. Each time without credit.
Today was more of the same. It was up in the wallpaper section, without credits, copyrights or anything.
Now, I want to be clear about this. I don’t have a problem with the wall existing. Its actually not a bad wallpaper. But in its current state, the way its being distributed, is unacceptable and I will not allow it.
A shot like that is incredibly hard to do. People make livings doing just pour shots. Take a look at a menu at a place like Chiles or Applebees if you think I’m kidding.
Anyways, I managed to get a hold of a 4Chan moderator on IRC and have the thread taken down, after expressing my displeasure to dead ears of course. One piece of internet trash actually said “its the internet, fuck you, stop being such a bitch”. Apparently this persons never created anything in their lives. Having something stolem feels like shit. Something that you worked hard on taken, YOUR identity stripped out of it, and then its whored for all to take.
So, there you have it.
After all this time, and after all the energy and anger it take for me to deal with something like this I’ve come to a descision. If you can’t beat’em, join’em. Sometime soon, on the “projects” page, I’m going to put up several of my own versions of that wallpaper. My own versions, with a copyright line, my website url, the whole nine.
In the end, its a wallpaper. I’m not going to get bent out of shape anymore. I don’t have the energy. If anyone ever sees any of my photos anywhere, especially with a copyright taken off, please let me know. I won’t get made, I won’t start throwing around Cease & Desist letters, I’ll just ask them to replace the version they have with one WITH my info. People can use it all over the place, just so long as credit is given where credit is due.
Ok, I’m tired, I’ve stayed up too late already. Later guys.
Oh, and a HUGE thanks to Chip for the headsup today. I appreciate it bud. 🙂
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