Troy Dozier
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Registered: Nov 2003
Location: Illinois
Posts: 8
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I don't think you understand how serious this is...
I don't know anything about the guy who took the photo. And I wasn't even going to post here because I am not directly involved. BUT, when the talk of knowingly stealing other peoples photos just to "show them", becomes part of this forum, I do have something to say.
I read the rules for posting here on the BOI. And though Rich doesn't recommend posting links to other sites, I am going to because the amount of text involved is enough to warrant it, I think. Plus, I doubt the links will become dead anytime in the future.
First of all, just because you buy the snake from someone, you don't have the right to use the photos the previous owner took. They photo is copyrighted the second he snapped the shutter on the camera. And unless he gives you written permission to use it, you are not allowed. Even in the UK. I think the UK has even tougher laws.
If I buy a snake from [insert big name breeder here], I don't get the privilege of using his/her photos now on my site. By the same token, if I buy a snake from [insert big name breeder here], and take a photo of my new snake, the breeder doesn't have a right to the photo either. I actually had a breeder fuss at me because I took some photos of my snakes and failed to include his name on the photo as the original breeder. That was an oversight and I added it. I meant to anyway because I wanted to give credit. But actually, he doesn't now have the right to come get that photo and use it because he once bred, hatched, owned the snake. They are two completely different entities.
And just because someone posts their own photo in a public forum, that DOESN'T make if a public domain image. Many quality breeders post photos to help others out. That doesn't mean that now I can steal that photo and use it on my site without permission.
If you really care about what the laws truly are and you don't want to read about kiddy porn, and murder then go to THE source.
www.copyright.gov . If you want to download the PDF file of the US copyright laws in it's entirety then here is a direct link to that
http://www.copyright.gov/title17/circ92.pdf
If you don't want to sift through the almost 300 pages of copyright laws just to find out how it pertains to photos. Then go to
www.photo.net. More specifically
http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a...g?msg_id=007J50 . They have extracted the photo part.
I don't want you guys to really get yourself into trouble thumbing your noses at this guy. He might just have the resources to make an example out of you. Though I doubt it, it's not worth the risk.
Hope this help,
Troy Dozier
