February 14, 2007

Looks like theft to me....

Stumbled on this story on Critical Miami . Apparently Harrison Hernandez, who composed the ad, is quite the entrepenuer. I typed the phone number into google and hit a ton of craigslist entries, and a picture on MySpace. There's a load of comments and more leads at Digg.

I'm sure this is case of someone trying to throw together an ad on the cheap. But there are copyright laws. Someone spent time and effort to create the photo, and probably paid the model for a session. So not only has Harrison ripped off the photographer, but she's ripped off the model, too. In all the commentary I've read so far, no one has noted that a model licenses their image, and the release forms (the signed contract between the photographer and the model) are very explicit about how that image can be used, and how they are to be compensated. An art session is very different than a print session.

The photographer seems to be mostly pissed that her art shot is being used to promote a service that's barely discernible from an adult escort service. I can't blame her.

I hope the photographer follows through with demanding her rights. Harrison absolutely owes money to the photographer and the model for the violation of copyright and the actual use of the images to promote her business.

It's the 21st Century, people. You're not getting away with this stuff anymore.

No comments:

Post a Comment