What part of "International Law" don't you understand?

[pbmods]

I'm sure you're all familiar with this quaint little concept that nobody's heard of called, "Copyright Law", yes?

About once or twice a month, I get a customer with an absolutely adorable picture of her children or family that she would just love to put on her Christmas cards... except that it's printed on copy-proof paper and says "PROFESSIONAL - DO NOT COPY" on the back.

All conversations go as follows (insert Peanuts teacher "Wah-wah wah-wah wah" where appropriate):
"Yes, ma'am, I understand that it is YOUR child. But since you paid somebody to take the picture, you have to get a signed statement from that person giving you the right to make copies."
"Yes, ma'am, it is a fantastic picture, and believe me, I would love to copy it for you. However, if I don't get a signed permission from from the original photographer, I could be opening up [employer] and YOU to multi-million-dollar lawsuits."
"No, ma'am, I don't know how the original photographer would ever find out, nor is that any of my business. What I do know, however, is that the people who got sued never thought the original artist would find out about it, either. Like I said, this is for YOUR protection."
"Well, ma'am, I'm sure the [competitor] down the street might not ask you if you had the copyright to this image, but copyright is an international law. Just because they don't ask doesn't mean that you're protected."
"Alright, then. Have a nice day, ma'am."

Guess where the customer went next?

Ah well. At least I tried. Darwin would be only mildly disappointed.

[Rapscallion]

Ever get anyone claiming 'fair use' over this? Still doesn't cover it, but I wouldn't be surprised if an SC with a modicum of knowledge tried that one.

Rapscallion

[Linda]

Gosh, I hate hate hate it when people try to get copyrighted photos printed. You can guarantee some family tragedy has prompted the need for another copy of the photo, and you get your ear talked off while they are (unsuccessfully) trying to persuade you to do it. It's never, ever because they are too cheap to buy one further copy for great aunt Mabel. This time of year is the worst, as all the parents are bringing in school photos to be copied as Christmas presents for random relatives.

Having said that, I had a fantastic customer last week. She brought in a photo for me to copy - obviously professionally done, but before she handed me the photo, she showed me a signed authorisation from the photographer, along with a photocopy of the authorisation for my records. She can come back any time she likes.

[draftermatt]

I understand the whole copyright thing. But I'd just by a nice scanner and printer.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Actually I ran into a bit of a problem with that once...and I was the one who made the damn thing in the first place.

I was doing up some Character sheets for CarWars (the ones they had in the beginning sucked) and as part of the joke I put "Copyright Mongo Skruddgemire Industries, all rights ain't worth jack"

Yes I really put Mongo Skruddgemire on it

Kinko's wouldn't touch it with a 12 meter cattle prod. I spent a good 15 minutes explaining that for one I was Mongo (my business card for our online Role-Playing Game supply company had my real name, a picture of an ogre and the ogre's name of Mongo Skruddgemire) and that they REALLY need to read the full statement to see that it's a bullmerde joke line.

They finally got the hint and made me my 50 copies.

[friendofjimmyk]

"Well, ma'am, I'm sure the [competitor] down the street might not ask you if you had the copyright to this image, but copyright is an international law. Just because they don't ask doesn't mean that you're protected.".

And you know what would happen if they didn't ask and she did get in trouble, right?

SC: Well, THEY never TOLD me that it's copyrighted! It's not my fault, sue them!

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Don't even get me started on Copyright laws and the people who JUST.....DON'T....GET IT!

We had a steady stream of people come through the door trying to get their Olin Mills portraits, music CD's, books, etc. copied. Either get a release from the copyright holder or figure out how to do it on your own, you know? We don't particularly care to get sued...AGAIN...on your behalf!

Actually, my favorite copyright story happened in a film lab I worked at. There is a photographer in town we will call D. D is a raging, insufferable d#$ksmack. In fact, he's infamously so.

A job came through my darkroom with his stamp on the back. No release. So I called him. Conversation follows:

Me: Hi, D, got an order her for a copy negative and a print of your photos. I don't have an release. Name on the order is "Idiot." If it's okay we do this order, can you fax us over a release, please?

D: Damn it, why do I have to hassle around with this! I gave Idiot permission! Just print the damn thing!

Me: Uh, D? I didn't print it because there's a stamp on the back FROM YOU saying not to. I am respecting your copyright. If I didn't, you'd get mad about that.

D: Look, I don't have time for this shit! Print the order!

Me: Tell you what. You send me a release and I'll do it as soon as I have it, okay? (click.)

What an unbelievable walking rectum. I could have just printed it for him, but after that little display, no favors from me. If I could have made him eat worms, I would have. Pig!

[DesignFox]

sorry- long response...

I worked in retail photography and nothing would piss me off like a customer telling me they didn't want to purchase any photos because they'd "take my free one and just copy it".

I didn't just work my ass off taking gorgeous pictures of your little brat for you to throw it in my face that you aren't going to pay me anything!!!

And no, these people never asked for releases (or even realized that they were breaking the law by copying). The odd customer who realized that walmart, etc. wouldn't print photos without a release would try to scam me into giving them one.

Hell no! you only got a release in extroadinary circumstances or if you wanted something that our store did not make. period.

I apologize, but nothing, nothing, nothing annoys me more as a photographer than having someone steal my work. (or the work of the studio I worked for).

And yes, Walmart especially is a bitch about copy right law. I had photos that I took MYSELF that they refused to sell to me because they looked like they were professionally done. Uh...yeah they were...I took them!! I had to get a release from my college proving that I was the photographer before I could buy my own pictures!

[MystyGlyttyr]

Heh heh heh. I unfortunately get this one a lot from families bringing in photos of their deceased. What's goofy is how many of them seem to realize something they're doing is amiss because of their reactions.

Them: *hands over photo*
Me: *flips over photo to look at back*
Them: *freaking* "What are you doing?!"

Well, let me think. We're a newspaper with a circulation in the high 5-digit range over four states. Our photographers regularly win state awards and not infrequently win national awards. So there's plenty of amateur/business-owner photographers looking at our paper to see the work of our first-class, award-winning, nationally known photographers...you do the math.

[protege]

What's even better, are the idiots who send nasty emails to certain automotive sites because someone else posted a photo of their riced-out (and usually fugly!) rolling joke. Most of the time the car owner gets blasted...since last time I checked, the copyright went to the photographer and *not* the vehicle owner.

[Amalthea]

I'm sure you're all familiar with this quaint little concept that nobody's heard of called, "Copyright Law", yes?

Oh, everybody's heard of it. They just figure the owner of the copyright will never find out what they've done. So if no one knows, it's not REALLY stealing, right?

We get asked at least a few times a month if we have a copy machine. We are a bookstore. We are not in the business of letting you break copyright law, nor are we in the business of letting you have access to a way to get only the info you want out of our books and not buy them. So NO, we DON'T have a copy machine!

Speaking of getting the info they want and not paying for it... Had a lady customer who ordered in a $100 directory of lawyers. The moron co-worker who placed the order was in error, as the book is not returnable to the publishers and so shouldn't have been ordered. Then the lady called to find out if we were still holding it, and got me. She told me this long sob story about her brother dying and dealing with probate and needing to find a lawyer that works in two specific states and not being able to find this info online, so she ordered in this directory. Then she wants to know our return policy. See, she doesn't have time to come in and look at the directory to see if it's really what she wants. She only has time to run in, and wants the chance to look at it at home to make sure it's what she wants, and return it if it's not. I'll bet the $100 that book is worth that she is going to go home, copy out the info she needs, and then bring it back and say it's not what she needed. And since it's non-returnable, we can't send it back to the publisher for credit, so it'll be stuck on our shelf for several years (because who really buys a $100 directory on lawyers, anyway?) until it goes clearance and someone buys it for a dollar. I am severely at the co-worker who can't do her job and ordered this in...

[jb17kx]

Say that you have a no-return policy on specially-ordered items... You do any, don't you?