LOL-that's all I have to say.

If all of us were so paranoid that somebody is out there copying our images. There wouldn't be any images in galleries, magazines or any other media outlet.

Thank you Matt, for telling us your side of the story. Sorry about the misunderstanding—and I didn't realize you were students (I couldn't help jumping to the conclusion that you were pros based on the work I've seen on your site). The photo was coincidentally so similar to mine, and you're so connected to Earthshots.org that I just expected that that was how it happened.

Thanks for visiting my website! :^)

It's good to actually hear your side, thanks for replying Matt. Hope you stick around and join in more discussions around here on NRF.

Hi,

I came across this thread after checking out some of the referrers to our blog. I just wanted to clarify that in no way did I try to imitate or copy your image. My brother does most of the selections for Earthshots.org and I can assure you that I didn’t even know about your photograph when I took mine. The image that I took was part of a short camera review and I just photographed some flowers that I had at home. If you look at the post you will see the dahlia is one of several flowers that I photographed in that style.

There are thousands of images on Earthshots that span a wide variety of subject matters, so it is inevitable that occasionally we will produce some similar images (or use similar techniques) in our own photography. In this context I found your comment about the star trails particularly amusing!

I just wanted to clarify another point – Will and I are not professional photographers. I am actually a student. We try to make enough money to cover our costs but our main aim is to produce original and creative images. We wouldn’t get very far if we just replicated what other people had done before us. By the way, I checked out your website and I was impressed by your images. You have a good eye for someone of your age. I hope to see more of your images on Earthshots in the future.

Kind regards,
Matt Burrard-Lucas

heartyfisher, that does it....I'm suing you for stealing my idea for your PAD post ;^)

Its hard to make content for a site.. so they get inspiration for new content from images posted on their site. I dont see anything wrong with that.. May even be good for the original posters as they can look at the comments and gain more from it as they have worked on a similar image and know more about the details and effort needed to create such an image. win win!

If it makes you sleep better at night, you are free to think that they copied your picture. Though I have a hard time believing it. ;)

monty11 said:
Sorry if this sounds rude, but at the moment it comes out as if you were claiming that you are the first person to capture a dhalia in that composition.

Well, that's not what I'm trying to say.

alphanikonrex said:
I suppose in this case they could have been influenced by another shot (or maybe they were actually creative), but my hunch is that they were influenced by mine.

In other words, I think they were influenced by my shot since it has so much to do with them.

^
Thank you, that's what i been trying to say.

I think that you are being a bit paranoid. I'm sure that a lot of people have taken a similar shot of the same type of flower with a similar composition.
I for one like the shot with the black background better, when it is viewed with a white border and bigger than posted here then it is a totally different photograph.

The only correct reaction in this case could be (unless you are Platon, Jan Saudek, etc): look they've got a photo similar to mine and I'm glad as it was done by a couple of skilled photographers. Sorry if this sounds rude, but at the moment it comes out as if you were claiming that you are the first person to capture a dhalia in that composition.

Gentoo said:
Poster you're nuts LOL!

I've never photographed a Cardinal LOL

Tell that to my lawyer Jackie Chiles.

Soon I will be rich muahhahaha

Poster you're nuts LOL!

I've never photographed a Cardinal LOL

alphanikonrex said:
I know you didn't, it's just everybody's talking about how I should sue them and all.

I wasn't serious when saying that.

Hey Gentoo while we are on the subject of suing and what not. I hereby call you out for photographing the same bird as I did. I was the "first" person to photograph a Red Cardinal flying, and the next day you dared to copy me by taking a picture of a Red Cardinal in flight as well.
It is clearly evident that you were copying my picture. I am going to sue you and all of the people on this forum are my witnesses to your crime of infringing on my creative juices and my art. You shall pay dearly for this treacherous act. My lawyer will call your lawyer soon.

=]

In the US, here's how copyright lasw work. Sense the US has agreements with many other countried, it covers a big part of the world.

http://www.pdimages.com/law/10.htm

I know you didn't, it's just everybody's talking about how I should sue them and all. But you're right there're a lot of identical shots out there.

I suppose in this case they could have been influenced by another shot (or maybe they were actually creative), but my hunch is that they were influenced by mine.

I didn't say you were copyrighting anything. I just said that unfortunately a similar pose can't be (usually) considered copying. How many car shots have you seen in magazines/tv that are all very similar models and angles? Just saying as an example

I'm not trying to copyright anything! I'm just surprised that a couple "pros" would create a photo so similar to mine.

I kinda agree with poster. You can't copyright a "pose" unfortunately :^(

You're right. So long as mine is better :^)

I am not pissed off, it's just there is a lot of people doing very similar type of composition. Doesn't mean that they are copying you or anybody else.

In any case you can feel better about the fact that people like your photo more.

Ok, ok, I'm sorry, I feel that I pissed you off.

It's just these people run the site where my photo was published.

Also, it's not the first time I see them "copying." Someone submitted a startrails photo, and pretty soon they started making them too.

Isn't Dahlia one of most common garden flowers?

Yes I think you are onto something here, they should have put the bulb on the left side of the flower to avoid raising suspicions. Those bastards. How dare they.

I must warn you, you mustn't run a search query for "dahlia flower" on flickr, there's tons more of copy cats.

No need to capitalize, I am not deaf nor blind.

Edit:

On other hand you should just sue them.

poster said:
So they included a little bulb in the composition, and that merits in your mind that they copied you. It's quite obvious that only composition is similar in the fact that the bulb is included.

Not true: They used the SAME TYPE OF FLOWER with ALMOST SAME COMPOSITION (Flower on left, bulb on right). Come on, isn't that obvious too?

poster said:
PS- I like your picture.

Thanks—yours is quite nice too :^)

So they included a little bulb in the composition, and that merits in your mind that they copied you. It's quite obvious that only composition is similar in the fact that the bulb is included.

In this case I am guilty of copying you too, don't sue me though.

PS- I like your picture.

alpha.....If they did....they got it wrong!!