# A photographer "friend" who copies?



## thephotochick (Jan 23, 2012)

One reason why I joined this website was to connect with other photographers in a positive way. It's therapy I've recommended for myself. (heh)

I had an old college friend who recently decided to become a photographer in my same area. At first I was really OK with it because I thought, hey, maybe we could share ideas, help each other out, even do some shoots together now and then. Fun! Well, it didn't turn out so fun. I have a really, really hard time handling seeing the ideas she's "borrowed" from me. (although my brain is screaming THIEF! THIEF!) I've been working so hard and it's tough to see something that took me weeks or months to figure out or plan or whatever just instantly pop up on her profile as if, oh, I just suddenly had this idea days after I saw it on your website.

I get plenty of ideas from other photographers, but I definitely don't just blatantly copy what someone else in my area is doing. (I'm from a rural area where there's only a couple photogs per town) I try to take a different approach so that we have different offerings and ideas to present to potential customers. I feel like that's a decent thing to do. But lately I feel like I'm writing a manual for this person to start their business with. It's stressful.

Maybe I'm a little too naive, though. Maybe all is fair in capitalism. 

I've left out all the *juicy* details because I'm trying to make this as unbiased an explanation as possible. Maybe some sane photographer opinions will help.

I'm really trying to just get over this. I don't want to think about it any more. I have urges to send her a message just laying it out for her - tell her how I'm feeling. I've got friends and family who ask me if they should pay her visit and tell her to cease and desist. haha. (I tell them no, of course) Should I just ignore as much as possible? What if she takes something obvious? Where do I draw the line and start saying or doing something about it? I hate drama, and this whole situation just sucks. Meh.


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## thephotochick (Jan 23, 2012)

She's one of the photographers a lot of people get angry about, by the way. She's got no experience, cheap camera, uses picnik to edit photos, calls herself professional, etc. Drives me insane.

Ahhh...

IGNORE. IGNORE. IGNORE.

lol. Ok, I'm shutting up about it.


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## Josh66 (Jan 23, 2012)

If you wanted to be mean, you could report her to the local tax authority.  

From the sound of it, she probably isn't paying taxes on her income.  (Not a good idea to do that if you are also not paying taxes.)


If she's as bad as you say she is, the customers will be able to tell too.  There isn't really anything you can do about it, except to take better pictures than her and let her have the customers that don't care about quality.


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## IgsEMT (Jan 23, 2012)

Don't despair. There's someone in my area who is very VERY similar. Although this person does a *VERY* good job replicating other photographers' work (ideas) and selling as genuine. ONE above sees it all and decisions we make have consequences (good and bad). Try to isolate your self from this person and do your own thing. Actually you should be honored that your ideas are being used  that means they are good 
Good Luck


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## MLeeK (Jan 23, 2012)

Imitation is the purest form of flattery.


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## mjhoward (Jan 23, 2012)

MLeeK said:


> Imitation is the purest form of flattery.



I just know there is a Made in China joke there somewhere...


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## Kerbouchard (Jan 23, 2012)

thephotochick said:


> She's one of the photographers a lot of people get angry about, by the way. She's got no experience, cheap camera, uses picnik to edit photos, calls herself professional, etc. Drives me insane.



If a person like that is so easily duplicating your photos, I would question your work, not hers.


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## Derrel (Jan 23, 2012)

I hope you're not married...it might be more than just "your ideas" she is "borrowing". But in all seriousness, I'm not sure what kind of "ideas" you have that have not already been done by other photographers. Babies and toddlers dressed up as potted plants? Ann Geddes. Kids inside of washtubs? Methuselah invented that one. A man and woman peeking at one another around the base of a tree? Done before, probably first around 1851. It has ALL BEEN BEEN DONE before. I mean--what do you mean, *your ideas*??? Poses? Poses cannot be owned. Neither can techniques...nobody owns defocused backdrops, short lighting,broad lighting, split lighting, selective color, anything...it...has..alllllllllllllllllllll...been...done..before...like say, Rembrandt lighting...geeze...when did that guy live?


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## Tony S (Jan 23, 2012)

Just ingnore her and provide a better product.


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## 2WheelPhoto (Jan 23, 2012)

Don't handle it how some might~


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## Dominantly (Jan 23, 2012)

I feel like the lighting is pretty flat, and the flash blast created an unappealing hot spot.


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## 2WheelPhoto (Jan 23, 2012)

Dominantly said:


> I feel like the lighting is pretty flat, and the flash blast created an unappealing hot spot.



Are you referring to that silly snap shot joke pic I posted?


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## Dominantly (Jan 23, 2012)

My bad


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## e.rose (Jan 24, 2012)

thephotochick said:


> uses picnik to edit photos,



Well then you won't have to worry about her much longer... her editing medium is disappearing soon!


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## e.rose (Jan 24, 2012)

2WheelPhoto said:


> Don't handle it how some might~



 :thumbup:


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## e.rose (Jan 24, 2012)

Photochick... in all honesty, Darrell has a point.

I understand how frustrating it is... I have a photographer friend in Nashville dealing with the same thing... but she's actually GOOD... and this girl that is "copying" her work is sub-par.  But it's the same thing... sure she might be the first in her immediate area to do such things, but someone else, somewhere is doing the same thing.

I agree with whomever said just try to separate yourself from her as much as possible and just produce better work.  Stay one step ahead.  People who care about quality will go to you and she can have the bottom feeders who will bleed her dry until she hates cameras.  

If they're ideas for upcoming shoots... stop posting them until you do them.

If she's copying existing shoots... then just let her always be one step behind.

Not much more you can do other than that.

I'm curious as to what you feel she is copying however... and after you let us know that, I'm also curious to see your work compared to what she's doing... if even by a PM.


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## rub (Jan 24, 2012)

Use her face as a platform to stepup and do things ever bigger and better.

I have the same issue in my town, with the person even going so far as contact clients on mine, who I had told her |I had booked for an upcoming shoot, and having her tell them to book with her instead.

I called her on it.  Phoned her up, and said hey - shoot what you like, advertise how you like, but dont ever contact my clients again.  I work my ass off to build a relationship with my clients and that was that pretty low.  She apologized, then asked if she could rent my studio for her to shoot boudoir in (she was trying to poach boudoir clients).  I just about kicked her in the neck.  With some restrain and a stiff whiskey, I decided to once again, step up my game.  She may steal away a few, but they will be back.. And if they aren't, I didnt want them anyways.


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## Kolander (Jan 24, 2012)

"Maybe I'm a little too naive, though. Maybe all is fair in capitalism" 

You are quite wrong, only in capitalism you'll have property rights


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## Kolander (Jan 24, 2012)

thephotochick said:


> ...the ideas *she*'s "borrowed" from me...


 


e.rose said:


> ...and this *girl *that is "copying" her work...


 


rub said:


> ...even going so far as contact clients on mine, who I had told *her *|I had booked...



:shock: :shock:


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## e.rose (Jan 24, 2012)

Kolander said:


> thephotochick said:
> 
> 
> > ...the ideas *she*'s "borrowed" from me...
> ...



I don't get it? :scratch:


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## bentcountershaft (Jan 24, 2012)

Women are evil?


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## tirediron (Jan 24, 2012)

bentcountershaft said:


> Women are evil?


When did that become a question?


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## tirediron (Jan 24, 2012)

e.rose said:


> ...I have a photographer friend in Nashville dealing with the same thing... but she's actually GOOD...


Really?  Is she?  Can she start a thread that will generate ten pages of responses and average 100+ smilies/page? 

Just askin'...


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## MReid (Jan 24, 2012)

Tony S said:


> Just ingnore her and provide a better product.



+1


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## KmH (Jan 24, 2012)

My first thought was - Ideas are not owned (copyrightable).



> U.S. Copyright Office - Copyright in General (FAQ)
> *What does copyright protect?
> *Copyright, a form of intellectual property law, protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture. Copyright does not protect facts, ideas, systems, or methods of operation, although it may protect the way these things are expressed. See Circular 1, _Copyright Basics_, section "What Works Are Protected."



You might also want to look at - Copyright Protection: Idea v. Expression | Photo Attorney


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## jake337 (Jan 24, 2012)

Kerbouchard said:


> thephotochick said:
> 
> 
> > She's one of the photographers a lot of people get angry about, by the way. She's got no experience, cheap camera, uses picnik to edit photos, calls herself professional, etc. Drives me insane.
> ...



What he said...


Step up and create images for your clients that she cannot replicate.  Once she can, hire her, and use her as your workhorse!


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## e.rose (Jan 24, 2012)

bentcountershaft said:


> Women are evil?



  OH... right.  :lmao:



tirediron said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> > ...I have a photographer friend in Nashville dealing with the same thing... but she's actually GOOD...
> ...



She is. 

She was our wedding photographer... her wedding pricing starts at $3,000.. she's been in business (successfully and LEGITAMATELY) for years... is currently starting up a new brand... and no, I doubt she'd start a 10 page thread complaining about it, because she's far too busy with clients and taking care of her 2, extremely energetic children.  

I'm sure plenty of people would find fault with her work, but *I* like it.  We can't *all* be TPF style shooters.  

My only regret is that I'm not in fuggin' Nashville right now (I don't wanna hear it, you who knows who he is... there's more than just me in the picture here, I can't just pick up and go. :greenpbl: ), because with her new brand starting up, she keeps telling me that she'd have a job for me if I was there.  :banghead:

But, on the bright side, I DO get to second shoot a wedding with her in March RIGHT after I get off the bus after being on a torturous tour for a month.  The timing just worked out!  Go on a tour I hate... come back to home base in Nashville... second shoot a wedding 3 days later... fly back home to PA and sulk for a week about not living in Nashville before picking myself back up and continuing with my efforts here.


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## e.rose (Jan 24, 2012)

Oh... and to clarify... my statement of "and she's actually GOOD" was in no way to imply that the OP is NOT good.  I can't say that.  I've never seen her work.  

I was pulling an all-nighter again last night (like that's a surprise) and my brain stopped functioning somewhere around 9pm, so anything I type after that happens tends not to be clear.... or just plain doesn't make sense either.

And considering my DAMN CAT wouldn't let me SLEEP again today... I have a feeling that's how all of today is going to go.

I'm already having to think REALLY hard about each letter I'm typing, and that's unusual for me.

I'll probably be brain dead in a few hours.

It was nice knowing all of you.

:hug:: :heart:


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## thephotochick (Mar 27, 2012)

update - i just let it go. not worth putting so much thought into. perhaps i was just losing my mind due to all the business stresses. and yeah, i thought about reporting her for not paying taxes. lol. fleeting thought.  now i just chuckle about it. why does she want to imitate ME?! insanity. i'm barely making money right now. i'm a noob. why not imitate someone who's already got it going on? lulz.


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## Bitter Jeweler (Mar 27, 2012)

Thanks  for the update!


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## thephotochick (Mar 27, 2012)

and... also to clarify... i wasnt talking about photography, poses, etc. when i said she was imitating. i meant business stuff. because after 10 years in i'm finally focusing on the business end of the deal. i think i would have been less upset - or probably not even bothered one bit - if she copied poses or whatever.


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