A photographer’s Grinch-themed Christmas photoshoots have been going viral this week, making appearances on news outlets such as People and the Today Show. However, things have since taken a sour turn after the photographer received an email from Dr. Seuss Enterprises threatening legal action for using their character for commercial gain.
A ray of hope for the future for those who record public events and news materials, as "federal appeals court has rejected a qualified immunity claim by a Dallas transit cop, who arrested a freelance photographer for criminal trespass in 2016 because he was taking pictures at a train station."
A couple who quit their jobs to go travel blogging have had their dream trip descend into a nightmare, after being detained in an Iranian jail. They are now facing up to ten years in prison after they flew a drone in Tehran without the correct license, but claim to have been unaware of the country’s strict drone operating policies.
A huge new lawsuit has been lodged against a number of the world’s biggest social media sites, including Facebook and Reddit, by a newsreader in Philadelphia. It was filed after she spotted a security camera photo of herself being used for dating and erectile dysfunction adverts on the platforms.
Last month, model Gigi Hadid found herself part of a lawsuit in which she claimed her use of a paparazzi image was fair as she “contributed to it by smiling.” It seemed ridiculous and as if she didn’t have a chance, but her legal team have managed to swing the trial in her favor, getting the case dismissed. Here’s how they did it.
A photographer has landed himself in legal trouble after using a photo from free licensing site Unsplash. He was hit with a copyright infringement notice, demanding a fee. Upon trying to find the image again on Unsplash, he discovered it had been removed from the site.
The app swings into virality every now and again, but do people know what they’re signing up for?
A photographer locked in a legal battle against the Andy Warhol estate has lost her legal battle. After only recently finding out Warhol had “repurposed” her photo of Prince back in 1984, the photographer tried to take action but was denied after Warhol’s works were deemed to be in “stark contrast” to the original photograph.
Amateur photographer James Wheeler was looking through Shutterstock, one of the world’s largest stock photo sites, when its “similar images” algorithm began suggesting his own photos to him. It was then he realized his work had been stolen and uploaded by fraudsters.
In an all too common occurrence, another photographer has been arrested for filming in a public place, catching the sad event on film. These cases are contentious, and spark vigorous debate. I'm often outraged, but the outrage is tapered when the photographer is being extremely animated and loud about their rights.
A groundbreaking court ruling has been overturned in Texas, and the ramifications could affect thousands of Texas creatives and their copyrighted property.
Anyone intending to apply for a US visa will now face the additional step of surrendering their social media handles, after it was announced the State Department will require such information before agreeing to proceed.
On May 25, a Miami photographer was handcuffed and had his equipment seized when he attempted to take photos of an accident scene.
A conclusion has been reached in what is described as a “landmark California case,” where a photographer sued numerous media outlets for embedding his photo of Tom Brady within news articles. The photographer originally posted the picture on Snapchat, from where it was then posted by internet users on Twitter, the posts of which the media used as their embeds.
If you spend enough time in this field, your images are going to be stolen at some point, quite possibly on Instagram. What do you do at that point? This video follows a photographer as he discusses a recent case of his own.
An LA-based photo agency has apologized and agreed to pay “substantial” damages to Prince Harry after they flew a helicopter over his home, taking images of his living room and bedroom.
Ariana Grande may be everywhere at the moment, but that hasn’t stopped the chart-topper becoming the latest in an ever-expanding line of celebrities to face copyright laws. She is now being sued after posting paparazzi photos of herself to her Instagram page, so we ask, should photographers be paid for their usage of such images on Instagram?
Adobe’s recent decision to scrap its smaller price plans for Creative Cloud angered many of its loyal customers. The company then discontinued older versions of its applications and restricted the software available for download. Now, to make matters worse, customers using older versions are being warned they may face legal action.
A little over a week ago, Adobe announced:
Late last year, Jennifer Lopez found herself embroiled in a $150,000 lawsuit. After initially calling for the case to be dismissed, she has in the last few days had a change of heart, agreeing to settle with the photographer.
As per The Blast, court documents show the pair reached a settlement in principle, and the case is being dismissed as per their joint request.
Last year, a federal court in Virginia caused an outcry amongst the photography community after ruling it “fair use” for an image to be used for commercial purposes without permission from its’ photographer. However, the controversial decision has now been reversed by an appeals court.
In a Facebook Newsroom post, the company announced that both Facebook and Instagram have filed a lawsuit against a company and related individuals for selling "fake engagement services to Instagram users." The lawsuit is an escalation in the ongoing battle against fake followers and likes.
It isn't fearmongering to say that one mistake, and not even necessarily your own, can bankrupt your photography business if you're uninsured. So Fstoppers have teamed up with Insurance Canopy who have created Full Frame Photography Insurance to go over the issue and offer some insight.
Musician Justin Bieber is facing a lawsuit filed by a photographer he accidentally hit with his truck in 2017. The paparazzo had been trying to take pictures of Bieber leaving Church and, despite first defending the singer, now says he suffers with “permanent disability.”
Visual China Group, the company who acquired 500px a little over a year ago, has been criticized online after appearing to license and claim copyright to the first-ever black hole picture that’s been circulating the internet over the past week.
In an interesting copyright dispute, Mercedes is asking a judge to rule in its favor after four artists sued the car giant for including their graffiti murals in Instagram posts of the latest Mercedes SUV.
The makers of photo editing app VSCO are suing their “direct competitor” PicsArt for allegedly thieving photo filters. PicsArt employees are accused of making VSCO accounts with “obvious email address” in order to examine and copy filters.
Getty has found itself in hot water after a class action naming the licensing giant has been brought about. The lawsuit alleges they have been licensing images that are already freely available to the public, as well as using “deceptive techniques” to convince potential buyers that Getty holds the image rights.
Visitors to the newly-opened Hudson Yards, which is the largest private real estate development in the US, features a giant structure called Vessel. The 16-storey building is open to the public – but by visiting, you agree to hand over the copyright of any photos taken while there, and in doing so permit the company to use the images royalty-free worldwide.
An Arizona police officer has come under fire after he threatened to arrest a young journalist after telling her: "I don’t want to hear about any of that freedom of the press stuff."
Two Denver police officers have been disciplined after an investigation into an incident during which they handcuffed a journalist who was filming an arrest from a sidewalk.
Google stands to look drastically different if a new copyright law that has just been passed comes into full effect. Throughout Europe, companies like Google could be faced with the prospect of paying a licensing fee to use images for thumbnails, something that has always previously been legal.
A photographer based between LA and NYC has fallen victim to an “international travel scam” on a huge scale, which saw her end up in Indonesia and down thousands of dollars, in what she believes may have been part of a larger kidnapping plot.
In 2015, Florida passed the Freedom From Unwanted Surveillance Act, which forbids police from using drones to surveil citizens. Miami Beach police seem to think they've come up with a way around that.
What started as a simple copyright dispute between MetalBlast writer, photographer and full-time attorney J Salmeron has quickly escalated to Thunderball Clothing owner Marta Gabriel announcing the company will be shutting down due to the immense amount of hate comments received.
You may have seen an article floating around online about the metal band Arch Enemy banning photographer and full-time attorney, J Salmeron, from photographing their future shows after sending a takedown notice to an indie clothing company for using his image on social media. Since publishing our article (See: Photographer Gets Banned From Shooting Artist’s Show After Requesting Payment fo
Dutch photographer, YouTuber, and full-time attorney J Salmeron of Metal Blast took to the platform to explain how he was banned from photographing future Arch Enemy live shows as a result of requesting payment after a band’s sponsor used one of his images to promote their clothing.
One photographer has learned about royalty-free licensing the hard way. After failing to read the terms and conditions when uploading to Shutterstock, he found his image was used on over 500,000 units of merchandise being sold at Walmart stores. He received $1.88.
One of the first things I learned early on after becoming a full-time photographer is the importance of establishing a diversity of revenue streams.
A British student will be put on trial in Egypt for spying after he took an image with his phone from a plane he was flying on.
It’s one of the most photographed and recognizable monuments in modern history. But did you know it’s actually illegal to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower at night?
By way of copyright law in the European Union (EU), any artistic work, be it a photo, painting, song, or even building, is protected “for the lifetime of its creator, plus 70 years.”
Are you taking full advantage of every single tax break you can get in your photography business? This upcoming tax season, follow these tips to make sure you keep as much of those hard-earned dollars as you can.
Vantage Robotics’ small, 4K-capable Snap drone has some unique safety features that enable it to earn what will be the first certification of its kind from the FAA to fly over crowds of people for both emergency and non-emergency purposes.
We live in a time when photography becomes more and more commonplace but appreciation of the commercial value of photography is uncommon. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that copyright lawsuits from photographers are increasing.
A videographer is taking legal action against Adobe, as he claims their Premiere Pro software deleted files — including both original and edited photos and videos — from his hard drive.
Running a business always entails risk, and photography businesses are no exception. Let's explore the various financial challenges we face and ways we can protect ourselves and our livelihood.
Being a brand ambassador can come with some nice perks (such as free gear), but of course, you're bound to use the gear from the company you represent. One brand ambassador for Samsung violated that, and now, the company is suing her for a seven-figure amount.
It's a situation every street photographer (and some others) will encounter at some point: you'll take a picture of someone, they'll see you do it, and they'll ask (or demand) that you delete it. Would you delete the picture?
From sketch renderings to video surveillance, law enforcement uses many techniques to piece together clues for crime-solving. Details and memory often fail us, but there's one medium that never forgets - photography.
On October 5, President Trump signed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, funding the Federal Aviation Administration through 2023. The law includes several new measures that could affect drone pilots in the U.S.
Critics are unhappy with a new bill that has just been passed, allowing authorities to shoot down private drones. It allows the government to destroy any drone that is considered a “credible threat,” and many believe the move is “dangerous” and “doesn’t include enough safeguards.”