Re: copyright update

[George Pearl <alps007@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi-ya Fred,

   I noted that you really "Think" that the PPof A lawyers will be willing to do something for you on your little copy right issue...I'm laughing so hard that I almost fell over in my chair! You're in Las Vegas...want to wager a big bet?

     I had a copyright case several years ago that could affect any professional photographer member of the PP of A. I went to the PP of A lawyers for help, and their lawyers did nothing but tell me that I should fight it myself because they thought I would Loose! I took their advice, won the case, and made new law. I spent about $10,000 all in all out of my pocket + all of those PP of A dues for years and years. The judge made the Defense Attorney pay me $2,500.00 and that was it! The PP of A wouldn't even publish the information about the winning case of copyright and new law for copyright in their magizine so that all the members would know about it. Want to know why? Because their lawyers didn't pull it off...they stood by...did nothing except tell me that I would loose, and let their paid up member do all the work and court battle. No glory for them today...ho-hum...no reason to publish anything.

    The issue I had at hand was serious, and could happen to any one of us at any time Fred just like you had your picture stolen from you. The only thing is, if I hadn't fought the battle guess who would be the thieves of your work? LAWYERS! That's right! LAWYERS. I will explain...

    Let's say you take wedding pictures, a panorama of the new bridge being built, some aerials of the new stadium or whatever. Now, lets say that the newly weds happen to get into a terrible car wreak, the bridge falls down, and the stadium blows up. The law suits start flying, and the men with the briefcases start looking for pictures to help them win their case. "Wow!", says the lawyer..."isn't it lucky for ME and my case that you have taken all of those panorama pictures showing the construction of the bay bridge!...Now just hand over all of your negatives to me so that I may take them to the one hour lab and get everything I need printed for 55 cents a print." (Of course, you receive nothing for your images...even if they help legal man to win millions of dollars. More than not, they will loose the negatives and you won't ever get them back anyway.) " If you won't give me your negatives without a disagreement,  I'll just have to simply subpoena you and your negatives and force you to hand them over!" You don't think so? Think again!

   That is the case of copyright that I went to the PP of A for help with. They said GET LOST PEARL...so I did. I am no longer a member of the PP of A and I no longer pay hundreds of dollars to an organization whos lawyers won't  take a stand against their own ilk. You now have case law AGAINST the LAWYERS STEALING your work, and you can thank George Pearl for the battle, not the PP of A. I doubt you will have any luck Fred...I do wish you well with it. If you ever have a lawyer wanting your images / negatives  for his case without paying you for your work, just cite: Ross vs. Miller's Rexall Drugs, Inc., civil action # D-68840, in the Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia. I'll bet you that the lawyers will then pull out their wallets and start peeling out hundred dollar bills at you instead of subpoena papers! Since the new law has been in effect, many many photographers from all over the country have used it successfully to defend against thieft of copyrighted images by LAWYERS.

    So that's the story about copyright and the PP of A. If you want to take the time, you might get a form letter back Fred, but don't hold your breath.

   My best to Jean :-)

George S. Pearl, BCQDE, BCEP, FEPIC, QPP
ALPS - Evidence & Photo
2139 Liddell Drive, NE
Atlanta, GA 30324-4132
 
Tel: 404/872-2577
National: 1-800-USE-ALPS
Fax: 404/872-0548
Home: 404/634-1139
Cell: 404/771-9121
ALPS Website: "http://www.ALPSLABS.com"
Atlanta Panorama is a division of ALPS...
"http://www.AtlantaPanorama.com"

 

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----- Original Message -----

From: <VegasPan@xxxxxxx>

To: <panorama-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 7:32 PM

Subject: copyright update

> Just a short update on the copyright issue.
> 
> I had 
notified and spoke with parties at both Ebay.com and Amazon.com prior 
> 
to posting my message on the board. Ebay and Amazon immediately blocked the 
> seller but then he got back on, minus the image. A few more calls/email 
and 
> we are making progress. I am hopeful that for those of us who are 
> professional photographers will get some support from these companies. 
Should 
> the seller walk away with no consequence that is no help to us. 
If current 
> steps don't prove a success, I will contact PP of A, as 
members we have 
> access to attorneys for this type of situations. 
> 
> The main purpose for putting this subject out on the board is 
that I hadn't 
> heard much about copyright infringement on web, in 
general.
> 
> Fred Yake
>