Use Of Pictures On Ebay

[Granatwerfer]

I have a question regarding some of the pictures I have posted on this forum being used on an Ebay auction for reference.

They are of the StuG III roof armour I restored last year. Does the seller have to have my permission to use them or are they open for anyone to use, as they are on a forum.

Regards

[rbminis]

I'm not sure, that's why I always put a little effort in and watermark mine before posting.
Ralph.

[tailor marc]

As a photographer i can tell you that they arnt allowed. You own that photograph and its classed as stealing to use it without permission. Getting them to delete it can be hard but a well worded hard message telling them that you will invoice them for using it or you will take it further and your lawyer will contact them usually solves the problem. I went through all this a week ago. Photo got deleted within 24 hours

[Granatwerfer]

Thanks for the replies guys, will let you know what happens.

[BOB COLEMAN]

Many of these on-line auction sellers don't care as they are crooks and frauds. A few years back, a guy in Germany posted one of my political brown shirts and kepi for sale as a SA shirt and kepi in a French on-line auction. Needless to say, he was a crook and I advised the auction site immediately and the sale was pulled.

[Granatwerfer]

I contacted the seller via his Ebay auction this morning, informing him the pictures were mine and that he was using them without my permission. I asked him to remove them or pay me a fee.

He replied this afternoon saying that he got the pictures via Google, he has apologized, cancelled the auction and removed the pictures. Matter closed as far as I am concerned.

In the future I will have to think about watermarking any pictures I post on forums, if I can figure out how to do it.

[Redcap]

Some good points there. Under international law, copyright is vested in the person who created the image (i.e. the photographer). No one can legitimately use an image you took without your permission - stopping them from doing so is a whole different matter though.

In our hobby it is even more confusing. If you own a rare item and take photos of it - you own the copyright in these photos. You later sell the item and no longer own it but still own the copyright to the images you took and can still use them without agreement of the new owner of the item.

You own a rare wartime photograph. Great but unless you were there in WW2 and actually took the photo, you don't own the copyright in it, just own the print in your possession. If you post that image there is nothing to stop someone else making their own copy and using it.

So, either way, whether an old photo or a photo you took if your photo has value and you want to make sure no one else uses it for their own benefit, it should always be watermarked.

[colinc]

very interesting thread,i think the best answer is the watermark,but some great points raised ,thanks everyone enjoyed the thread

[MAP]

Watermarking is easy to do. Lots of free (cost and virus) software out there.