I smell a fraud.....

[RavenJelly]

It would seem that Gothic Girls very own Lil_Kit_Kat_Girl has been a very naughty girl.

My dear friend VAMPRESS (http://www.vampress.net) (<--click that link) is not one to f*ck with. And our dear Kristy took it upon herself to STEAL Vampy's photographs and use them for herself. Not only claiming to BE the person in the photographs, but did you know that Kristy is a Model as well?

Yes, Kristy's MY SPACE (http://www.myspace.com/bleedingheartsbaby6969) (<---click that link) page is just full of all kinds of fantasies.

A lil message to anyone who claims to be someone they're not-THINK BEFORE YOU ACT ON IT!! There's always someone who will find you ....



UPDATE: HER PAGE WAS FORWARDED TO TOM, THE OWNER OF MYSPACE AND IT HAS BEEN DELETED. THAT'LL TEACH YA NOT TO THIEVE OTHER PEOPLE'S HARD WORK!

[The_Dark_Poet]

Oooooh...I smell a lawsuit comming...and isn't this terms for banning here?

[zumzy]

hahaha should we refer to you as the GG ploice for now on?

[The_Dark_Poet]

Heh...only if I get to see her in a police uniform >_>

[RavenJelly]

No, it's just that Vampress has worked very hard to get where she's at. She is the model and spokesperson for several vampire related websites and the comments that were left on her photos should go to her.

she just messaged me...she sent the information to Tom at myspace. Kristy's page will be removed.

It just pisses me off that people like her, and myself for that matter work hard and others just feel that they can rip it off and then put a persona to the image that is nothing like who we are.

I know the internet is full of bullshitters, but don't associate my name or anyone elses to it, ya know what I mean?

I look out for my friends....

[zumzy]

TDP keep wishing ;)

Chelle I know how you feel. I was chatting with a girl not too long ago on myspace and she add one of your pics and pretended it was you. Just pissed me off.

[RavenJelly]

WHAT?????? you're trying to get at me aren't you??

[zumzy]

hahahaha no I ain't (damn I'm sounding more and more like an American). I told you when I noticed it and you told me you sent her an email or something. Anyway, I just checked her out and it seems she deleted her profile and created a new on with her real picture. Do a member name search for Abigor.

Damn it's late!!!!

[RavenJelly]

yeah, I think Iremember that.....damned people.

[Loosifah]

It's the net. Despite all the copyright issues, it is all in the public domain. And people will be people. I see my stuff all over the place, with no permission given by me, nor in any way associated with me. I've seen my photo's used by other people, claiming them as their own. I couldn't really care less. I know the truth, people that know me know the truth, that's good enough for me.

I've seen recipes I worked extremely hard to devise on a million and one recipe sites. Do I care? Not one bit. Do I copyright them? Of course I do. Do I press lawsuits? Of course not. I already make enough money from them, why do I need to make more?

If someone wants to use my identity, images or whatever as their own, well, I'm flattered.

[Rose]

I both agree and disagree with you, Matt.

I've never had anyone steal my pictures (as far as I know; but why should they?) but people HAVE been stealing my POEMS.. And I react very strong to that. My poems are my emotions, my thoughts, my state of mind, concentrated into words, verses and rhymes. I repeat: MINE.

I hope Vampy sues her ass off. She deserves it.

I must say that I am ashamed not to have noticed it myself... Being a member of vampress.net, staring in awe at he rpictures many times, and then going into Kristy' myspace site with a feeling that I'd seen those pictures before, but not being sure where. Im shamed of myself.

[RavenJelly]

Matt,

Where as it is the internet and people will be people-a law is a law nonetheless. Copyrighted material that is not only used wrongly but also ALTERED is against the law-no matter where it's located.

When someone works hard on something and then someone else is using it and getting credit for it, that is bullshit and unfair to the person who put so much of themselves into the original creation. Perhaps you don't care...perhaps you won't care until someone else is making millions off of your work.

There was a girl in Germany using my photos and making money off of them. Guess what? I filed a suit w/ the host of her webpage. Not only did they shut the entire site down, but they offered me a settlement. I am not getting anything from this girl using my pix to make money so why should I just sit back and allow it to happen.


Granted, Kristy wasn't making any money off of Vamp's pix but she was alluding people into believing that the girl in the photos was her which is just wrong in every sense of the word.

I use photos but always get permission (unless it's already stated on the site that they're free for the using). I never link directly from another site, I respect their bandwidth and upload it into my computer. It's just common courtesy to others.

[Loosifah]

People already make a great deal of money out of my hard work. My recipes, which may seem trivial to most "It's only food, who cares", are my babies. Little do people realise just how much effort goes into it. I've spent my entire adult life (and half of my teenage life) perfecting my craft. It's not as easy as 'this goes with that, chuck a bit of that in and Robert's your Father's brother'. I see flavor the same way a painter sees his palette, and like the painter creates masterpieces out of a few blobs of paint and a few camel hairs stuck together, I create masterpieces out of a few veggies, a chunk of meat and some herbs and spices. And love. The secret ingredient is love. Marge Simpson was spot on correct about that. The same way you can 'hear' a smile on the telephone, you can 'taste' love in food. It elevates a good chef into a great one.

My heart and my soul goes into my culiniary creations, as well as a lot of blood (quite literally, cook's knives are sharp), sweat and tears. As a chef, I first and foremost consider myself an artist. I am not boasting, but I am an extremely good chef. I know this because I have chef's from all over the world, great in their own right, coming all the way here just to learn one recipe from me. You might be suprised at the amounts of money they offer me, just to learn a sauce, a new way of carving fruit, a spice blend. I have had one chef from France, considered a genius at his craft, literally on his knees begging me for a sauce recipe. That sauce took me six years of making it nearly every day just to get right. I take what I do that seriously, and am good enough to be able to take it that seriously. I gave it to him freely, and without rancour, simply because while I was not gaining anything from it, nor was I losing anything. (I wouldn't recommend making it at home, it takes seven hours to cook.)

Why I don't care if people rip my effort off is because I lose nothing from it. I've had apprentices 'planted' in my kitchen, there simply to steal my secrets, paid well by rival restaurants, not just in my own country, but from all over the weird wide world we live in. I've seen restaurants base their entire menus from recipes stolen from me. I see my recipes on websites, stolen from me and sold to webmasters. And posted under someone elses name, I get no recognition at all for my efforts. Yes, they make money from it, it some cases a great deal of money, and sure, all my work is copyrighted, and I am well within my legal bounds to sue their asses off. But I don't. Yes, they gain, but at the same time I am not losing anything. I find litigation for the reason of 'they stole my intellectual property' to be pointless, petty and a total waste of legal resources.

*sigh*

I suppose we just see the P's and Q's of this from opposite sides of the spectrum.

The question, I would guess, is while they are making something from your work, what are you personally losing from it?

[RavenJelly]

What I am personally losing from it is the credit that I deserve. All of my photographs are mine. I take them, I edit them, I model for them (when it's a picture of myself). I deserve at least the credit. It's not that I mind people using them, in fact, I find it flattering. But if they're making a profit off of my work....at least give me credit. This girl didn't. She edited out the copyright mark and claimed them as HER work. That pisses me off,a s I am sure it would any one else who put alot of work into something.

If I found one of your recipes and thought it was fantastic and made it for guests, and they loved it equally...I would take credit for making it. But I wouldn't take credit for the idea. That would be given to you...as you were the creator of said meal. I guess my idea of giving respect to those who deserve it, is different from others ideas. That's just me. You deserve the credit for your work...honestly, Matt.

I think it's great that you are that good that others want to mimmick what you've done. But honestly...if I was familiar with your recipes and I saw someone's website that used your recipes and THEY were taking the credit...I would call them out as well. Trust!

It's the same with my oils. That's one thing that is protected. I make oils, I sell them on line. I do not put any of the ingredients on my labels..I merely state that they're made from all natural products. I have had people actually e-mail me and ask me "how'd you make that?" AS IF!! LOL That's my secret-you figure it out!!


Think of it this way...let's say you work for General Motors as an egnineer and you come up with an invention that could make a world of difference for that company. And let's say someone stole your idea and turned it into General Motors and they decided to use it. And let's just say this guy made millions off of "his" invention....when he knew damned well that it was originally designed and invented by you. THAT wouldn't piss you off just a little?

I guess that's what I am getting at.

[adogcalledbleep]

We;ve had problems in the shop with folk nicking our pics and ripping off our adds word for word....I'm not sure about othe rpics i do. I don't care about my art and i don't think anyone would use my ugly mug for an id :D But it does piss you off when your hard work is being ripped by people with very little imagination or the ability to try and do things for themselves......

[TheFakeBarbie]

You two sure are some badasses

It sure makes you feel hardcore when you post random ignorant sh*t on a website so you and your buddies can giggle about how the people react to your ridiculous behavior, on behalf of your low self-esteems. Because we are all fat, ugly losers who can't get laid if someone paid them a million dollars? Hah, not me.

[RavenJelly]

I don't know who you're refering to, but I sure as hell hope it's not me. I did not say anyone was ugly or fat. I stood up for a friend of mine. Come to find out, Kristy was using Vampress' photos for three years! Now, you tell me who has the low self esteem here?

[The_Dark_Poet]

Chelle, it was to the posts that I deleted. Morons just posting random shìt to interupt conversation.

[Rose]

Anyone here remember Brandy/ Useful-Idiot? People keep ripping her pictures all the time (no wonder, she looks amazing).

But now I've learnt her to put a copyright on them, lol... So that it's hard to rip... It's the only way, really, if you're gonna protect yourself against others stealing your pictures. It's a shame that you gotta put text all over a beautiful picture... But that's modern life for ya.

[RavenJelly]

Unfortunately, even putting copyrights on images posted on the internet can be stolen. All someone needs is photoshop and they can totally erase the copyright. However, if you are the owner of the original photograph and have the time or money to persue it, then you could really make someone's life miserable.

In my case, I was able to provide the website with the original photos...it was proof enough for them to tear that bitches site down.

[Anagaharad]

In my case, I was able to provide the website with the original photos...it was proof enough for them to tear that bitches site down.

I just love stories with happy endings. Too bad they dont happen more often in real life.

[vampedcornchild]

how Pathetic... ripping off pics, if you can't take/be-in-one that good your self, don't get all stupid and take someone else's... morons, someone, somewhere, at sometime, will notice and when they do... DEEP ****, ruins your rep.

~Anna

[adogcalledbleep]

It is possible to water mark stuff with photoshop so that no one can erase it without completely destroying the picture.

Add your copyright text and blend the layers. You can then blend a layer of text behind your original picture. You can then play about with opacity options and get an almost transparent piece of text behind your photo. You do lose a bit of quality but it's well worth it if you want to keep your pictures copyrighted as writing your name in the corner isn't always enough…..

[Rose]

As I suggested ot brandy; do the text partially over your face (or other important partof the picture) and lower the opacity of the text. I also know it is possible to make a watermark that is COMPLETELY invisble at first... but if you mark the picture, you'll see it.

[Jes[sic]ka]

I know this thread hasn't been added to in over a month, but I've got a related question:

I've got most of my professional photos on Fotki, which allows copyrighting...but even still I have found a couple of other sites stealing and using my very own photos -- even claiming that they were taken in a totally different spot than they really were (frustrates the hell outta me, but anyway...)!

I have noticed, though, on a few different sites around the internet that if you "right-click" on a picture (don't worry, I found this only by accident -- I'm no thief), a little warning box will appear telling you that the picture is copyrighted and cannot be directly linked, stolen, etc., making it nearly impossible to steal the picture (unless you go through the trouble of taking a screenshot and all that nonsense). Does anyone know how to do this? I would really appreciate it if I could find out so that my artwork can't be ripped off anymore. I'm not currently making any money off of them, but hope to someday in the future. I'm afraid I won't make any if a buyer has seen it somewhere else before, y'know?

Anyway, thanks for reading.

[Loosifah]

I have no idea how to get around the 'right click' issue. I do however know how to get around sites that have enforced a 'no right-click' thing. Yes yes, I'll admit it, I am a leech. However, I am more than happy for people to leech off me, whether it is stuff I have downloaded, or stuff I have created myself.

[zumzy]

The only thing I could suggest is to add a watermark on each of your Photos. I have not done it in years but I'm sure I could figure it out pretty fast.
Do you have Photoshop? If not, I suggest you get Limewire pro thru a torrent site then download photoshop in Limewire.
Let us know if you need help with Photoshop. There are many people here (including me) that are very confortable with the software if you are not.

[Jes[sic]ka]

Thank you so much for the advice, but sadly, my computer has a hard enough time running MSPaint! (exaggerating, but only slightly) It's an absolute piece of crapola. So I don't think it'd be happy if I downloaded anything huge like the entire Photoshop software. :(

However, when I do finally have the dough to get myself a new one, I will most certainly download the program (I didn't even know you could D/L it over LimeWire!! Good to know!). Until then, I suppose I should just keep my photos to myself for the time being, eh? :)

Thank you again, though!

[Keolldee]

try not to steal the program would ya?

[The_Dark_Poet]

Heh....I'm pretty sure that Kristy is going by the name "Jessica" and telling people that I gave her STD's. Bloody stupid whore

[Sweet-Darkness]

Hahahahh!I love the smell of punishment. May you take care of all fakes

[ep0ch]

Watermarking a copyright doesn't stop a thief

i've removed them for practice (though i never saved any removals coz that'd be just wrong)

photoshop has a whole slew of image touch up/manipulation tools, and all you need is a steady hand and free time

...just thought i'd put that out there...rawr be afraid

[DefyingDementia]

Now ya did it... little did you know this is one of her pet peeves lil kit kat girl. I would duck and cover if I were you.

[BeautifulSin69]

::Wonders if she should do the cousinly thing...:: Alright, your dear lil kat girl as you like to call her is my cousin. I did know about her photo thieving (After she did it dears, not while) I may as well help set this record straight. After we found out about Kristy photo thieving. We learned why. She was "obsessed" with a guy named Christian. At the time which this was what last year sometime when she was caught? She was 18. Still a kid basically. So her mother took it upon herself for Kristy to get psychological help. We later found out later Kristy has problems basing real life from fiction. I love my cousin dearly, I do even though we only met when we was young well I was 18 and she was 15. Burn me for being her cousin if you want. However she is my blood, and I love her. If I was here in this forum when this happened, or whenever this was posted. I would have token up for her then as I am now. I am not saying what she did was right, but I am also not saying punish a girl for liking a guy and trying to impress him. Now if you think I am wrong for that by all means try banishing me for it. However, this wasn't need it mainly when no one was there protecting her from it, but I am damn sure not going to sit by and read this knowing it was my cousin you all was consorting about.. I know this was posted along time ago. So before some smartass comes in and says look at the date on this. I already know. Think of it this way. If you had family who did this? Would you understand there situation as I do my cousins? We all thought she was wrong for it, but she is harmless. So before this thread is used again for purposes of mocking her for her doings…realize I am her cousin and I am in this forum. I will defend her weather I like it or not.

[Dark Dude]

Ok I know what. she did was right but. Even I did that once(read what cherish said obove my post). yeah I had a time where I had a fact and fiction storys of my own. First before you guys start being ASSWHOLES about evreything you should. Be alittle more carefull you could hurt somone real bad. There are times where if I just walked away from people who needed me they would have no one to go to. And they would die. No matter what though I stay with them they can yell, at me and try to do any thing they can. But I still stick by my friends. So why be all idiots about someone who liked a guy. when will people stop thinking about there selves. When will you reach out your hand and help them. Mabey things could hav gone diffrent if you explained things and asked nice questions. I don't know what to say any more. you guys are hard to talk to. cause you won't listen. Think about what could of happened. And what you coud hav done.

[The_Dark_Poet]

Why can't you people just let this thread die already?

This happened a while ago, it's over and done with. End of story.

[Rose]

Christian, maybe if you close it, then it would die...

[The_Dark_Poet]

Bleh....maybe I will