Thread: Unauthorized use of personal image

Hi!

In our town, we have had a restaurant owner open a psuedo ME restaurant. I just saw that he has a website, www.thealaddins.com

He uses 2 images of dancers very prominently who I know do not live in this area. I *think* the main pic on his homepage is Jes of Akai Silks, the other I do not recognize.

I just thought I would give you guys a heads up. If he has contacted you and asked for permission to use your images, then please disregard this post.

That looks like Sarah Skinner to me - not Jes.

The site doesn't open for me. If it's Sarah Skinner, though, you should definitely contact her and let her know.

That looks like Sarah Skinner to me too - she's on Bhuz, isn't she - you could find her in the members list and email her.
D

That's Sarah from a poster created by Neon www.bellydanceposters.com
I'll email them both...
Thanks for finding this!

Yep, that's Sarah. I also recognize the picture of the dancer in the gold costume on the main page, at the top. I feel like I just saw that pic on bhuz or something? Anyone else recognize it?

Sarah has her pictures stolen so much. It's the downside of doing something so well...lame. I liked the website, too! But stealing?

And I'm sure that the dancer in gold will be THRILLED to see she's dancing on what appears to be the surf and turf plate. *snerk*

Well, that's just plain odd. The site says that they have nightly belly dancing. I wonder why they just didn't use pictures of the featured dancers? Surely they have photos just as fantastic as the dancers they swiped the pictures from? And if not, they could find a photographer who can do it.

Originally Posted by CamilleMalaena

Well, that's just plain odd. The site says that they have nightly belly dancing. I wonder why they just didn't use pictures of the featured dancers? Surely they have photos just as fantastic as the dancers they swiped the pictures from? And if not, they could find a photographer who can do it.

It's hard to get good performance photos, you really do need a professional protographer. I'm willing to bet that the dancers there might not yet have made the investment in getting good photos and that the restaurant owners are not willing to pay any extra money to get any done. So they swipe.

You guys are the best watch dogs ever!!!!!!!!!!! you rock!

I called the place and asked if I was dancing there next week :)

talked to the owner- he told me that the website company put those photos on there and he just assumed they were appropriately aquired and very nicely gave me their number. As we talked he asked if I was in town and if I would like to dance there.

Interesting:
I had a conversation the other week with a writer who was complaining about not getting paid enough, and in the same conversation, wanted to steal photos for his article. When I protested he said: "they [the photographers] should just be happy I am using their work".... (this person did not realize at the time that I was a photographer) It is so strange how people demand to be paid for their time, yet turn around and feel ok about not paying for other peoples time and cash outlay... sigh... wouldnt it be nice if everything was free?

I look forward to calling the webdesign company on monday- I wonder if they will offer to hire me too :)

The guy that owns that restaurant is really a sleaze and it doesn't surprise me that he stole those images. I have a feeling that he is giving you the runaround with making you call the website company. But I hope that they will be nice and take down the pic. Keep me updated please.
The house dancer there isn't being treated very fairly. They don't have her pic anywhere, not even inside the restaurant. However, they have another dancer that comes in from out of town occasionally and her pic is on the website and is posted in the restaurant. It's not like she doesn't have pics, he just wants "someone better".
Don't be sad Sarah that you can't make it down here to dance for him. (as if he would be that lucky! Geez!) He pays the house dancer $50 for the entire night.
I guess I pretty much had it with this guy when he came to me and asked me if I would train the "exotic dancers" from across the street to be able to belly dance in his restaurant!
What do people think sometimes!

Originally Posted by clueless23de

I guess I pretty much had it with this guy when he came to me and asked me if I would train the "exotic dancers" from across the street to be able to belly dance in his restaurant!

Ewwww!:thumbs_down:

Originally Posted by clueless23de

The guy that owns that restaurant is really a sleaze and it doesn't surprise me that he stole those images. I have a feeling that he is giving you the runaround with making you call the website company. But I hope that they will be nice and take down the pic. Keep me updated please.

I dont think most restaurant owners have a clue how to put a photo up on a website. I am sure the designer did it. I have now found out that the designer is overseas- (overseas designers are notorious for stealing since copyrights are difficult to enforce- the unfortunate thing is that the website owner is under copyright reach :) ) I just got a note from the designer that the photo is down.

I just feel bad for who ever the girl is putting her butt on the potato at the top of the page.

Originally Posted by clueless23de

It's not like she doesn't have pics, he just wants "someone better".

Id rather be hired to photograph her rather than dance there :)


Thank you for finding this for me :)

I guess this is slightly related: isn't there a way to disable the right-click functions on photos on a website so you can't do anything with them?

Nice questions for the owner and website company, Sarah ..g.: I find asking the right questions to be the best way to get your point across. It works so well, so much better than shouting The person just has to respond, and in doing so, admits guilt outright or through idiotic answers...Love it!

Originally Posted by kamilia

isn't there a way to disable the right-click functions on photos on a website so you can't do anything with them?

Yes there is a way to disable right-click.

But the problem is - if you can veiw it on the web- then there is a way to steal it.

I was thinking that. Since computers tend to cache things in a temp folder, there must be a way. But I suppose we all should still, make it as hard for those who "borrow without permission" as possible.

Originally Posted by bellydancerinfo

But the problem is - if you can veiw it on the web- then there is a way to steal it.

Originally Posted by bellydancerinfo

Yes there is a way to disable right-click.

But the problem is - if you can veiw it on the web- then there is a way to steal it.

Daft

Originally Posted by resullivan

I was thinking that. Since computers tend to cache things in a temp folder, there must be a way. But I suppose we all should still, make it as hard for those who "borrow without permission" as possible.

A glimmer of hope?

Originally Posted by kamilia

I guess this is slightly related: isn't there a way to disable the right-click functions on photos on a website so you can't do anything with them?

Nice questions for the owner and website company, Sarah ..g.: I find asking the right questions to be the best way to get your point across. It works so well, so much better than shouting The person just has to respond, and in doing so, admits guilt outright or through idiotic answers...Love it!

Yes there is a way to disable right click, but you can goes around this by using the print screen button and open paint and paste in paint then crop resize image and save as jpg.... You still get the photo.....

ohhhhh goodnessssss
There are lots of ways to get around the efforts to protect images BUT I AM NOT GOING TO TEACH THEM! lol

What a lot of henna artists I know do is if they find someone using a picture of their work without permission on a website is first contact the website and ask them to remove it. If that doesn't work then they contact the website hosting service since image theft is usually against their rules and hosting sites take a dim view on theft of copywrite.
If they are actually hotlinking to the photo to steal it (you can check your hosting site's bandwidth reports for that info) they will change the photo to one that says something along the lines of "use of this image is theft" and re-code their page so it points to the actual photo.
Don't know if that will help anyone but it's kind of handy to know.

ok, i'm taking a look at the website.. the dancer with her bootie on the food.. that's not great placement.
also greek taverna lunch and dinner. ok. typically greek taverna refers to night club party.. party lunch and dinner? also avgolemono soup is not necessarily a "famous" greek soup. avgo=egg lemono=lemon it is a mix of egg and lemon that you can add to any soup made of chicken broth. my mom taught me how to do it.. doesnt have to be rice or anything else. it can also be put on top of stuffed grape leaves.
sigh......
ok i'm off my greek soap box now.

Sorry for the thread hijack, but I just want to make sure I haven't been misinformed with Greek culture, I would be so sad:

I saw most restaurants in Greece called taBerna because they were simply a place to get food; I always thought to parti connotation only happened at night.

Or it could be seen as a taverna that also has lunch and dinner? You still get food at the taverna even if there happens to be festivities going on in the evening.

What part of Greece are you and your family from? Every part of Greece I've been to makes auyolimono, they just call it something different (monastery style, whatever) . The last time I had it there was in Crete with fish and some vegetables. It was just called food, and then more specifically, fish soup.

I think it is one culinary item that ties most of Greece together, even if it is originally from one specific region. I didn't see it regularly in some places, but it seems typically Greek. Maybe it exists in a few outlying countries, too, but in other Mediterranean countries (like Morocco), they want it lumpy. Ewwww ..c:: Go smooth Greek lemon-egg sauce!

Maybe it's not terribly famous here because it curdles so easily,and most people don't want to attempt it in a restaurant. I guess most chefs get embarrassed making those requisite kissy-kissy sounds to prevent a lumpy soup or sauce. Too much trouble.

Oh you mean that they touted THEIR avgolemono as a famous Greek soup? With rice and crap? I totally misunderstood. Now THAT's just stupid!!

Sorry for the rant.

Oh man, I can't stop laughing at how the lobster on that plate looks bigger than the dancer. I keep thinking what a great B movie that would be - Giant Lobster Vs. Belly Dancer! Battle to the Death!

I guess that's a sign you've made it, just like changing in a broom closet and being leered at by a drunk? Can we add "Stolen photo placed on Surf and Turf plate" to that list?
,r:;

taverna usually has dancing. there are some restaurants that use the name but they have dancing. i've never seen it placed in front of lunch and dinner in that way.
avgolemono doesn't curdle if you make it right. it's really hard to do, the timing has to be perfect. it's used for more things than soup.
yes, it is just called food! it always seems odd to me that restaurants say famous avgolemono soup. um, it's soup! and you don't have to put avgolemono in it, it's an addition. the rest of the soup is regular stuff: rice, veggies, chicken.. sigh..
my family is from mitilini.

sorry for the rant and the thread hi-jacking!

If the lobster eats the dancer, I get dibs on her costume!!!

LOL can't breathe that's hilarious
next in line! i'll throw some avgolemono on it! heehee