My Images On Ebay

[Rod and Denise Nikkel]

Luis,

In your post directed to me you wrote "I do my own work". Yet in your e-mail to us you said "here is a couple of pics of my saddles As you can see I try to do my best". The pictures you sent with that e-mail were NOT your own work. The reiner was built by Shelly Liggett and I have just confirmed that the Wade was indeed built by Perry Ward from Rafter W saddles. He told me the picture was taken in his shop 3 years ago. I am not attacking you Luis. I am simply telling the truth. Stealing pictures off the internet is stealing, and saying you made something you didn't is lying. I'm sorry if your wife has cancer and if things are tough for you. If you can make a decent saddle and sell it honestly, then that is how you should make your living. But don't steal and don't lie, as you are continuing to do.

Denise

[Shelly]

"A photograph that is placed on the internet which has no copyright or patent rights is "public domain"."

This is NOT true...Sorry!

I have included a site on Copyright myths. below.

10 Big Myths about Copyrights explained

Regards,

Ben

Thanks for the link, Ben!

[JLSleather]

Agreed. While I've not personally built a saddle, I do have a pretty good idea of the time and work that goes into those things. My brother's brother in law had a leather shop in Houston for quite a spell. Personally, I wouldn't know at a glance the difference between a roper and a wade ... but now that I've been kicked in the pants a bit (no offense taken) you can bet I'll find out (at which time I'll be back to personally thank any and all saddle builders who lit that fire under me).

You are right, of course, when you say I don't understand the situation. This is why I used general facts about this TYPE of case, blended with just the right amount of humor about the following side of my wife

Make no mistake, because I haven't built a saddle doesn't mean I can't appreciate them. In fact, my whole leathercraft CAUSE is making attractive items that have a PURPOSE (I like "pretty" stuff, but I like to see it get used). Guy has the drive, the artistic talent, and the desire to build a saddle has earned some respect. No mistake that I use the term saddle BUILDER.

Please take no offense at any of my comments, I meant only to clarify and help. One of you boys (n girls) finds my comments at all objectionable, feel free to invite Johanna to this written permission to delete them, no offense taken.

[Shelly]

Agreed. While I've not personally built a saddle, I do have a pretty good idea of the time and work that goes into those things. My brother's brother in law had a leather shop in Houston for quite a spell. Personally, I wouldn't know at a glance the difference between a roper and a wade ... but now that I've been kicked in the pants a bit (no offense taken) you can bet I'll find out (at which time I'll be back to personally thank any and all saddle builders who lit that fire under me).

You are right, of course, when you say I don't understand the situation. This is why I used general facts about this TYPE of case, blended with just the right amount of humor about the following side of my wife

Make no mistake, because I haven't built a saddle doesn't mean I can't appreciate them. In fact, my whole leathercraft CAUSE is making attractive items that have a PURPOSE (I like "pretty" stuff, but I like to see it get used). Guy has the drive, the artistic talent, and the desire to build a saddle has earned some respect. No mistake that I use the term saddle BUILDER.

Please take no offense at any of my comments, I meant only to clarify and help. One of you boys (n girls) finds my comments at all objectionable, feel free to invite Johanna to this written permission to delete them, no offense taken.

Just so you know - I'm not upset with you! I just wanted to be sure to clarify exactly what this man is actually doing with our pictures...

[barra]

Shelly has hit on an Idea with the suggestion of adding a watermark to pitures. Another simple method is to have a small sign or even a business card sized card with something like proudly handcrafted by "Joe Bloggs" visible in every picture as of course trying to capture different angles will not capture the makers mark everytime. I guess the photo shop geeks can get around this but it is a deterent for all but the hard corp image plagiarist.

Barra

[cem]

Johanna,

Well said. I'm sure that everyone posting on this site appreciates that coming from you. Is there any way to "lock" pictures on this site? I know some sites have a barrier of sorts to prevent people from right clicking on them and saving them to their computer. Would that be viable for this site since there are some many different people posting here? This a great place for learning and resources, but obviously it isn't cool if people are stealing stuff. Just a thought, if it doesn't work no big deal.

Ross Brunk

Ross, Johanna could put in the code to stop right clicking but it won't stop it why because everyones computer has a print screen button which gets around it. The best thing everyone can do is watermark their photos and if they have Photoshop to fill out the image details section (other programs might have this as well).

Put your watermark copyright details across the middle of the photo if it's on the borders it's easier to crop out, this will stop most of the casual thieves for the others you want to make it as hard as possible for them to remove the copyright info ie put watermarks in that only you know where they are and keep a written record of it. Also when taking photos take additional photos of the background without the product and with your makers mark or unique objects that you own. Any additional stuff is always a help if you have a case like this with a photo thief.

Clair

[steve mason]

if your point is to destroy my reputation go head on ebay,

Louis, no one here needs to try destroy your reputation, you are doing a fine job of that yourself by stealing photos and represtenting them as your own.

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Steve, Shelly, and everyone here has every right to be hot under the collar about this. We all know how much work we put into these saddles, and I am sure that we all also think of our work as special, I know I do.

Somewhere in this thread, it was mentioned about when a customer opens up the box and it is not what what they thought they bought on e-bay. I am wondering if anyone knows what happens then? Specifically with these saddles that were sold as Luis'. Does anybody know? I am not an e-bay guy, but; I have entertained the thought of selling a saddle on e-bay. Just curious.

Bondo Bob

[RWB]

Ross, Johanna could put in the code to stop right clicking but it won't stop it why because everyones computer has a print screen button which gets around it. The best thing everyone can do is watermark their photos and if they have Photoshop to fill out the image details section (other programs might have this as well).

Put your watermark copyright details across the middle of the photo if it's on the borders it's easier to crop out, this will stop most of the casual thieves for the others you want to make it as hard as possible for them to remove the copyright info ie put watermarks in that only you know where they are and keep a written record of it. Also when taking photos take additional photos of the background without the product and with your makers mark or unique objects that you own. Any additional stuff is always a help if you have a case like this with a photo thief.

Clair

Thanks for the details on that, Clair. I didn't think about the print screen key.

Ross

[Tina]

Here's just one tutorial of making wathermarks, there's a million of them out there if you think this is tricky...Just make some searches until you'll find one that makes sense to you. When you have it all down it will only take you an extra minute on a picture to make it happend:

http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/photoshop/ht/apswatermark.htm