More Arrrrgghhhhh!!! I just can't get myself from going back in that listing. I just want to rip off my Santa fe's pic out of the pc monitor!!!

Take a look at how the seller talks about himself. Yeah right! How serious can he be???

Here is a link that might be useful: About Vals Unusual Plants Owner

mariava...

I'd call him on it. As a budding and very passionate photographer, this sort of thing frosts my cookies big time. See if you can contact him and warn him that if he doesn't remove the picture, you'll provide negative feedback. This sort of thing reeks of dishonesty. The honorable thing to do would have been not only to have asked your permission BUT also to have given you credit in the picture i.e. "Picture courtesy of_______."

Gerard.

Hi Maria,

That is disgraceful and the mendacious malefactor should be punished. Aren't photographs covered under intellectual property law?

eBay UK should pull the listing if they were made aware of this seller's unauthorized use of your photo. Have you made them aware of the situation?

Would you like us to express outrage to Val?

Maria, I try to see the picture but it seems it has been removed. I think it is an extremely disappointed altercate and it must be awful for you to realized of such thing being the sharing person you are.
I only want to remind you that we all (at least in this webpage) appreciate and admire your work and sharing photos and information.
Whatever I can do for you, just talk girl, or better write it.
Mariae

As an amatuer photographer with copyrighted photos that have been misused, I'd suggest the following in this order:
1) remove it from your photobucket album (he'll lose the link)
2) contact him directly and tell him to stop using it (or give you credit if that would be satisfactory)
3) contact eBay UK
4) copyright the photo (cost is minimal and it prevents future mis-use), but can't do much about the past. You can state though that this photo is copyrighted and further use is prohibited without my written permission. That will take care of the current situation. I think (not 100% sure) that copyright may be claimed from the time that you mail application (sort of like patent pending).

Good luck!
Kristi

Yes... do let Ebay know that this power seller is using your photo without permission. You may have to keep reminding them, or bothering them, about the situation... but I believe it is Ebay's policy to NOT allow this type of thing to happen.

You do have a watermark or some other way of identifying that it is your photo, yes? If so, Ebay will comply... it just may take a little time.

A friend of mine had her Ebay photo stolen and used to set up someone's Ebay Store! She emailed Ebay, and she has been keeping on them about it... so, I would definitely protest.

e-mail ebay via their link to report these things and they will remove it....that part is easy and I've done it before.

copyright is assigned as soon as the shutter closes. You can send the info to the govt., but it is not required as long as you have documentation to prove it is your pic and when you took it.

You can sue them for huge amounts of money, but it is very tough since it is international.

This can be handled fairly easily....get used to it if your pics are any good at all.....most people can not take a decent pic or grow a decent plant to save their lives...if someone in the U.S. does it get a lawyer and bankrupt them for the rest of their lives....ebay really listens to lawyers :o) Dan

I agree, email eBay and be persistent about having them stop the photo.

I notice that the seller in question has other bulbs for sale... are they using any other stolen photos from you to sell them?

That's pretty low... it doesn't take a lot of talent to snap an acceptable picture for Ebay purposes. I think the very least someone can do is ask permission... that's what I would do if I needed a photo and didn't have one.

I hope it works out for the best, Maria... you've worked so hard at breeding and growing, and it's not fair for someone to come along and steal that from you.

Thank you all so much for your support and advice.

Yes, I did report it to ebay last night like how bluebonsai said. Then I sent a message to the seller stating "This Santa Fe picture is MINE!!!" This morning, Ebay requested me to send the item # and I did. It only took a few minutes before the listing was taken out. It is against ebay rules to post a picture on your listing that is not yours or without permission from the owner.

For those who missed the ebay listing, this was the stolen Santa Fe picture used.
{{gwi:417807}}

A friend of mine told me about his friend's children's pictures stolen from his photobucket and were used in a child phornography site. Geeeezzz, what is happening to this world of ours....

Happy that it was resolved AND very sorry to hear about the photos of your friend's children. This is all really scary!

You're better off emailing family photos privately to those you want to see them... there are just too many sick predators out there these days. If you're a parent, please monitor your children then they're online, too... know who they're chatting and emailing with!

The world is a sick, twisted place... anyone can become a victim. Please protect yourself!

Hi Mariava...

I just wanted to comment on how beautiful that picture of your Santa Fe is. The lighting is perfect as is the composition and focus....well done!

Cheers,

Gerard.

Oh geeezzz Gerard. Thank you but that pic was taken last year I think with no planning at all. I remember I came home from my vacation and found santa fe in full bloom with bending scapes reaching for light. So I got to grab an old bamboo stick, stake up the scapes and took the pic.

Santa Fe did not bloom for me this spring and just leafed out and gave out a baby. And guess what? The bulblet gave out a very short scape and one of it's flowers opened yesterday. I'll try to post it's pics tomorrow.

Santa Fe is a trumpet by the way. Maybe that's one reason why it's kinds finicky. The stolen pic does not even show it's being a trumpet.

I love Sony Cybershot...lol! It takes care of everything. I really wish I had more time to go into this photgraphy thing like you Gerard. Maybe when the kids are a little bit older already. But then, by that time, I wonder how many hippies I would be having to take care of. The collection is running now in the 190s. Yikes!!!

Here's the post I made of Santa Fe last year. It shows details of Santa Fe's flowers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Santa Fe post 4/7/07

Hi Mariava:

You are most welcome. I find that sometimes those "impromptu" shots make the best pictures. I like the other ones as well. Very cool with the lighting either being from the side or the ambient lighting coming in from behind the flowers. Great shape and colour on Santa Fe as well. Yes, with time you'll be able to delve more into photography. I started out on my own with the help of a good friend etc and just putzed here and there fiddling with the camera and trying different things.

SIGH...I sure wish I had the space for more hippies in my collection. And I also wish I had the set up that some of you have. I live in an apt that faces only northwest so I don't get any direct sunlight during the winter...sooo...I have to rely on my 400W HID light which I fear might not be quite enough to keep my hippies in good shape. I know if I had a house and a yard that I could take them all out during the spring and summer for some good sun. Also looking at the past posts, I'm envious of the others who have done their breeding and have wound up with some FANTASTIC crosses! I think if I had a job in one of the large greenhouses where they do the breeding and production of hippies I would feel like I died and went to heaven!

Cheers,

Gerard.

Even though I do have one east facing window, it's not enough space for a plant collector like me! I know how you feel, Gerard!

Two days ago, Larry surprised me and hung shop light fixtures in the plant alcove! Now, I have enough light for everybody! I just have to rearrange the mini-greenhouse shelving units to take best advantage of the new lights and the window combined.

If you hung a fixture or two, Gerard, you'd be able to take advantage of your apartment space, and your one window, and have a small jungle like I do! Don't forget... I live in an apartment, too! Sure, it's a little crowded around the window area, but I don't mind... and I have about 60 hippeastrums, 20 orchids, and other assorted plants and bulbs, plus all the little pots of babies.

Once I get everyone settled in, and get the window washed that I can't reach right now, I'll take some pictures, so you can see that growing this many plants in a small apartment is very possible!

Even "impromptu", Maria is quite the photographer! She might think it's her camera... but I think it's her! She just knows what looks best in the viewfinder, and between the nice camera and Maria's artistic sense, the resulting photos are wonderful!

Even though it's very frustrating having your photos stolen and used by someone else, it is a form of flattery, I suppose.

Many years ago, I was Editor of The Watchkeeper Magazine, a publication catering to American Bulldog owners and breeders. I found one of my articles reprinted without permission in a competitive magazine... in our following issue, we printed a few lines indicating that we were flattered by their need to steal our content, because it appeared they couldn't write their own decent articles! The theft stopped, and it made me feel better to print those few words.

Anyway... as the time passes, Maria's photos get better and better... they're like art!

Maria -- I just wanted to let you know that I emailed this seller right after you posted this post. She replied hours later saying something like, "In the UK, we have a saying that goes something like, 'innocent until proven guilty'" or something like that. Anyways, I was pleased to see that you got the listing removed. Please share pictures of Little Devil when it blooms! =) I ordered it too but my youngest sister wanted something that could bloom in her dorm room window (she's in college) so I sent her off with my Little Devil since mine was already peaking out (scapes) when I received it. It's amazing how that small little bulb was and yet still pushing out two scapes. I can't wait to see yours! Take care.

Well thank you so much Pax for doing that!

I just answered an Ebay survey about this (reporting an item) that they sent me through my email. Of course I gave them a very good rating. Problem was resolved within 24 hrs. What else can you ask for. I noticed something though that the survey came from Ebay UK and not just Ebay. They must be seperate branches. I wonder if Ebay US is as good as they are with regards to these kind of matters.

The Little Devils now have like 6-8" tall scapes. I sure will post pics. They should be blooming soon. Charles (Mr. CB) said that it would be like Top Choice but darker red.

Taking about these little bulbs. I received a 10cm bulb...(yes 10 cm around) of Little Angel which has a tip of a scape peaking out. Amazing!!! Maybe I'll plant it in a tea cup and pretend it's a Japanese Super Mini...lol!

My Little Devil had 5" tall scapes when I sent it off with my sister. Gurney's has lowered its price even more to $3.81 I think and I'm tempted to get more but I really shouldn't. I told my sister to bring it back home after it bloomed when she comes to visit for Thanksgiving so that I can add it back to my collection. Wow, your Little Angel was 10cms around??? Geez, I was wondering why Parks was offering it for so cheap. I was going to order it too but shipping was ridiculous when I tried to order from them. LOL, when will we ever be able to have Japanese Super Minis in our collection?? I still drool whenever I visit Komoriya's website. Have a great weekend.=)

Hi Dan! I just sent you an email. ;-)

Mariava7,

I recommend that you protect such beautiful photos by adding a watermark, which clearly indicates your ownership, and a "do not copy" sign all over the photo (see my photos in here). You can do so by using Photoshop, or any other similar program.

In the US, there is no need to "copyright" a photo, as copyright laws protect any work at the moment of its creation. The addition of the copyright symbol (C) and the date of creation is sufficient. No fee or application is necessary; it is not the case of a trademark, which must be registered with the US Office Patent and Trademark Office.

I just discovered my pictures of my hippie flowers being used again on ebay without my permission as I have posted in the new post. I have reported it to Ebay USA and contacted the seller on every listing he did using my pictures stating "This picture is mine!" I wonder how EbayUSA responds to such situations. I guess we shalll see tomorrow? Next days???

Thank you all for your support and advices. I really NEED to be more careful now. It hurts me thinking that "my home", GW Amaryllis forum, is being penetrated by predators. :-(

Don't you wish there were a way to make it more exclusive? lol I do after this. I feel weird now thinking that things I've written to you guys...as my friends...have been read by creeps. I shouldn't be surprised. There are terrible people in this world :-(

Actually, Larissa, I believe the photo thief begins in Ebay, looks for photos of what they need for their own auctions, and follows those to PhotoBucket, where most of us keep our pictures. Or, they Google, and use the best photos that come up.

In a way, it's a compliment to Maria's photography, because her photos are fabulous! On the other hand, it's outright theft.

Maria, we sent you those pages in PDF format, zipped so you can send them to Ebay. I hope they decide to punish this person somehow.

Please watermark your photos, or put your ebay name through the middle of them. It's fairly easy using Photoshop.

Nahhhhh...My pics are not that good. Our other members have GREAT pics. Pics that you can actually see them posting and sharing here ONLY in this forum. We are really so blessed in here.

I, on the other hand, will post my pics anywhere...lol!!!But that does not mean that one can bypass me and just use my pictures to sell something and gain from it. Using my pictures for information sharing is great. That's the main reason why I take time and effort to document the hippies. Not to show off my flowers but like a reference thing when sombody wants a REAL "untouched" pic of a certain variety. The "artistic thing" is an add-on depending on my time and mood...lol! With the hippie collection now running in the 200 plus named varieties documenting them was and still is a LOT of work. Palmcoastgardener does this too. She on the other hand is smarter than I am...lol!

I have not received ANYTHING from Ebay USA since I reported these incidences last Sunday. So different from Ebay UK which responded in a couple of hours or a day. I even don't know if she will be punished or not.

Maria your pictures and the time you spend to document and help to inform others through your images is very much appreciated. We are very blessed here. It is a real shame that someone would just take them without at least first asking. The only good that comes out of it is the flattery I suppose! You could always offer them the use of your images in exchange for lots of free bulbs!

Larissa- I think the things we type here and the "conversations" if you will, are the same as if we were all at the coffee shop or Burger King talking out loud for anyone to hear. Unfortunately, there are terrible things happening all the time. I don't even like to watch the news because it is always about who has been killed. Also, the internet has given criminals so much access to scams, it isn't even funny. Please if anyone asks you to send them money and you don't know them DON'T do it no matter how great it sounds.

I believe Jodi is right about the Google search. I know I have searched for images of different plants and a GW post comes up many times. It is very easy to just search and go right to the image here. Then with the way Photobucket is set up, nothing is private. Once you link one photo, all the other images you have saved in other albums are available for viewing. Make sure what you upload is something you want to share with anyone, anywhere!

Hang in there, Maria. I know you will get a response from Ebay and they will want to help you. I had an issue once with a fraudulent seller once who was running up the prices on his own auctions with different user names. They busted him and turned his account off very quickly!

-Frank

Many times, Ebay won't want to ruffle the feathers of a seller who sells a lot of items and makes them money, but if you keep at it, they will respond. We've had very good service from both Ebay and PayPal when things go to a dispute. It doesn't happen often, but it's nice that they work with customers, sellers and buyers.

The age of technology has made the world a lot smaller... it's now a lot easier for predators to find prey, and if you don't think about things, you can easily get ripped off, or even hurt.

I don't watch the news, either... it's too depressing. I already know there's a lot of evil in the world... I don't need to see it every day.

Protecting yourself on the internet is not hard... only use sites that are secure, and never give out information or passwords through email... no one should/will ever ask for private information via email or on an unsecured website.

We're firewalled and protected... Larry is a total computer geek, and has us well taken care of.

It's just a shame that some people have to take advantage of others... but, there is good news... we reap what we sew, so karma will take care of those with bad intentions. What goes around, comes around.