JFL hits back at critics in AFP/Morel copyright case

AFP versus D. Morel

I want to be clear that I am commenting on AFP, not JFL.

As far as I am concerned, there are few people in our business who have done so much for photojournalism, JFL is one of the few.

This is a case of copyright infringement, that is AFP's infringement of Morel's rights. They need to remedy the matter quickly. Anyone in the business of selling images to clients had better figure out their provenance process, otherwise they are liable to continue infringing on photographers works, and clients really don't need the hassle of buying images of questionable origins.

ongoing

Like JFL I feel sorry for Morel, but I cannot condemn AFP's initial reaction since both parties knew of the speed of publishing these images once they were up. However AFP, like Frank says here, should do the right thing and resolve this amicably and stop being a villain and respect Morel. The most important thing here is that photographers need to be wise and not whores. Social networks are what they are open and free.

So who is the villain?

Without question the moment that AFP verified who the copyright holder actually was they should have immediately stopped distribution and renegotiated the entire deal with Morel - that is obvious, clear and a no-brainer.

At the same time they should take steps against the misrepresenting supplier who was in effect dealing with stolen goods. In an ideal world it would be the police who would be dealing with this part of the case!

As to saying that posting on Twitpic or any other social newtorking site is tantamount to giving ones pictures away free, that equates to saying that being a pretty girl, or wearing a short skirt is asking to be raped. Is that really what people mean and think?

Whilst people should take care of their own copyright, in today's society we are reliant on everyone behaving correctly, that includes the users and purveyors of created works as well as the creators themselves.

Come on AFP, do the right thing...

Come on JFL

As for Jean François Leroy, the co-founder and director of Visa Pour l’Image, the world’s largest photojournalism festival? Frankly by now with his experience he really should know better...

Pete J

J-F needs to RTFM on 21st century media

“What I’d like for all photographers reading this is that they stop putting images on such sites.”

So wrong it’s hard to know where to start. So I’ll start here:
http://www.jeremynicholl.com/blog/2010/06/21/should-photographers-run-and-hide-from-social-media-sites/