Getty Images is now also August Image

[luanne415]

Hi all,

I'm a newbie here. Like many of us, I've also received an extortion letter and email from Getty Images/August Image.

I've written a comprehensive post here about my situation and want to share it with the group.

To the Getty trolls and minions who read the posts on this forum, this blog post is specially dedicated to you.

"Internet Trolls: Why Getty Images Will Die A Natural Death Online"
http://mini-moe.blogspot.com/2015/08/internet-trolls-why-getty-images-will-die-a-natural-death-online.html

[njb52]

SLAM DUNK!!!!!!

Superb Blog post 

[stinger]

Nice blog post.  I hope we can find ways to get it in front of the eyes of millions of readers.

[Robert Krausankas (BuddhaPi)]

Problem here is that when the trolls do read this, you've admitted grabbing the image and using it ( this will be used to bolster thier case ALSO the address of Picscout a company Getty owns and uses to discover these infringing images, the letter comes from Picscout on behalf of August images.. the good thing here is Picscout does NOT have the ability to file suit, that would be totallty on August Images IF they indeed own the copyright, which they may not, they may only have the right to license the image. Simply because there are many images showing up in an image search without a watermakr doesn't mean it is open season on these images...hell my street alone has cars parked all over it without names, but I can't just go take one...this is where so many people get tripped up..there is nothing for free in this world plain and simple.. I would be suspect to any site that offer "FREE" images.

[luanne415]

Problem here is that when the trolls do read this, you've admitted grabbing the image and using it ( this will be used to bolster ALSo the address of Picscout a company Getty owns and uses to discover these infringing images, the letter comes from Picscout on behalf of August images.. the good thing here is Picscout does NOT have the ability to file suit, that would be totallty on August Images IF they indeed own the copyright, which they may not, they may only have the right to license the image. Simply because there are many images showing up in an image search without a watermakr doesn't mean it is open season on these images...hell my street alone has cars parked all over it without names, but I can't just go take one...this is where so many people get tripped up..there is nothing for free in this world plain and simple.. I would be suspect to any site that offer "FREE" images.

I agree and frankly have no issues admitting I did use an image.  What I want to highlight is Getty Image's ridiculous extortion through inflated prices. $510 for a thumbnail when I can get it for less than $14 somewhere else?

I could have asked Alicia Silverstone's assistant for a pic of her directly but did not want to bother her with such a small thing.

My point is to highlight a fair market value of images and to showcase just how desperate Getty Images is by a) Trolling and extortion and b) Putting ridiculous prices on their images.

[Greg Troy (KeepFighting)]

Nice blog post, however I tend to agree with Robert.  August Images are a different animal entirely from Getty. August offers celebrity photos which are high quality and professionally taken.  Artist's tend to make sure these images have all their i's dotted and t's crossed when it comes to the paper work end.  This does not means they will come after you but you may want to take their letters more seriously than you would a Getty or McCormack letter.

[luanne415]

Nice blog post, however I tend to agree with Robert.  August Images are a different animal entirely from Getty. August offers celebrity photos which are high quality and professionally taken.  Artist's tend to make sure these images have all their i's dotted and t's crossed when it comes to the paper work end.  This does not means they will come after you but you may want to take their letters more seriously than you would a Getty or McCormack letter.

Based on my research, the celebrity photo in question cost between $1.06 for a small image to $39.00 for a full sized image.

Since the image I'm "in violation" is a little bigger than a thumbnail 176x176px, I am offering $15 as a settlement for a one years license. My site has not even been up for year so as far as time and fair market value goes, my offer is a totally fair and reasonable number.