YOU NEED TO READ THIS
Be wary of commercial websites that promise to connect you with "professional freelancers" especially when it comes to creative work. Case in point, recently some of my images were stolen from the internet, my copyright information was removed and posted by a self proclaimed "professional graphic designer and photo editor" based in Bangladesh. Unfortunately, this is not the first time this has happened to me in my professional career. It happens more frequently than I’d like it to.
It was brought to my attention by a fellow photographer in another country outside of the United States, who recognized my work and had reached out to me via instagram after seeing my work being infringed on a freelance website; Fiverr. The images that I create are the result of years of experience, skill and hard work. In no way, shape or form did this freelancer have anything to do with the commercial imagery that I alone photographed, retouched and otherwise created. Yet this thief is using my copyrighted imagery in hopes of you hiring him.
There's a high probability that he botches the job completely, wasting both your time and money. But then again if you really think that world class commercial imagery only costs a mere $50....well, you may have had it coming.
My Images Were Being Used Illegally
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to make a living as an artist and build a global community around my work. My commercial imagery has been featured on the cover of Photoshop User Magazine, I’ve created a beverage photography video with over a million views on youtube, filmed an in depth tutorial on product photography and have been featured alongside other prolific photographers in the industry. I’ve accomplished quite a bit so far in my career.
That’s why it’s even more surprising to me that this freelancer had decided to use some of my better known images. Both of the infringed images have been featured in The Hero Shot, a comprehensive, educational, tutorial that I filmed on the subject of product photography. However, the version of the controller on fire was taken directly from my product photography portfolio.
This freelancer wanted you to think that these “before and after” images were edited, retouched and composited by him, which is obviously a complete lie. But you as the client, would have no way of knowing this, right? (Check out an article that I wrote called “HOW TO USE REVERSE IMAGE SEARCH TO FIND A COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER ON THE WEB” to learn how a simple right click on an image can lead you back to the source and creator of an image.)
Getting This Issue Resolved
Customer Support Response - redacted for the privacy of their support member
In order to get this issue of copyright infringement resolved, I had to contact Fiverr support. By providing links supporting claims of the infringement as well as proof of my copyright ownership, they were able to take down my work and disable the account of the infringer, which I am grateful for. However, as the artist who actually created the work, it’s very irritating when you receive an email back from customer support that basically says “we’re not responsible for the content uploaded by our users. While we appreciate and respect intellectual property rights, we’ll only remove it if we’re caught.” My question is, how many other freelancers on their website are doing the same exact thing? We may never know. But do you really want to take that chance?
Freelance Websites Have Very Low Standards. And In Some Cases, Absolutely None.
It’s never been easier to steal the work of others and pass it off as your own as it is these days. Unfortunately, this means that copyright infringements have become commonplace, especially as it relates to companies outside of the United States who could give a (insert your favorite expletive here) less about your intellectual property. With no shortage of these Amazon style freelance websites on the internet, this makes it much easier to be deceived by these fraudulent so called “freelancers” and the companies that continue to support them.
Most of these websites (if not all) have a very low bar to entry. Literally anyone can sign up, post a few images (clearly not even their own), become a “freelancer” and start selling their services. What does it say about a freelance website that just lets any joe blow become a freelancer? I’ll tell you what this means:
It means that there is no standard of quality
It means no background check to see if these freelancers are reputable and they really are who they say they are
It means there is no way to tell if the freelancer is actually competent in their respective field
It means that they are not actively seeking and independently verifying that the user posted content is legitimate and that the user owns the copyright or even has permission to use the work in their respective portfolio
In my professional opinion, I’d say this is a real disservice to you, the client.
Freelance Websites Are Not Looking Out For Your Best Interests - You Could Be Held Liable
I’ve already mentioned the low standards that these companies set to become a freelancer on their platform. But what happens when legal issues arise? Do you think the freelance platform is going to defend you in a court of law? Probably not.
Let’s say that you hire a designer to design a new logo for your company. What happens when you find out that the freelancer you hired on the freelance site has in fact sold you a stolen design that’s copyrighted by another artist? More than likely, you’re going to be held liable for those damages, not the freelance website and tracking down the freelancer may prove to be next to impossible. Because the freelance website conveniently isn’t responsible for any of the content that their users post or sell and therefore that could make your business liable for damages. I’m sure you can read all about it in the small fine print they provided you when you signed up for their service.
Professional Creative Services Are Not A Commodity Business
Look, professional creative services are not a commodity business and should not be treated as such. When you’re looking to hire a creative professional, you shouldn’t be approaching it with the mindset of going to a website like Amazon, doing a quick search and choosing the lowest cost option. There are a lot of things to consider when hiring a commercial photographer, retoucher or any other creative professional:
Does the artist possess the creative problem solving abilities needed to complete the unique needs of your project?
Does the artist’s aesthetic quality match the style you’re looking for?
Is the artist reputable?
Is the artist who they say they are?
Is the artist easy to communicate with?
Bottom Line: Educate Yourself & Do Your Research
In order to grow your company and your brand, you no doubt need creative services like commercial photography, retouching, video and design. However, it's important to know who you're really hiring. That's why I wrote an article called "HOW TO USE REVERSE IMAGE SEARCH TO FIND A COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER ON THE WEB." Do yourself a favor and read it. You'll learn an easier way to search the internet in order to find the creator or source of an image. Hiring a real pro who’s both knowledgeable and reputable can save you a lot of time, money and frustration.
Yep, these Amazon style freelance companies advertise on major platforms like Google.
To conclude this article, I want to make it clear that I’m not saying anything bad about legitimate, reputable freelancers. There are some really talented creatives out there. However, I do have a really big problem with freelance websites that use paid advertising to promote fraudulent freelance accounts. Because at the end of the day, both you, the Client as well as the artist loose.
So be wary of these freelance websites. Be sure to check out the article “HOW TO USE REVERSE IMAGE SEARCH TO FIND A COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER ON THE WEB” and do your own independent research before hiring anyone for creative services. Creative services are by nature relationship based and deserve both a conversation and mutual understanding of a project before any creative service can begin.
