You know what disturbs me most about this? The incredible casualness with which some people help themselves to content on the internet. As if every image that can be saved is automatically up for grabs. "Right click, save as" and they believe they own the rights to artistic work in which I've invested not just time and money, but above all my heart and soul.
This isn't just about me. As a photographer, I also have responsibility toward my models. We work in a special relationship of trust, contractually regulating the use of images.
Then suddenly these photos appear on questionable websites in China, Russia, India or Ukraine completely taken out of context, sometimes even in dubious situations.
Of course, I'm not defenseless. With support from my media lawyer, I consistently take action against such violations. Google's DMCA Claim Report has become a faithful companion, though one I'd gladly do without. But it feels like a never-ending fight against windmills. As soon as one website is taken down, the images resurface somewhere else.
Do you really need a law degree to understand that you shouldn't just steal other people's work?
Sometimes I hear well-meaning advice: "Take it as a compliment. Envy must be earned." But that's not the point. This is about respect for creative work, about acknowledging the artistic process. Every photo shoot is an intensive collaboration, a proof of trust, a shared journey toward expressive images. When this creative process is then stolen by others with a simple right-click, it feels like a slap in the face.
The "copy and paste" mentality ultimately harms us all. It not only devalues the work of creatives but also endangers models' willingness to participate in artistic projects. After all, who wants to risk carefully curated photographs suddenly appearing in dubious corners of the internet?