# Had pictures stolen! Can't believe it



## BRUNBERG (Oct 21, 2010)

Just got a message from a detailer I know asking if I was affiliated with Autospavaleting http://autospavaleting.co.uk/

I told him I'd never heard of them and asked why. He told me to check their gallery. Cheeky  have nicked pictures of an F430 spider I worked on for a friend and are passing it off as their own!! Wouldn't mind but I'm a chef by trade, detailing is a hobby/passion.

Pics are on my driveway and they've even used a pic of my hand holding the  paint depth gauge

As a hobbyist I don't have a company watermark logo I can put on my pictures etc

Screen shots from their site










































Can't believe a so called "professional" company are palming my work off as theirs.

Makes no odds to me financially but if detailing was my business I'd be livid


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## Rabidracoon28 (May 31, 2012)

The cheeky bar stewards


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

This seems to be happening more and more, might a good idea to find out how to tag your pictures with your name.


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## BRUNBERG (Oct 21, 2010)

Not a bad idea I guess, sad you've got to start marking pics of your work to stop people nicking them


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## redit5 (Dec 16, 2013)

Might be worth a quick friendly email explaining they are yours, being used without permission and could they kindly be removed. If not you will be posting on popular detailing forums about picture theft! I'm not sure where you stand or if it's worth the hassle legal wise but it's certainly cheeky...looks a cracking car and job you have done.... sorry it's happened, hope it gets sorted.


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

There is a free program you can download called Photoscape - you can use it to watermark an image, even if it's just your name. I know that doesn't help with this theft but may for the future.

If they're on Facebook I'm sure you can report the images as your intellectual property.


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## BRUNBERG (Oct 21, 2010)

Thanks for the heads up


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## JwilliamsM (Dec 20, 2011)

I'm being captain hindsight here but you should have watermarked them if you didn't want them nicked lol. Cheeky scum though


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

You don't expect them to be nicked though, it's only after that you think of it happening.

I was on an Anniversary group on FB posted some pics up on it, the next thing I know some lad was posting pics on his profile of my car saying it was his. Questioned him about it & he blocked me


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

Send them a bill for using your image as you are the copyright holder.
I'm into photography and this is what other Guys on many Photographic Forums do when their images are compromised


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## BRUNBERG (Oct 21, 2010)

camerashy said:


> Send them a bill for using your image as you are the copyright holder.
> I'm into photography and this is what other Guys on many Photographic Forums do when their images are compromised


Not interested in compensation tbh. Is my copyright of my images compromised by me hosting them online without a watermark or similar?

May just pay them a visit and have a chat. Much easier and quicker lol


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## stevehayward90 (Nov 24, 2013)

camerashy said:


> Send them a bill for using your image as you are the copyright holder.
> I'm into photography and this is what other Guys on many Photographic Forums do when their images are compromised


Haha! I'm a graphic designer so have to frequently check the net to make sure someone else isn't passing my work off as their own (seems to happen more and more recently) but never thought of sending an invoice. Will certainly be doing it next time though!


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## Rebel007 (May 7, 2013)

you don't need watermarks to be protected, if you want some information let me know but you are protected with or without watermarks on your images.

ALSO IF THE COMPANY DO NOT REMOVE THE IMAGES YOU CAN HAVE THEM REMOVED BY THE HOSTING COMPANY AS IT IS AN OFFENCE TO STEAL IMAGES.


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## Rebel007 (May 7, 2013)

BRUNBERG said:


> Not interested in compensation tbh. Is my copyright of my images compromised by me hosting them online without a watermark or similar?
> 
> May just pay them a visit and have a chat. Much easier and quicker lol


Simple answer is NO the copyright is automatic with or without a watermark.


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

Rebel007 said:


> Simple answer is NO the copyright is automatic with or without a watermark.


Exactly its your image and you are the sole owner of it whether watermarked or not


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## TheGruffalo1 (Dec 11, 2013)

Have the photos been put on a public forum or Facebook? Because don't you lose the ownership of them if you do. No idea if that's a fact though.


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## jon-sri (Dec 22, 2012)

can you leave a review on there web site ?
If so I would then the whole world can read .


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## TJenkos (May 6, 2009)

Send them the bill!!


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## DLGWRX02 (Apr 6, 2010)

Have you contacted the company yet explaining that your not happy, and that you can also get the car owner as he is a friend to verify that the images were taken by yourself and if they are not willing to remove them then further actions will be taken. I'm sure trading standards would also be interested in a company passing off others work as there own.


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## Moggytom (Dec 28, 2011)

Think everyone who has facebook should post on his page calling him a foney and a lier see if that affects his business


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## ITSonlyREECE (Jun 10, 2012)

I can't find it when searching on FB. Has the page been taken down or is my FB app playing games with me, again?


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## BRUNBERG (Oct 21, 2010)

Thank you for the advice and input. I've contacted the company directly and am yet to receive a reply.
The owner of the car is happy to back me in any avenue I choose to pursue the matter.

Thanks for the information regarding image copyright, I had no idea where I stood legally.

I'd love to bombard their FB page but it not a business page you can simply "like" and post on. You need to send a friend request, if I start posting he'll just delete me


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## Marve (Jul 5, 2013)

He has your photos in the gallery on his actual website as well mate - http://www.autospavaleting.co.uk/index.html


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## BRUNBERG (Oct 21, 2010)

Marve said:


> He has your photos in the gallery on his actual website as well mate - http://www.autospavaleting.co.uk/index.html


Yeah I know mate


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## Marve (Jul 5, 2013)

So do you want us all to text him directly on his mobile - 0788 55 66 982 - and let him know the general feeling of people about his actions?


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## Kirkyworld (Jan 12, 2014)

Bit cheeky but it shows how good your work and pictures are buddy


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## BRUNBERG (Oct 21, 2010)

Marve said:


> So do you want us all to text him directly on his mobile - 0788 55 66 982 - and let him know the general feeling of people about his actions?


Lol no point mate. I'd rather let his customers know. He knows he's a mug, doesn't need people to text him lol


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## Leebo310 (Sep 30, 2013)

Ha, do you think the last two photos in their gallery are the only ones that actually show their own work?!  
It's a pretty amateur website too. Quite a few grammatical errors, customers (although I'll use that term loosely! ) cars with the full reg displayed, blurry photos etc etc.
Is the industry regulated or anything? If he's stolen your pic then it's pretty safe to say there are others which aren't his also. 
Pretty pathetic on his part really! 
Considering the gallery would be how most potential customers would make their decision then surely this is false advertising and can be reported to trading standards?


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## lowejackson (Feb 23, 2006)

Maybe it is worth printing your name on something which can be in every shot.


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

Let us know how you go on.
There is no foolproof method with images as Photoshop users can remove the text unless you plaster the info. all over the image in which case there is no point displaying the image in the first place.
You can add a Copyright statement in the images EXIF information but this again is not 100% safe.
The Government is considering lightening the Copyright Laws so it would then be much easier to use another persons photos but Photographers and others are fighting this proposed change
Dave


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## Car Key (Mar 20, 2007)

Leebo310 said:


> Ha, do you think the last two photos in their gallery are the only ones that actually show their own work?!


I did a few image reverse searches and didn't take me long to find another:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=233800

Same pic at the bottom of 'their' gallery. I haven't time to search the rest.

http://autospavaleting.co.uk/gallery.html


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## Leebo310 (Sep 30, 2013)

Yep, figured that would be the case! 
Looking at the quality of finish, you can sort of guess which ones are more likely not to be his own work! 
I'd almost certainly say that the black E320 after the 430 isn't his own....


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

Has anyone spammed his site with proof that these pics aren't his work? I should imagine that might make him think twice about pinching other peoples photographs and passing them off as his own work.


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## Andyrat85 (Oct 7, 2013)

I'd say the pictures which feature the larger white van are not his as the van he uses is a transit connect lol

If you at the pictures of the Aston Martin on his gallery one picture features his van and another features the larger white van I'm sensing somebody's been on Photoshop at a guess none are cars that he has worked on.


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

I don't understand the mentality of it....surely if he is setting up to do this work he'd have his own bloody work....

I'd do my own car and post pics of that and family and friends cars of 'Actual' own work...never nick someone elses...what a snotter he is


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## Leebo310 (Sep 30, 2013)

asonda said:


> I don't understand the mentality of it....surely if he is setting up to do this work he'd have his own bloody work....
> 
> I'd do my own car and post pics of that and family and friends cars of 'Actual' own work...never nick someone elses...what a snotter he is


That's because you are honest mate and he is clearly not!


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## Kiashuma (May 4, 2011)

What a chancer. Really annoys me, if his standards are not up to scratch, which they can't be as he would show his own work, then why start in business?

I hope this is taken further by the people who have had the images stolen.


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## TTsi (Jun 7, 2009)

Hi, I am the owner of Autospa, i was sent a headsup to this site to which i am already a member of.

I brought this business about 18months ago as an ongoing concern including the website. hence the different van in the pictures!
i would like to appoligize to the OP for these images on the site, they were already on there when the business was brought.

i have been in touch with the web developer this morn, these images will be removed within the next few hours.

if the OP wants in can pass on the original owners details to him

Kind Regards
Simon


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## Marve (Jul 5, 2013)

TTsi said:


> Hi, I am the owner of Autospa, i was sent a headsup to this site to which i am already a member of.
> 
> I brought this business about 18months ago as an ongoing concern including the website. hence the different van in the pictures!
> i would like to appoligize to the OP for these images on the site, they were already on there when the business was brought.
> ...


I'm a little bit confused by this. So you BOUGHT the business (you didn't brought it - similar to grammatical errors on your website) and since then you have left examples of work (not) done by the person who owned it before you and have passed that off as your own work? Isn't that just as bad as stealing images from around the internet anyway? Why haven't you updated your website in 18 months?


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

as this appears to of been sorted, no more comments please. thread will be locked / deleted soon..


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## Puntoboy (Jun 30, 2007)

Really?


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## Leebo310 (Sep 30, 2013)

Is the pic of the Porsche being removed too then as I think we established that wasn't your own work either.


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