I came across a magazine ad that uses an image of mine. The ad doesn't have any other images. The pic also shows up on their web site. The image was originally shot editorial for another mag. I have no idea how the copyright violator came to have a copy of the image. The image file on their web site retains our original name which indicates they have an original file from the commissioning magazine.

It's been a few years since I've had to deal with one of these, I'm curious to know what other people are getting best results from
Should I;
1. Send them a bill
2. Phone them
3. Email them

I generally have a commercial images leasing form for leasing commercial images to businesses or coprorations, model releases for individual photo sessions and each model release it's got the copyright belongs to me and the conditions they must abide. Also what you can do is use adobe photoshop and put the text 60-70% transparent in the image. eg, "Copyright 2010 by Jack Smith". That way if they do copy your images you can sue them because you got the original image on cd/memory card and you can prove it's your images. In the past years there was a incident when Qantas used a photographer's image without written or expressed permission from the photographer. So the photographer sued Qantas for using the photograohers images for $200,000+ in damages. Also if do have a website make sure you have someone to design security for people attempting to steal your images.

John Zhao
John Zhao Photography Pty. Ltd.
www.johnzhao.com.au
www.sydneyportrait.com