Manufacturer removed my watermark...thoughts?

IMO cropping your logo not fair.
Using your photos does not mean edit the photos.

I guess you got the light for free for you review so in case you remove the review you have to return the light....
The best solution IMO is to keep the light and the review but stop reviewing this brand lights or to inform them that you are willing to review products only if they keep your logo on the photos

I think it’s in the: “All your photos or videos about our products can be used by us.”
I’m afraid. If you dont like what they have done, and you can’t agree upon something, don’t review their stuff ever again.

Yeah, I’m not too worried about the ones for the flashlight, but going forward it could be an issue if it was something really decent.

The problem is that very few reviewers take good still photos, it’s more just videos like what Flashaholic/Matt Gill or Charles Bridgtec has.

Maybe I place a near transparent watermark through the middle, this is something that can’t be removed.

Yes, or leave the really good photos out of the review, have a separate catalogue of the best ones, for sale…

Did they at least give you credit/mention for providing the shots?

Yeah, just a thanks Jacob for the photos, but who’s Jacob?? haha.

I’m not going to worry too much. I’m getting better with my beamshots all the time and if I was to take something really good, it just got me thinking about whether I’d be okay with that. I guess that if any other Chinese seller/company is going to use them they’re going to crop it or edit the photo anyway. Usually you’ll see on other brands that they’ve left the watermark intact and/or give full credit in the title

Remember who you’re dealing with. With all the theft committed by China over the last 35 years do think they’d give a second thought about doing what they want with your photos?. They don’t share our ethics. Also the fact that they gave you the flashlight for review adds a little gray to the situation. The semi transparent watermark seems like a good idea

So you got this flashlight for FREE, didn’t even have to pay shipping.

And you feel wronged because your amateur review photos were modified?

That’s easy—Just return the flashlight and ask them to give your pictures back.

Have a watch of the review that’s already published, took me over 60hrs that did incl editing.

As stated in the comments, it’s not these photos I’m bothered about, but going forward since my photography is improving.

You’ll find that almost every pro photo is heavily edited in lightroom and/or photoshop. They often look like mine before then. I have a pretty expensive camera and sigma lens :slight_smile:

Where’s this flashlight you’re referring to?? I’ve never been sent anything that fits that description lol

CyanSky ?

I think tatasal is on the right track. Have a simple boilerplate agreement that you send before accepting a review that spells out your expectations in simple language. Make sure it has been vetted by a native speaker so that there is no confusion about translation.

They gave you something and you GAVE them something. They didn’t tell you what you could and couldn’t do with their flashlight. If you want to put restrictions on what they can do with photos or other in the future then you need to spell that out in clear language that everybody understands BEFORE you accept their gift and terms. You’ve given them the keys to the car. They can drive it however they like. Edit. You can’t take back the miles that they’ve already driven. You can’t erase those dents. You can choose whether or not to give them the keys to the next car.

Trying to keep brand names off here, don’t want to give anyone bad publicity.

Kenny - it’s not the fact they’re using them, it’s that they removed the watermark. This concerned me going forward as some photos are really decent that I’ve taken in the past. For example, look at this one of the Sofirn IF22A mounted to my drone - Imgur: The magic of the Internet

I’d love to hear from another reviewer who takes beamshots.

Well, although I do some reviews, my photos are nothing compared like yours and some other folks here. My cellphone doesn’t allow better.
Also, I don’t do watermarks on them, but I also don’t have a business nor am I a professional concerning reviews.

However, once I had a photo of mine used by a brand in their AliExpress store (they also sent me a flashlight for review), and I didn’t care that much. I normally appreciate if someone gives credit to the work, but I didn’t complain.

So, I cannot give you a definitive opinion, because on the one side you agreed that they could use your photos, but on the other, they removed your mark from that unique photo, which retrieves the credit to your work.

I’d probably ask them to add a link for your review (written or video) so that people can see it in the original context and “follow you” and look for more or your work :+1:

Going forward before getting any future models of theirs I’ll have a chat with them.

I appreciate the replies.

Btw all these covid lockdowns, mandates etc is stressing me out and causing my business a lot of problems, so can’t think straight and overreact now and then. Taking a 3 week break to try and calm myself from this mental overload

China and many other countries may have signed bilateral copyright agreements with your own country. China has signed such agreements with international organizations, including the World Trade Organization. You should become familiar with the agreements that are still in effect and mention, when you agree to submit a review with photos, that you expect the country of the product seller/manufacturer to abide by those agreements.

You can also send them a statement listing your requirements for doing a review of their product - including whatever restrictions you would like them to respect in using your photographs.

Maybe on your next review, place your watermark in the center of the picture.

Ugly? … Yes. But would probably be impossible to crop out.

nice photo
no, I do not expect to “own” an image that I post on the internet

who would you say “owns” this image, that I “borrowed” from your imgur and edited myself?

.

personally, I consider watermarks really tacky… thats USA speak for “in poor taste”…

imo I dont “own” anything I post on the internet

but I dont understand how to make money from photos… so… if you find a way, more power to you… USA speak for, Im happy for you

The law in the USA gives the person who pushes the shutter release on a camera the exclusive ownership rights to the resulting photo. That ownership gives the photographer a “copyright” in the photo throughout their lifetime and for 70 years afterward. The copyright applies whenever the photo is placed in a tangible medium, such as the web, or a magazine, or a book.

Under the USA law, the only exceptions to the exclusive ownership rule occur when, either 1) the photographer takes the photo while an employee of another party; or 2) when there is a written agreement between the photographer and another party stating that the photography being done under the agreement is considered “work for hire.” Being hired for one job, or a few jobs, doesn’t make the photographer legally an employee of the hiring party, for purposes of this law.