Brita Seifert update

Well further to my last post about images being stolen and used without consent I received this email from Brita Seifert…(Google translated to English)

Dear John, I recently used one of your photographs for a drawing. Sorry, I didn´t know, that it is your photo, I found it on facebook a while ago without that any name was mentioned. I used your photo during my drawing lessons to show my students how to set up a drawing and how to add skin tones in pastels and pencils. It is not for sale. Sure I have own photos, own models, but from time to time I also take photographs from other people. Just to get another “handwriting”. Usually I ask before if I can use these works (if I know who was the photographer). I am really sorry that it went so wrong – today I checked your website at Deviant Art and also your privte one – you make excellent works. It is sad, that we get in contact on such a way. In the next couple of weeks I will rebuilt my website, and then only my own works will remain. The website is down anyway, it was hacked today. So a good reason to create a new one. Have a good day, anyway. My best regards Brita Seifert

Now I could pick away at this and show all sorts of flaws in the reasoning and excuses but I feel an apology is an apology and I’m willing take it at face value and let the matter drop.

Also it wasn’t me who hacked her web page.

So has all the hassle and investigation been worth it? well it’s been time consuming but in the end I think it has been worth it, I can understand why artists choose to recreate from a photograph and in a way its flattering to the photographer that an artist thinks the work is worthwhile. However it gets to a stage where it becomes just copying and if you present that copy as your own work then it becomes stealing. The artist has not paid for the model, studio, camera equipment and time….nor have they had to think of the idea in the first place. So the Brita Seifert saga ends here…will there be more thefts from others?..oh yes, without a doubt.

 

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