I’ve been getting a lot of private mail asking why I appear to be leaving this site, and while I don’t wish to make a big deal of it, perhaps I really should say a few words to explain my actions…

There are two reasons for my unhappiness here:

The main one is image theft. That happens of course, and if we post anything on the web, anywhere, there’s a good chance that it’ll be stolen. The way I handle images I post on the web lately, is to only post (with some sadness) what I consider to be my “seconds”, reserving my very best work for limited edition fine art framed prints for display in a gallery. And to also put my name and web site across any posted images so it cannot be missed. (I’ve seen cases where people have actually edited out my name and/or cropped the image so it doesn’t show.) Anyway, image theft happens and it’s frustrating, and there’s not a heck of a lot we can do about it.

In any case, my main frustration with this issue and how it relates to DeviantArt is the way copyright violations are handled. It’s now more than a week since I’ve reported THREE copyright violations using the report violation mechanism and there has not yet been any resolution at all. I could certainly understand a delay in action if there was any question about the copyright, but in these three cases, my name is clearly displayed. And my work is being used without permission. One is the full use of one of my images to illustrate some poetry, and the other two are my images used in a manipulation and montage with other works (which are probably stolen as well). And in those two cases, the thief has even left my name visible!!! I have also exchanged emails with two DeviantArt staff about this and it appears that they are looking into it. But it’s taking SO long to get the stolen work removed. And I think anyone guilty of copyright infringement should be given a very strong and serious warning, and on any further breach, they should be banned. There really should be a no-tolerance policy on image theft. IMHO.

The second reason I’m leaving this site is because of what I call the ever-increasing sleeze factor here. There are more and more images being posted of erect penises, without any artistic merit at all, and there are even shots of women giving handjobs, etc. I have nothing against nudes (heck, I shoot lots of nudes) or erotica. And I’m even pretty easy-going when it comes to my view of porn, but I feel the overall standard here is dropping and I have no desire to be “guilty by association” of shooting porn simply because I post my work on a site where there is more and more porn available. I’ve now had two potential clients (one almost two months ago and the other last week) who wanted to shoot nudes with me becoming reluctant because they view my participation here as “being on a porn site”. Nudes can be beautiful, elegant and respectful. Even erotica can be classy. But an unartistic photo of a couple “doing it” isn’t what I think this site should allow.

Cheers!