Illegal Content Sales?

I recently had to remove Images from one of my sites that was sold by ounique.
These images were purchased 1 or 2 years ago before the New Site Launch and the new Sales History was implemented. The AVS I was using sent me an e-mail contain the letter stating that these images were used without his permission.
He also said in his letter that Ounique and the Photographer (PM) have removed them from the licensed content sales section. (Models real name or stage name was, Anthony G or Antonio G) If anyone else is using these images you don't have permission to.

I deleted this site and it's content.
I just wish that ounique would let people know before this kind of thing happens again.
:crybaby:

I was contacted by Ounique about 2 models from 3 sets I had purchased. The situation as I understand (and Don can elaborate) was 2 guys - probably friends - changed their minds about the pics being shown on the internet. There was no wrong doing on the part of the photographer or Ounique... just a couple of jerks changing their minds.

To make up for the problem, Ounique offered replacement sets and bonus sets. It doesn't really make up for the effort that I had to put in to replace these guys... but, Oh well! I had these 2 dudes on about 8 to 10 sites and their images were even parts of several graphic tours for AVS sites. So i had to redesign some tours from scratch... you know... cut out new images and shift things around... PAIN IN THE ASS! :boom:

goes to show, some people don't think before they act.
but if they have a signed contract i dont see what the problem is.
if it were me, i'd let them off if they pay back the costs associated with producing the content + the pay they received. and if they came to my site and complained they'd have to pay me for the sets + redesigning the site.
contracts are contracts, you can't break them when it doesn't suit you

I tried my hardest to be an asshole about it... but Don is such a nice guy! How could I say no?

I deleted the site but I WILL NOT DELETE ANYMORE... They can Kiss My F**k**g Butt****.
Not that the set of photos ever made any sales but.. They will be paying me to remove the images next time...

:boom:

southernexposure, I'm very sorry for what you had gone through. Contact me immediately and I will do my best to make up for this situation. My email is sales@ounique.com, I'm on ICQ #137899310, and you can hit "Real Person" on our website to talk to me live during office hours.

I can assure you, every piece of content we sell comes with a model release signed by the model and proper IDs. Being that we broker content for several photographers there is the very rare occurance where a model has an issue with either a photographer or the fact that they have allowed themselves to be photographed and sold as content. In dealing with any kind of content, and no matter who the photographer is, models can sometimes have second thoughts.

We do our best to keep everyone happy, from the people who buy our content, to the photographers we broker for and the models who contact us. We've pulled sets to make models happy, with the understanding that all licenses up until that point are still good. And in a few very rare cases, we've recalled a few sets. With the signed model release, we would still have the right to license these images, but we've found it to be in everyone's best interest to have them pulled. We do not want any of our clients to have to deal with a situation where a model decides to cause trouble, even with their signature on a legal document. And we do our best to make up for it.

southernexposure, you had said, "I just wish that ounique would let people know before this kind of thing happens". We contact our clients immediately if any sort of problem should arise. In your case, this is something we were not aware of. Anytime you have a problem or question about our content or services, feel free to contact me directy, as soon as the issue arrives.

Xstr8guy can vouch for me. Something like this is an unpleasant situation, but I do my best to make up for it. Some things are beyond our control, but I take it upon myself to correct the situation to the best of my ability. I look forward to hearing from you. :)

No Hard Feelings (Ounique). I have never had a problem with you guys or your (FABULOUS) content. I was complaining that my AVS ask me to pull the pictures of the model and I did. I didn't have to but I did.

If I sounded nasty about it... I didn't mean it to come across that way. I checked for the sets on ounique and couldn't find it. I don't keep very good records so I didn't have the set # or model release forms.

:groovy:

Thanks for the reply, southernexposure. No hard feelings at all. I was mostly concerned that you had an issue that I was not able to help you with. My policy is that I treat others the way I want to be treated, and to hear that something happened and that I didn't have a chance to make it right, well, I went into super customer sevice mode. Just wanted to make sure you knew I wanted to help you. Anyway, I still don't know who you are in our system. I can still help you with this (and in fact, I may have been trying to contact you already). Buzz me when you get the chance. Thanks. :)

southern exposure, check your private e-mail.

I think sometimes this will happen to any content provider, but the good ones like Onique and (we) and others will take care of this and are always willing to give you something extra for this.

I'd like to say that in this particular matter Don at Ounique was way-over-top concerned and helpful. And I have nothing but praise for the way in which he handled things with me.

In my case, after talking to a couple of the models, it seems that an unscrupulous photographer was selling sets of pictures without the model's consent, or rather, they did sign a consent form, but when they hired the photographer it was to do fantasy, personal photo shoots not content for the Internet. So, live and learn.

And I certainly don't hold Ounique responsible for this, there are bound to be unscrupulous people out there who will do anything for a buck.

Thanks Don for running such a above-board, reliable, and friendly service, I couldn't make money without you.

Dzinerbear

Don, I bought a site lock stock and barrel from a UK guy about 4 months ago. In the deal were some 100 sets from Ounique, already used. I dont have the original set names etc....

Now Im a bit worried that I might have these photos, and you didnt email me about them becuase on record would be the original purchaser (although he did clear it with you for a transfer of licenses)

Maybe if someone could post a thumbnail of each of the offending sets, I would recognize it, and in my case, Id just remove the sets. Doesnt matter to me, just dont want to step outside the law.

I know a lot of AVS sites dont have licenses, but me for one, insist on it each and every time.

OR someone please pm me a URL to thumbnails of these sets. Or whatever, Don, lets try and clear this up. Maybe I dont have the sets, but I have some 350 sets from oUnique.

Eek.... like receiving one of those damned recall letters on your latest auto purchase....

This is a photo of the model in question.

southernexposure, thanks a million, a picture tells a thousand words, and this one isnt in my collection.

Ding Dong,

I understand your concern. I have been in the process of contacting every single person who has bought those sets and trying my best to correct the situation, even checking for licese transfers and so on. So if you have not been contacted by me already, you should not have anything to worry about. However, if you ever do have a question about our services or something of this nature, feel free to contact me at sales@ounique.com anytime. :)

Oh, and thanks, Dzinerbear, for the compliment. It was very much apprecaited. :thumbsup: