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Prevent Plagiarism Day -- And Leave the Infringment Incident Behind You


In recognition of World Book and Copyright Day, on Thursday, April 23, 2015, I wrote some thoughts I never posted, mainly due to my life taking a fast turn and becoming insanely busy. The ten months since then have truly reiterated the thoughts I expressed in honor of the day intended to promote copyrighting not just books but all art forms. I have had confirmation of my belief that I was ready to let go of infringement bothering me and truly move on, not just verbally and jokingly, but deep inside. 
 
Today, in honor of Prevent Plagiarism Day, I have decided to post this blog. February 19th is intended to be "an annual observance that raises awareness about 'high-tech cheating,'" according to Jace Shoemaker-Galloway of The Examiner, which is the type of "cheating" I fell victim to.


This is what I wrote on April 23rd, edited a few times over the year, as well as given a final edit today:

As I have previously mentioned, due to certain events the past couple years, I have really analyzed my Adobe Photohop skills, including comparing them to others. What I realized was I was indeed wrong about my skill level, but not in the way I feared. I had grown better than I was giving myself credit for. This is a hard conversation to have, as I am not conceited in thinking I am the best but have learned to drop modesty to be realistically proud of my strengths, which is thanks to past criticism about me I never found to be entirely true.

Once upon a time, I discovered someone used images other people, including myself, did most of the artwork to in their portfolio, presenting them as solely her own work. Some of these photo restorations contained equal work of ours, but with several of the images, I finished the most difficult parts, often after being specifically asked to by the future offender. With a couple of the restored photographs, the other artist literally only made a few brush strokes to the final image!

When confronted, the person claimed she was not using the images for such a purpose but only saving them as a reference of her work. Two years later, this excuse proved to be untrue. People say plagiarism is the highest form of flattery, and I do understand now where that saying comes from. Although it's upsetting to have happen to you, it is a very high compliment when you think about it.

As I celebrate many years of achievement and growth in photography and image editing, this ordeal no longer bothers me the way it used to. I look at that work from several years ago now and would never use it to represent me. I have done such amazing artwork since then, completely on my own, that I would never need to use images I co-authored as samples in a portfolio. I look at it as if portions of my old, not-that-great work is her best, then she needs it in her portfolio more than I do!  It wouldn't surprise me if my talent and teaching is helping her land digital imaging jobs.

In a few cases of these stolen images, as well as designs, I had edited the version she considered to be final, often extensively. Instead of using her last copy in her portfolio -- the image representational of the editing she considered complete and the best artwork she, herself, was capable of doing -- she saved the version I changed and fixed for her. Yes, it was the final image given to the original's owner or the graphic used in the end product, but this artist had her own version she could honestly say was her creation without most ever knowing it was not the copy used. So, why use my work in her portfolio? Did she lack that much confidence in her own work? Realize it wasn't good enough quality?

I had a graphic design teacher in college who said to always incorporate our initials or names into designs, so it was proof it was ours. I have sometimes used my own photos to fill in pieces of photographs I retouch and restore, kind of like putting a part of myself in the work. It cracks me up that an image that contains my own photography is being used as an example of someone else's photo editing, especially since the subject itself of my hidden photo is representational to me -- a shot of the dawn -- acting as a subliminal pun I intentionally used. The plagiarist most likely has no idea that I am there hiding in the image, proof I did the majority of the work on it, evidence that she could not do what I can do on her own.

Yes, go ahead and keep using it as an example of yours. I chuckle how you are illustrating both your lack of talent as well as your admiration in my work in that you think it's better than your own individual editing.  Using images you co-authored shows you do not like your own work and implies you do not have any great portfolio samples that are truly yours. In my opinion, this renders you a faux artist. I am so much better than that, in both my photo artwork and ethics!

It has taken me a long time to fully accept that some other artists and photographers are less ethical than me and more concerned with having great samples to promote themselves rather than work they can honestly say is entirely their own, images truly representational of their given abilities. It is a shame people like that are able to make it in this business by claiming others' hard work is solely theirs. I know for me, once her integrity was destroyed, I questioned any work said to be hers. I personally never want to get that reputation, so I try to always give credit where credit is due. I would never want to do to another photographer or artist what was done to me all those years ago.

But, I don't have to worry about ever putting myself in such a position because I believe in my own abilities and stand by my artwork.  There will never be a need to pretend the work of another is mine because I constantly strive to further develop my own skills to be greater than they were yesterday.



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