Other photographers copying your images?

Its been something bothering me for a while now so i thought i'd see what u guys would say?
Over the last 2 years of so i have been building up quite a libary of local landscapes of my area and they have become quite well known around the town and with the locals.
I post most of my images on flickr and display them in a few local groups for others to see and about 2 months ago a guy from the same town as me joined the flickr group and has basically been copying my images to the extent that it looks like he has been printing out my pics and tracing the exact location where i took it and replcating the exact shot i took every time.

Now i know its a free country and all and i enjoy a bit of competition as much as the next man but this is starting to get annoying!
Its got to the stage where i'll take a shot post it onto flickr and within 2 days he has been to the exact same spot to replicate the shot i have taken.
I like to think that my shots are pretty original and not copied from anyone elses idea or view but when i have someone replicating everything i do i just feel like my originality and style of photography is being lost

I was going to drop the guy a polite email to ask him to try something new instead of copying my pictures all the time but i dont want to upset anyone..

Does anyone know where i stand on this issue??

I feel ya. There is someone in one of my photo classes who copies techniques that I use. I think thats pretty extreme that he is literally copying EVERYTHING you are doing. I don't think an email is out of line, but thats just me.

This is an example of what i mean..
The first shot is my one of which i have sold to local businesses and is a popular seller..

There was a thread a while back about how this kind of thing actually constitutes a copyright violation, and a lot of people lost lawsuits over copied images, even though they made the copies photographs themselves, copying only the location, idea and composition.

The image/link to his shot doesn't work btw. And since he made it, you might wanna post a link instead of an image.

Oh wow that's pretty bad. If it were me I'd probably give the person an earful haha. Polite email might be the better way, especially if you point out that this is actually considered a form of copyright violation (I wish I could find that link for you).

Some real nice work on your flickr, by the way

I wonder how many people I pissed off by taking photos at Epcot and NASA in Florida. Oh wait, no. I don't really care.

perryge wrote in post #4936228
Oh wow that's pretty bad. If it were me I'd probably give the person an earful haha. Polite email might be the better way, especially if you point out that this is actually considered a form of copyright violation (I wish I could find that link for you).

Some real nice work on your flickr, by the way

Ha... thanks

Well, your photo is a heck of a lot better than his..

I would be sending him a polite email showing him some examples where you believe he has copied you.

I agree, Dan's is better, haha.

cdifoto wrote in post #4936233
I wonder how many people I pissed off by taking photos at Epcot and NASA in Florida. Oh wait, no. I don't really care.

Je ne comprends pas, Don

bubbawillums,
Sorry but I am not on your side in this situation.
I looked at yours and the other photo by GriBBsY's on Flickr and they are different photos taken at different times. Seeing how you don't own the location you really have no right or reason to complain.

If someone takes a photo of a Dandelion weed am I not allowed to do the same thing?

I like Gribbsy's photo better, just my opinion

Instead of letting it bother you, why not try to get together and try to work (or compete) on a project together?

John_B wrote in post #4936345
bubbawillums,
Sorry but I am not on your side in this situation.
I looked at yours and the other photo by GriBBsY's on Flickr and they are different photos taken at different times. Seeing how you don't own the location you really have no right or reason to complain.

If someone takes a photo of a Dandelion weed am I not allowed to do the same thing?

I like Gribbsy's photo better, just my opinion

Instead of letting it bother you, why not try to get together and try to work (or compete) on a project together?

i've actually suggested to the group on flickr that we all meet up and share skills etc and go out on a day together taking photos.
I appreciate your opinion and that was the whole point of my post to get a balanced view on the subject.

Yeah, I kind of agree with john now. I looked through your flickr, and his, and he certainly is a talented photographer, he doesn't just go around copying. Also it's true that both shots are different enough to distinguish them. He has that thing in the foreground, for one.

John_B wrote in post #4936345
bubbawillums,
Sorry but I am not on your side in this situation.
I looked at yours and the other photo by GriBBsY's on Flickr and they are different photos taken at different times. Seeing how you don't own the location you really have no right or reason to complain.

If someone takes a photo of a Dandelion weed am I not allowed to do the same thing?

I agree. If only one person were ever allowed to take a photo of a certain situation, composition whatever then there would be nothing to take photos of because pretty much everything has been photographed by someone.

I am also of the point of view that a person cannot own a view of a bridge. How many people before you may have taken a similar image of the same location. You could be just as guilty as the person you are accusing but it is not covered because they aren't posted in your flickr group. I would really like to think that alot of my landscapes are unique. I fully know alot better, particularly when it comes to significant structures or landmarks.

I know it can be irritating, particularly when they are posting into the same flickr group. You know what they say, imitation is the greatest form of flattery. I doubt that any court in the land would side with you on this. There have even been a view cases where the photographer thought that his poses of people were being infringed upon by other and sued. He lost.

That guy has some really cool photos