A week ago, I was shocked to see this page on a popular website. The photo of samosas which has been conveniently posted alongside the ‘Tikka Samosa’ recipe is mine and taken from this blog.It was posted under the title Chicken and corn samosa on July 9,2014.
What infuriated me was instead of giving due credit (forget being decent enough to link it), they mention the source as Chef Jalal Haider. Chef Jalal haider is a celebrity in his own right and definitely doesn’t need to borrow some one else’s work. So, I thought it must have been a mistake and mailed him……No response.
Then I posted a polite comment on the pages (the picture was published on two pages and garnered about 16000 views in all)…….No response.
I posted comments again and every time the comments got deleted.
If it was a personal blog, maybe I would have ignored it. But for God’s sake it is a popular website with scores of sponsors. The picture they are fooling the viewers and the sponsors with doesn’t even have the filling they claim it does.It has chicken and corn in it because it took me a day’s labor, planning,shopping,sweating it out in the kitchen,displaying it,photographing it, writing a post and finally publishing it. It may look like I am ranting on something so trivial but I am sure each and every one of my fellow food bloggers can feel the pain.
They still have the picture on two of their pages:
This is the image posted by me on July 9, 2014 on this blog:
I still have the table place mat and the serving basket:
The Solution to Picture Theft:
I was new to blogging then and did not know about the importance of water marking the pictures. But now I do.
Please watermark the pictures published by you. Make them as prominent as you can without making the photo look bad. After all it’s your hard work and you can’t let it get stolen from right under your nose.
- Learn how to water mark your photos
- You can find some useful tips on Blogmaven.com
Better late than never 😦
Aromas and Flavors from my Kitchen 
Thanks for sharing this. Xxx
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You are welcome dear.
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Xxxx
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I am an artist and my friend who’s very prolific got me to use watermarks on Facebook posts. It’ a great idea!
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I don’t remember to use them though!
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It’s always better to be safe than sorry 🙂
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I know of people this has happened to as well, one was a very popular food tv show in India and they pilfered photo’s and recipes. The blogger successfully got it removed from the site but with a lot of back and forth. My photo’s are not great so to my knowledge they have not ever been pilfered but there could be some floating out there. I have to load some sort of photo app that will allow me to watermark my photo’s. I have a mac and just use iPhoto but I know there are apps out there. Thank you for this and I am sorry it has happened to you and they are such creeps about it.
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Would you mind if I re blog this?
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Please do Suzanne. Thanks for understanding.
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Thank you dear Suzanne for the reblog. Lucky that your friend managed to get the photo removed. Some people thinking anything on the internet is free to use. I love your recipes and photos. Please do something to keep them from being stolen. I am using a watermark app and it is very convenient to use.Thank you for the support.
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I am so sorry this happened to you. A lot of work goes in to making recipe blog post, just to have someone take the credit for something that is not there own. Thank you for sharing this. A lesson for us all.
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It was a lesson learnt the hard way.But I want my friends to be wary of these kind of photo thieves.Thank you for the support..
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Reblogged this on apuginthekitchen and commented:
I thought this is a very useful and important post for everyone. We can all fall victim to the pilfering of our photo’s
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That is so crappy! I just saw on Facebook that it happened to another blogger, and you have convinced me that I am not doing enough to safeguard my own content. Thank you for this post and for the links on watermarking!
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Its always better to be safe than sorry. You especially need to safe guard your photos Julie, because they are getting yummier and more attractive by the day.
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Thank you skd!
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I am sorry this happened to you. It’s really sad popular sites do this without giving due credit. Thank you for sharing this article.
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This was just one picture we chanced to see. For all we know there might be many more floating all over the net. The problem is not with the borrowing, it’s with not giving the credit which bugs all of us. Thank you for the support.
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Yes I fully agree. People should give credit where credit is due. It just requires a small mention on their site. Blatantly lying about it is what irks me.
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This is terrible. I’m so sorry, and I’m so very angry that this happened to you. But that’s just how those kind of people get to where they are today, by using and abusing…stepping on the people who work hard…and they get all the glory. It’s appalling, to say the least.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I’ll be watermarking my photos from now on.
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Isn’t it really infuriating to see that some people have no work ethics. more importantly,no soul. Despite their mistake being pointed out they do not have the basic courtesy to correct it,leave alone apologize for it..Thank you for the support Prudy .
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I’m so sorry this has happened to you, and even worse that they don’t bother to reply!!! Maybe you should ask all your readers to make a comment on their website…?
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So sorry it happened to you dear,I know of people this has happened to much before I started my blog, so I watermark my pics, but these creeps can do anything
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It is indeed appalling Elaine.They are definitely reading the comments, because they get deleted in a few hours.Some of my reader friends did comment on the site. But they chose to be stubborn. I am sure this is not a stand alone case. There might be so many more pictures from different blogs floating out there.Some time when we are free we should go treasure hunting there 🙂
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They sound so rude!!!!
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May I reblog this too?
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Please feel free to do Natascha.
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Thank you. Thanks to your keen advice, I am editing my photos xxx
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Reblogged this on Natascha's Palace and commented:
This is really a great post worth checking out. It will take some time but I will watermark all my photos on my blog to prevent this from happening While you are at it, check out the great blog too 👍😘
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Thank you for the reblog dear. It’s better to make more of our ilk aware of photo pilfering.
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I accidently deleted the reblog yesterday! I have to blog it again. Will learn to do the watermarking xxx
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👍☺
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😘😘😘😘😘😘😘
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things like this really happen and we should be vigilant about this, i hope you don’t mind if i reblog this, thank you
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Thats the sad truth. Please go ahead and reblog it 👍
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Reblogged this on The Sweet & Savory Side of Me and commented:
just a reminder, my dear friends
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You mention that the offending site has sponsors. You could copy and paste a letter to each of them, with a copy to the original offenders, documenting their dishonesty and your attempts to rectify the situation. The copyright is yours, whether watermarked or not.
Virtual hugs,
Judie
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Thank you for the support Judilyn and for the nice advice. My husband was saying the same thing yesterday.I will do that soon. Every time I look at that page, it infuriates me further. The nerve they have is amazing. Any person with a soul would rectify the mistake when pointed out. but I guess that’s how the world is .Thank you for the hugs. I need it now 😦
Hugs and Regards
skd
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I’m so sorry this happened to you, thanks for sharing and the heads up!
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Thank you for the support Lety. I guess some lessons are learnt the hard way !!!
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Outrageous behaviour by the company concerned, you are quite right to name and shame them.
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Thank you for the support and understanding. I waited a good number of days for their response but they chose to play deaf and mute. So, I had no option but to expose them.
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This is ridiculous!
How someone can do this!! Anyways thanks for sharing the cons with many beginners like myself 🙂
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I am sure you can understand my frustration as a fellow blogger, when we know how much hard work goes behind each post. It’s best to safe guard our pictures than ranting later (like me 😀 ) .Thank you for the support Shweta .
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Oh my Suzanne-this is upsetting me terribly because I know your hard work and where your heart is my friend. It is exactly why I do not ever publish post any photo’s of my home, family, or myself never mind Food! When someone like yourself makes a dish, photo’s each step through its completion it galls me that dishonest lazy individuals have the audacity to take from you-I am ranting indeed and I hope they see it and grasp that we bloggers Food blogs or not will always stick together no matter what! Keep reblogging this and notifying everyone Suzanne, I am very sorry this happened to of anyone you!!! Your Florida Bud always, Cheryl
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If this was Suzanne or just reblogged whomever had photo’s and recipes taken from their blog I am very angry about it for you!!!
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Thank you for the support Cheryl. It is really frustrating to see your hard work under some one else’s label. Who can better understand than a fellow blogger. Can I borrow your attorney brother 🙂
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Well first I was confused as to who was being taken advantage of-then I realized it did not matter I was furious at the thought. I’d be livid and I would send Nick after them he’d have a field day! Do not despair we are behind you 100% on this. I am so sorry that it happened to you! Making fellow bloggers alert to it was a brave thing to do! Let’s stop them in their tracks. Your friend, Cheryl
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Thank you Cheryl. Thats so sweet and kind of you. I am so glad so many blogging buddies and fellow bloggers have decided to do something to safeguard their hard work. And thank you for sharing my frustration and making me feel better. One of the good things which happened with this episode is finding a friend like you.
Hugs and regards 💕
skd
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Keep blogging you are very talented indeed. Hugs back at you!!!
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Thank you dear ☺
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This post is so enlightening!
I’m so sorry this happened to you, it’s really messed up. But you taught us a great lesson through your own experience and I can’t thank you enough!!
Chin up lady love ❤❤
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Thank you for the support Dana. I wouldn’t want my blogging buddies to go through the same frustration. You must protect your beautiful pictures from being stolen by fashion websites. Precious things don’t come free , do they ?
Love and hugs ❤ ❤
skd
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Thanks for the info. Now I’m glad my photos are not of that high quality, therefore I doubt someone will want to use them like this.. 🙂
But it’s really sad that people just take whatever they can with no basic decency… 😦
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Your food pics are temptingly delicious.. You must protect them for sure.For all we know, they might already be floating some where and earning big bucks for some one 🙂
It is indeed sad that photo pilfering is becoming a bloggers bane nowadays.. People can make mistakes sometimes, but they should have the courtesy to apologize or at least rectify their mistake when pointed out. . But better late than never. I am so glad so many of my blogging pals are taking this post seriously and learning to watermark their photos.
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That’s terrible. I’m angry for you!
Thanks for sharing your advice. I’ll be doing the same going forwards.
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Please do. Better to protect our hard work than feel bad when they get pilfered later on. Thank you for sharing my frustration.
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Highly frustrating!
Thanks for the information! 🙂
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That’s awful! I never thought of someone using my photos without my permission…Thanks for this information! 🙂
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Even I didn’t think some people can stoop so low, especially big business websites. The problem is not with borrowing, it’s with not giving the due credit that irks all of us bloggers. Thank you for the support Linda.
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Good advice. That’s really annoying. At least you know you have good photos?!
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Haha 😀 Thanks for making me laugh and see the brighter side Amanda. Otherwise, all I have been doing this week was ranting and raving .
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Wow. So sorry. I would feel so cyber violated. Thanks for the warning and advise. Watermarking from now on!
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Better late than never.Thanks for the support and sharing of frustrations 🙂
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Thanks for the advice! I hope it never happen to you again.
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I hope so too dear. It will be the case of once bitten twice shy with me now.
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Because of your post, I am also “marking” my images. Thanks again for your public utility post!
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People who are not afraid of Almighty and for quick and cheap publicity resort to such things.Do not lose heart my dear SKD.He will not go unpunished
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Thank you so much for the support.It is very appalling that a website of such high popularity can resort to cheap tactics. i just wanted my blogging community to be wary of such photo pilfering and safe guard their own hard work.
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Thanks for your suggestions!
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I am so glad you like them. Thank you.
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Thanks for your suggestions!
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I am so glad you like them. Thank you
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I know.. this has been happening to lot of people. I use umark for my watermarks. Its a paid software.but then its worth the money and working out so far..
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I have seen your work. it is really very good. I will make a note of this software. Thank you Vidhya .
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I feel sorry for the episode .By such acts your popularity will definitely increase. It’s heartening to see so many sympathizers .God bless you
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Thank you so much for the support and blessings. Pilfering is becoming a menace for the bloggers. it is better to be safe than sorry.(I cannot see your name.Am I missing out on some one I know)
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This is horrible, thank god for this post, I’m going to be using watermarks from now on 🙂
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It is really horrible. Seeing some one enjoying the fruit of your labor and even minting money with it without the least bit of courtesy to give credit. I am so glad you are planning to safe guard your work. you really must.
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You must write about it on a social networking site, make them feel bad for what they did!
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I am planning to post a link on their website in as many pages as possible and maybe to their sponsors as well. Let’s wait and watch.
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I remember the post because I thought it said Samoas and they are cookies here in the states.
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Thank you so much for remembering it. you are my alibi then 😉 You have been a part of this blog ever since it started. i have high regards for you. I know the samoas you are talking of. what are famously known as the girl scout cookies.I have been wanting to make them for a while now. Thanks for reminding me of them.
Hugs and Regards
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I look forward to the recipe!
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Isn’t that just awful? I would never have thought of watermarking my own pictures, not imagining that anyone would even be interested – just goes to show!
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It is awful and annoying. Pity such a big website has to steal from small time bloggers.
And what are you talking. your photos are most vulnerable for pilfering. They are mouth watering. I can almost feel the crunch of your Streusel pie and the soft juicy tang of your lime cake. You must do something to protect them asap.
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Thank you for your kind words and advice – I will definitely do something! 🙂
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Sorry to hear about that Ana… there are some unscrupulous people around but you’ve done nothing wrong so I hope you’re feeling okay now. Thanks for the tips about watermarking. Though I don’t really see people copying my photos I’ll look into watermarking too… . Thanks again!
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Seriously Lili!! Have you any idea what you are talking about.Your desserts and cakes are to die for. I bet each one of your readers drools at the seductive food pics on your blog. Hurry, Rush,Run,,,,safeguard your pictures.
I was livid initially,but now I am feeling better. I pity them now. That they needed to steal from a small time blogger.
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Thank you for your lovely comments about my desserts Ana! I think some drooling does go on over at my blog, but I recently entered a few photos at FoodGawkers’ gallery because a blogger said it was a good thing to do. Anyway, all my photos got rejected as underexposed/awkward angle/etc. I don’t know much about photography so just assumed my photos must not be very professional! 🙂 But I will look into the watermark thing…
I’m glad you’re feeling better. In the end it’s their problem (and their karma). As another reader said, it shows your photos are good! 🙂
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Hi SKD. Sorry about your unhappy experience. You may have noticed my images are watermarked. That’s because I had an experience similar to yours years ago. It makes one a bit cynical. I’ve even seen whole narratives lifted verbatim from popular cookbooks. Some folks have no class!
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It’s a pity some people have to resort to such cheap tactics.We all know people can’t keep inventing recipes every single day. They need to get inspired from somewhere. It is only simple to give credit to the original publisher. But I guess you are so much more wiser than me and most of my blogging buddies. Prevention is always better than cure.Lesson learnt. Thank you so much for your support.
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Thanks for the tips about watermarking. You deserve to be angry, that is just not right.
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Thank you so much for the support and understanding my point of view. Lesson learnt the hard way.
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To think they can use your images without acknowledging (appropriately cite) your blog as the source and to ignore all of your polite prompts for them to observe writing laws is illegal, disrespectful and arrogant to say the least.
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It is a pity that a big sponsored website needs to steal from small time bloggers. Thank you for sharing the frustration and supporting my cause.
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A timely reminder Suzanne, surely there is a copyright issue here. Threaten them with legal action!! Just today one of my early unmarked photos has been used on another website. While they didn’t seek permission at least they had the decency to add a link back acknowldgement. I also urge all bloggers to watermark photos before posting, but also add a Creative Commons Copyright to cover their blog. It’s free and easy to add the logo/link
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That’s nice of you to make everyone aware of this Ana. Too bad you had to go through so much grief to safeguard your photos. So sorry.
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Thank you for understanding Loretta. I am overwhelmed by the support shown by all my friends and readers.My feelings of shock, anger, frustration have subsided and now I just pity them.
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I find that’ imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’ beneath contempt for celebrity robbers like this. Watermark your lovely pix before he steals them again. I know YOU. I would not want to know him xxx
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Haha. thank you Shehanne for showing me a different perspective to this episode. I feel so much better dear friend.Love and hugs to you and your hamsters ❤ ❤ Did they return your award 🙂
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No darling…they probably ate it! Love to you. . Just boldly nip this in the bud. I wold love to see certain faces when they go to your blog to steal your stuff and they can’t!!!!
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Yup👍☺Thank you for all the motivation and spreading brightness all over my blog💖
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wow Suzanne– that’s crazy– what would it cost a big website like that to give you credit, post a link?? not right.
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PS: You may be surprised to find how widespread your images are. Google some of your blog titles and switch to “Images”. I’ll bet you find a bunch in their galleries.
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I didn’t know that. i will go look right now. Thank you. It was foolish of me to leave the photos unmarked. They must be from my early days of blogging.
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Nowadays I am hearing of this problem very often, watermark is the best solution. I could understand you feelings but I am shocked and angry when it’s done by a popular website.
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Thank you Deepa for feeling my anger. The fact that it is a popular website is what angers me.
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True n even i am not able to tolerate. Dont worry hard work will always be payed. Cheers to you.
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Thanks friend 👍
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I’m so sorry this happened to you and I can understand your anger. Thank you so much for sharing and for all the info.
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Thank you dear Linda. I was angry because it was a popular sponsored website minting money on stolen property. But I guess I should have been more cautious.
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Thank you for the info. I need to learn how to put watermark.
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Please do Fae. I wouldn’t want your precious work pilfered. I know how much hard work and research goes behind each of your posts.
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Must be so frustrating! On the bright side, your photos were worth stealing. You made me think about watermarking them too. Some bloggers use flickr to post their pics and I think you can set the privacy such that they won’t be able to cope and paste onto their site
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Thank you so much for showing me the brighter side to this whole episode and also for your nice suggestions. I will look into the flickr thing. Prevention is so much better than cure.
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Hello, I am new in your blog. Although my blog is not so popular. But I can understand your feeling. Those are really annoying and make you frustrating and angry as well. All your hard work stole from somebody without any appreciated. Also, thanks for your advise and useful information to let’s how to protect our photos.
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Thank you so much for stopping by and understanding my point of view and frustration. I wouldn’t want any of my readers and blogging pals to experience the same thing. Better to be safe than sorry.
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Yup! Wish we all have a happy blogging and meet more people!
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👍☺
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Ana, so sorry to read about this. I can imagine how frustrating this must be for you, after all the hard work you put in it.
Thank you so much for your post and advice!
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Thank you Sandhya for feeling my pain and anger. None of us food bloggers would want our hard work ending up in some one else’s kitty. But I guess i should have been more cautious. Better late than never.
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So trtue Ana. I have a little watermark at the bottom of my photos but am now wondering if that is enough. My photos are not that great, so I don’t think anyone will grab them but it would be very infuriating if they do.
On a personal note, my mother published two cookbooks and was an excellent cook. When I see that people clearly have copied her recipe but have not given her credit, I get very upset. So I understand the pain.
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Sandhya please take a moment and go back to look at your ambrosial mango pie….of course the photos on your blog are drool worthy and steal worthy. And actually most of my photos also have my blogs name at the bottom or top, which makes it very easy to crop and remove. The advantage of water mark which I found out is we can place it over the middle of the photo with out making it look bad.
And wow! Culinary skills and writing talent runs in your genes. Do share the names of the books with us sometime. Maybe we can get hold of the copies. It is really pathetic that people resort to plagiarism. But as Shehanne said, on the brighter side imitation is the best form of flattery. It goes to prove your moms work is excellent. Do protect your work dear 👍
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Ana, Thank you so much! I am so touched by your words!
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