Of all the occurrences out there, the most annoying are those from people that should know better - one of these people is Chef Al Rosas, the self-proclaimed Organic Chef.
If you visit his site (wwwDOTorganicchefmonthlyDOTcom) you'll notice he has trademarked and copyrighted his content and then you'll notice a photo of something he calls Chef Al's Rabid Raisin Rice Pudding.
Do you recognize any of your photos here?One looked oddly familiar - why, yes it is. That's my photo
Last night I sent my email demanding its removal & informing them that I will file DMCA's if it isn't and woke up this morning to this response by Erin Rosas
"FIrst (sic) of all your mediocre photo is all over the internet. You go ahead and seek further action, if you have time to do that you probably are still looking for work. Don't threaten me and I'd govern yourself accordingly when calling people names and making allegations or you might find yourself on the other end of a libel suit you petulant starving artist."
Needless to say since my photo is still there, DMCA will be filed today. I'll let you make up your mind about their ethics.
*Note*
As of this afternoon, the photos have been removed from their servers. Their behavior remains on record.
Update:
As is the case with most photo thieves, they don't just do it once. If you need a reminder just check out the behavior of Chef Jasper J Mirabile.
As mentioned by Towser in the comments below, the Rosas' have taken material from Bee of Rasa Malaysia - do read her post
As Cath also notes the other rice pudding photo is also stolen - this time from Delicious Wisdom.
If I could take the time to make this request. If your content or photo has been stolen DO NOT simply let it pass and let them get away with it with an offer to credit or link to you. All that does is justify their actions. The principle involved is worth much more than a link.
*Update 2:*
Further articles about this issue:
The Kittalog
Use Real Butter
Rasa Malaysia
Slashfood
Chowhound
Well Done! Chef!
Spread the word.
Oh my goodness! Scruples or ethics just don't seem to exist anymore. More power to you - hope you're successful getting him offline! I've only had one person grab my blog content (just one - photo plus the post) and this guy even re-wrote with his name as author - including some advertising within the post. His site went down soon thereafter, so probably somebody else shut him down. I tried to include my url in your "Comment as" section below but blogspot just won't accept it no matter how I enter it - as an email address or url. Carolyn T at tastingspoons.com
My gosh, the nerve of them =\\ I've always wondered what to do when my blog content has been grabbed...
Wow that's crazy, and what a response!
Oh my goodness - that is just such a rude response! I hope you get them.
Goodness that is rude.Hope you really take it up with these people.Good luck.We are behind you.
So now only are Al and Erin thieves, they're rude as well. I just visited their site, and your picture is gone, just a big blank white space :)
How incredibly rude - although the picture is now off his site and when you click into the link that was there, it shows another (nowhere near as nice) shot of rice pudding.
What B/S. That is rude and WRONG. I'm glad you posted this.
Looks like the pic is down now. Sooo sorry that had to happen to you.
Thank you all for the support. Hopefully they will think twice before knocking off "mediocre" photos from the net.
Instead of apologizing they have such a nerve and attitude not only stealing content but also downrating your job.
He should be ashamed of himself, not only for stealing your picture and pretend it's his, but that response is really #^%@&#%*&@#%*^, no words for that. How dare he! Not much of a chef that he can't even make his own pud to photograph and talking down like that to you, what an idiot!
So glad the photo is down now... I wonder why he steals photo that are "mediocre"; conclusion: mediocre chef then...
A pity, a shame, and very lame. Thanks for outing them.
What nerve! And to be so rude and vindictive in the response--it's easy to get defensive when you know you're wrong.
Hmmph! If they thought your photo was mediocre, then why did they steal it? They are not only unethical, but from that response, they sound like jerks too. Go get 'em!
what a fraud. and so nasty...
Suggestion - find a place to review that farm online and reference your blog post. What an awful response! She is just plain wrong! and rude!
shame on them! I am still amazed at how blatantly rude their response can be when they are clearly in the wrong.
You don't need me to reassure you, but I'll say it anyway, you photos are fab!!! :-)
That's pure butthead behavior if you ask me. You absolutely did the right thing.
Dan
Casual Kitchen
Sorry you went through so much with this. I found out recently people not only were using my images, they were hotlinking them! I was able to stop that practice through my .htaccess file.
What I really wanted to comment on was the rice pudding. Has been AGES since I've had any. And I do so love it. I'm not a chef. I barely can boil water! But I think it's high time I try my hand at it. Again, that rice pudding looks so good. ;-)
How RUDE of them! The cheek! I am so glad you've outed them.
Wow... That 'you petulant starving artist' nearly knocked me off my seat. She's got some spunk! But it reeks badly.
I just wonder if people like that see the paradox in their actions:
1. think a thing (a photo, in this case) is worth stealing
2. that it's worth placing on their site
3. and proclaiming it their own
and then...
4. calling it mediocre
while
5. not removing it
I hope it didn't irk you too much and you were able to laugh at the absurdity :) .
Darls, I am certain that more people know your work than his. I mean, who is he?
That response is bizarre, actually and your work is far from mediocre. I hope he starves.
Thank you all for the support - it is frustrating enough to have things stolen but then to cop that type of attitude, it just makes the mind boggle.
On the website it says that they are "award winning eco-speakers" - I hope her response isn't an example of her abilities.
It seems that they are serial offenders:
http://www.rasamalaysia.com/2009/02/open-letter-to-those-who-steal.html
Have to wonder at their professionalism (or lack thereof).
The picture stealing then gets worse...when you click on the link (where your photo once was) the next page has another rice pudding photo. just by typing rice pudding into google and looking at the images, who would have thought, another bloggers site comes up with that image! My bet is his rice pudding looks like muck, and he had to steal your 'mediocre' image to jazz it up. How sad for him...the loser. BTW your pudding shot looks fab, and i just may have to make some myself
Thats awful!! Well done! That is why I allways put my watermark on every picture I make, see www.sophiesfoodiefiles.blogspot.com. Then they can not take your picture because your watermark is on it! Or do you have a copyright? So, I hope this will help! Bye for now!
My watermark is transparant, but it sticks on your photo & it doesn't disturb you!
This piracy is sinful.
Paz
I couldn't believe he replied you with such an arrogant comment, geez. What a shame with all these supposedly real chef.
Oh for god's sake. Way to alienate the exact population you want to cultivate.
Spread the word!
Their reply shows that they are really unprofessional and unethical. Hope more people will know about these incidents.
I think the true nature of Al and his ilk is made clearer with their "deflection" of a response which totally ignores the fact that they STOLE your work. The law is on your side. I think it's important for everyone to know the character of that business. In these economic times, I doubt this sort of word-of-mouth will help them. Not to mention the words coming out of their own mouths will surely dig their own graves. I'll spread the word. More power to ya.
Just flabbergasted. What a reply too! Unbelievable.
What an idiot! Good for you for following it up - and personally I think that's the finest rice pudding photo I ever saw (must...make...rice...pudding)
I can give someone the benefit of the doubt for not fully understanding the internet when they start out and copyright law isn't easy. I know I made mistakes at first.
What is not forgivable, however, is the attitude, the lack of humility or apology and the rudeness of the response. They clearly don't 'get' the internet, otherwise they might have guessed at how fast news of their despicable behaviour would travel online and how easily they would muddy their own reputation.
I have the same issue with our company - nothing to do with food but our competitors steal my photos all the time. It is amazing how unethical some people are. I agree fight back and reclaim your work. I disagree with the above post, anyone in business knows all about copyright and knows when a posted photos is not their own. I have had all the excuses such as “my web people didn’t know” “I haven’t seen that one” etc…. What kind of chef are you that you can not take your own photo of your own work, and then the bare faced cheek of being rude when caught out. Unbelievable!
The Rosas' can't claim to be novices - they have gone to the extent of even trademarking the phrase "the organic chef". They also have their own Youtube channel! These are internet savvy people.
Claire - funny thing is when you ask them to give you the name of the web person, they can't remember!
So disgusting, what a bloody cheek.
so sorry. will do my part as a food writer/journalist to get the word out and blast them.. that response was disgusting.
that is infuriating and the reply email is completely insulting...the rosa's should be ashamed.
Just out of curiosity was your photo trademarked?
It might of been on a stockphoto site if it wasn't and they might of gotten it from there.
Thanks Bren - I think the best way to deal with this problem is to shine a light on it and we do that by posting and passing on the information.
Braden - I was going to explain about copyright in relation to photography but the then I happened to check your IP and found you are in Florida. Hmmm, very interesting.
OH dear it looks like the rabid chef has done a bit of housecleaning of late. None of the copyright images or pages exist anymore - and i have to say it's lovely to look now at his woeful food photos. Photos of food I WOULD NEVER WISH TO COOK!
Isn't it lovely to think that the silent yet strong voice of the internet may have made him change his ways - even if only for a time.
Oh...I think you'll find that copyright is pretty similar in america too. It's implied and does not need not be specified. If you took the shot, or wrote the piece it belongs to you until you give someone else rights to use it. I may be wrong though...
Thank you for sharing this. Based on the comment from Erin I wouldn't consider EVER buying from them. Lovely blog by the way.
A few of us in the Korean food blogosphere found that a new upstart, DolsotBibimbap.com, was regularly stealing entire posts without giving any credit. They took it down when we told them we were on to them. But like you said, the behavior has been noted.
Hi, came here fr Rasa Malaysia. Can't help feeling outrage reading that reply. What a bit*h!
I just read the wiki on them and can't believe how many awards they got. If only those boards know what kind of people they (al rosas) really are.
So, your picture is mediocre but good enough to steal and claim as his own. Nyeeeeeeah, what what a nincompoop, what a doofus, what an ultra maroon. Starving artist. What a Prince of Non Sequiturs. I'm totally appled. I mean appalled.