Forever Slave vs. Zhang Jingna
Zhang Jingna, also known as Zemotion on many art sites, is a professional photographer. One of her most popular pictures is a piece she calls "Redemption":
Redemption
A while ago, it was brought to her attention that a female metal band by the name of "Forever Slave" had taken this artwork, thrown a filter over it, and had drawn the body on for their cover of their album "Tales for Bad Girls":
Forever Slave's "Tales for Bad Girls" album cover.
Zhang knows of the theft, and you can read her response to it here: http://zemotion.deviantart.com/art/Redemption-52628727 . And here is a journal of hers linking to other works that were stolen: http://zemotion.deviantart.com/journal/19677587/
She sent a cease and desist, but was never gotten back to. She says she does not have the funds or the time to pursue it. Blatant thieves like this disappoint me.
April 4th, 2011 - 14:13
Eugh… I’m not so much angry at the theft as much as they murdered her beautiful photograph with that much smudge tool. What an ugly cover.
April 4th, 2011 - 14:52
Looked through her gallery, there is some excellent work in there. She just needs a better agent.
April 4th, 2011 - 14:54
Just had another thought. There is a second album cover with this same image. Maybe there is a strategy where she can get the two record labels to start fighting over the image.
April 9th, 2011 - 10:33
Surely with such a cut and dry case there would be a lawyer out there who would take it on contingency!
April 10th, 2011 - 01:14
Actually they did get back to her if you read the journal, they aren’t going to stop using it though which sucks, I am a photographer myself and it makes me wonder how many of my images may be used like this.
April 10th, 2011 - 13:30
Get a lawyer, I’m seeing money. The only way they could have gotten that picture is through her, and they did not pay her.
April 20th, 2011 - 18:09
I’m the artist of the picture and we payed the photograper when she contact me. I ask the girl that delete her journal because she got money. But her disappeared with the money and she left the comments. So I imagine that she want to become popular with this jam. My customer Forever Slave was the first one that press the label and me to pay her, when they knew we make a cover of her picture.
You can enter at the website of our customer and read the credits to her too.
Before to talking badly about people, most of one and two should inform
K.S
April 28th, 2011 - 13:17
K.S, whoever you are, are you freaking kidding me? Paid me? Show me the proof of payment and my invoice, can you? I’d never been paid for this picture you/they ripped, at the very least, have some shame.
April 30th, 2011 - 18:28
K.S:
I don’t think anyone would ever willingly let you draw over and completely mess up their beautiful pictures on purpose.
April 12th, 2012 - 19:01
some of your articles are so well written that looks like poetry. congratulations.http://www.marmil.org