Something very wrong happening at Sony World Photography Awards 2011 Shortlist
Black and White Photography-634

Hello Nobuyuki,
It has been a while since the competition but the whole thing still bothers me so I decided to post my comment, as you never replied to any of my emails sent to you.
I find it sad that my greatest success was somehow spoilt by your accusations.
Like I said before I have NOT seen your photo before taking mine. I posted my pictures in Amateur Photographer website but I didn't see the (printed) issue with your photo, which I believe wasn't posted on their website.
I used different camera and lens and used ND filter to get the 15sec exposure to blur out people. I cropped the picture simply because it is more interesting this way. Angle of the photo and conversion to b&w would be I think an obvious choice for any decent photographer visiting the place, which simply dictates the taking technique.
My view is also shared with World Photography Oraganisation, which awarded me the first place despite your attacks and gave me their full support.
Besides, so many people before and after you have taken the photo in similar way, I cannot understand how can you claim that it is your (artistic) property.
I honestly felt like I have taken a photo of Big Ben or Tower Bridge and someone who did so in similar fashion accused me of plagiarism.
The worst thing is that when typing my name in web search engines your damaging articles show up in first positions (apparently because you are using my full name in them just the right amount of times), and my website mtimages.net is still fairly far behind.
I just find it shameful that someone can be using my name and achievements to direct traffic to his website.
All in all I think you are good enough photographer to make it without ‘dodgy’ tricks and despite all this I wish you all the best for your photographic future. I just want to put the whole incident behind, and focus on my photography and other positive things in life .

Marek Troszczynski | 31/10/2011 23:16:34

Hi Jeremy
I have seen your work while I was doing my research when the conflict happened with Sony World Photography Award. I was very happy to see you credit on me by acknowledging you had been inspired by my work.
Don’t worry I don’t come after you, enjoy photography ;)

Nobuyuki Taguchi | 02/04/2011 10:36:59

Nobuyuki,

as you know I was inspired by your composition of the Natural History museum too, and acknowledged that fact on my own website.

My version of the Natural History Museum one appeared in a number galleries on my site, and not all of them carried the appropriate caption - I've just uploaded some more photos and corrected my previous omission, which was one of oversight, rather than anything more sinister.

The fact is of course that photographers the world over see a great composition and will try to make their own version. I imagine that one particular landing stage in the Lake District every day has a queue of photographers armed with tripods around dawn for example.

It is just so unusual to see a composition so striking, and different, and so any similar images are bound to attract allegations of plagiarism.

I for one would not have entered my version in a competition, but the reality is that it is a different picture. It was taken using different equipment and the angle is different, but then I never set out to copy your work, only to interpret the scene in my own way, using your image as inspiration.

Anyway, thank you for helping me to see a place I had often visited in a different way.

Jeremy Carter | 02/04/2011 10:10:11

Hi Leon
Thank you for your comment.

WPO did their research after they received my claim letter, and they found many similar photos of National History Museum on the internet alone. It will be very difficult to do this with every magazine available, however I believe any organization that runs similar companions should conduct some kind of research before awarding photographer to avoid this kinds of controversy.

Nobuyuki Taguchi | 28/03/2011 09:43:33

i note with interest that there are similarities between the 2 photographs however i wonder how many other similar shots have been taken of this very public building but are not in the public domain, when somebody claim claim copyright on a public building is very debatable. although the shots are similar there are significant differences. if i enter a photographic competition does that mean i have to trawl through every magazine available to see if an accidental coincidence exists before i submit my entry. did he know of your photograph, i don't know. i have never seen it until i looked at the competition results and seen the controversy arising from it. nearly all artistic competitions seem to generate controversy of some kind. congratulations to all the winners

leon kremer | 28/03/2011 02:55:25

Dear David

Thank you for your comment.
I would like not to make further comment on this matter as WPO closed the case.

But since you have asked a question, I would like to clarify that I don’t regret not entering the competition. Even if I had, I could not have posted this picture because of their rules.

I have looked at your blog, and I find the picture of “Birds Flight at Dawn” is absolutely beautiful.

Regards

Nobuyuki Taguchi | 27/03/2011 17:16:59

Dear Noboyuki

I have also taken a picture of this scene, only in my case I was directly inspired by your photo. I have posted my picture on my photo blog and on Facebook.

I personally wouldn't be inclined to enter this photo for any paying competitions, as I don't know whether it would ever have occurred to me to take this picture without having seen yours; although I did enter another version for a "for fun" competition, where I credited your picture as the inspiration. Nonetheless, it is not entirely clear to me that Marek Troszczynski would have been guilty of plagiarism, even if he had known about your picture (and I find it hard to believe that he didn't). For one thing, he has not used a fish-eye view, and he has also captured the scene without people (presumably first thing on a Monday morning). Also, with so many iconic sights in London, can any one photographer stake a claim to a particular scene?

I'm perhaps playing Devil's Advocate a bit here, as I'd probably feel a bit miffed in your place too.... but could part of that be because you didn't enter the competition (I assume) and Marek Troszczynski did?

David

David Hardman | 27/03/2011 15:09:53

As Marek Troszczynski posts his works on to the Amateur Photography website, I assumed he reads the magazine “Amateur Photographer” which published my photography work. There is also a case of a photographer who created his own version of my work after he saw it in the magazine.

I wondered why Marek Troszczynski has cropped his image and why it is in black and white.
However all my doubts were proved to be wrong when Marek Troszczynski denied knowledge of my work.

I have learnt the complexity of plagiarism, and I would like to share my experience so that others will learn from my mistake.

I would like to thank WPO for the time spent on my claim.

Nobuyuki Taguchi | 23/03/2011 21:31:50

Dear Nobuyuki,

Thank you for your email, blog posting and letter noting your concerns regarding the image shortlisted within our awards.

We are looking into this matter and are discussing it with the photographer in question and also the jury.

We wish you to know, we take both plagiarism and the accusation of plagiarism very seriously indeed. We should also note that many public landmarks and viewpoints are pictured by many people from similar or exact vantage points and as such, we are always cautious about accusing before we can ascertain the facts.

We will be in contact with you personally soon.

Many thanks and kindly,

World Photography Organisation

World Photography Organisation | 22/03/2011 12:19:30