Photographers battle piracy too
By Rosli Abidin Yahya 

Piracy of intellectual property is not limited to CDs, VCDs, DVDs and computer software as quality prints taken by local professional and semi-professional photographers have also been targetted. Photographers claimed that they were surprised to see their works of art appearing in magazines and billboard advertisements without their permission, let alone payments.

They could pinpoint the piracy to at least one photo shop, which allegedly copied their products and sold them to the public.

They added at least one establishment had been allegedly involved in re-printing their products without their knowledge.

"Now I always wait for my films to be processed as in the past, the establishment took a copy of my quality prints without my knowledge since I was not there to watch them. The shop then re-photographed my prints using a digital camera and printed the copies many times.

"Worst of all, the establishment sold all the copies complete with picture frames to interested members of the public," said a professional photographer.

When the photographers inquired about the prints, the manager just shrugged his shoulders without the slightest awareness and acknowledgement that such piracy is wrong.

The photographers underlined the importance of concerted efforts to combat violations against intellectual property rights such as involving their prints.

"There is a need to establish a special programme to fight such unlawful practices. Piracy is killing off talents and skills as some of us depended on such ability for a living," the photographers said.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin