Frank Caico's Blog

Okay you guys.  Time is running out for entries into the next JPEG magazine.   If you guys haven't voted for me yet then what are you waiting for?

Seriously, the registration for JPEG magazine is like 4 lines of entry!  You can't even take 30 seconds to help a brutha out?

Some dance studio by the name of Viva Dance Studio decided to use one of my best photos from the Rochester Steven & Virginie '05 workshop to promote their upcoming S & V workshop.   They didn't bother to ask me for permission, they didn't even link back to the web page where they found my picture.  And on top of it, they reproduced the image in print to use on their flyers!  (not to mention the fact that they made it look awful to boot).  You can see what their lousy reproduction of my picture turned out like Here.

This is the first time I've found someone blatantly ripping off my stuff and it bothers me a little bit.  Especially since I probably would have granted them permission if they had just asked.  It also makes me mad that this isn't some not-for-profit dance group - its a commercial dance studio.

I sent them this letter:

To Viva Dance Studio:

Its come to my attention that you are using one of my photographs in your advertising for the Steven & Virginie workshop without any permission from me. The image I am speaking of is this one:

This is essentially stealing and I am not happy that you did it without making the slightest overture of asking my permission. I gave Steven & virgine permission to use my pictures on THEIR website, but I gave no such permission to anyone else. I retain all rights to my images and they have not been marked as "creative commons" or any other rights usable without my explicit permission.

I sell my own images, and I'm sure my customers wouldn't appreciate the fact that artwork they have purchased as limited is being reproduced in unlicensed, uncontrolled prints.

I would ask that you add a credit on your website indicating that the picture was taken by me; Frank Caico and point a link back to the original web page you found it at. If you don't comply with that request, then I would ask that you remove the image from your website and discontinue its use altogether.

Thank you for your compliance in this matter.

Frank Caico

I think I'm being more than generous here.  Lets see if these guys honor my wishes.

JPEG Magazine's next issue is being prepared and they have 3 themes for which they are taking entries.

They are Entropy, Breakthrough, and Beauty Redefined.

I've entered a picture in each of the 3 categories and would really appreciate it if you guys could vote for me!

Here are the 3 pictures I've entered:

http://jpgmag.com/photos/77199
http://jpgmag.com/photos/77186
http://jpgmag.com/photos/77183

If I get in, I'll be published in the magazine, *and* I'll get $100!

Thansk!

Fred (My boss) has been judged a finalist in a national photography contest sponsored by Canon Inc.   Here's the image he got in for:

If he wins, he gets a Canon Rebel XTI!   You can find a link to the competition where you can vote for his photo here.  Regardless of whether he wins or not, if you vote you could win!  Please don't try and vote multiple times as cheating could get him disqualified, but please do vote!  It would be great to see Fred take this thing.

I thank you, and Fred thanks you!

Hiking Home

More Colorado photography here.  That's good ol' John Dyer in the photo.  JD, Annette, Angela and I went for a hike in Boulder.  It was a really grey day and I thought this pic looked much better in B&W. 

The weather has been GREAT the past few days.  I actually went to work wearing short sleeves and no jacket today.  Of course its going to hurt that much more when the snow arrives on Saturday. :-/ 

At least the warmer weather gave me an oppurtunity to put a few coats of polyurethane on my latest woodworking project. 

I spoke to my doctor yesterday about my arm(s) again.  We've decided to hold off on any surgery for a while and will try some Physical Therapy.  I think he suggested Ultrasound treatment.  My right arm does feel stronger than it did a month ago, so I'm hoping that with some P.T. it will heal and not require any invasive surgery. 

I'm slowly getting through processing photos I took while in Colorado.  This one, of a snow leopard was taken at the Denver Zoo.

I hope everyone has a happy Holloween this year. It looks like the weather is going to cooperate nicely! Its warmer today than its been in weeks. Just to get you in the mood, here is a great collection of Holloween themed photos courtesy of my good friend Thomas Hawk.

Now if I can just remember to get some trick-or-treat candy for the lil' tykes before I get home...

After a long absence, Woody Dodge finally came out of hiding Saturday of this weekend. In an act of defiance against the beleaguered Bush administration, the vigilante rock band once again defied judicial edict and played for a standing room only crowd this last Saturday at Monty's Krown.

While Red Cross staff was on hand, the evening went without incident and no major injuries were reported.

Click here to see photos from the event.

I know most of you are out of town tonight, but for those of you that are staying; Tonight is the reception for the Photography show I am part of.

Please join me!

The Swamp

Okay, so yesterday I was out at Best Buy waiting for a stereo un-install. While I was waiting, I decided to walk around outside and take some pictures. So I walked out by the "swamp" which exists next to Marketplace mall and took some pictures of thistles, flowers the occasional pallette mired in mud etc. I wasn't there 15 minutes when a Security guard stopped and came over to me and asked me what I was doing. When I told him I was taking pictures he laughed, paused and then said; "Well, you can go ahead and take pictures, but we can't be held responsible to anything that happens to you.". To anything that happens to me? What does he think is going to happen? Will I be swallowed by an alligator?

Its just nuts. This (the USA) society is so paranoid about legal repurcussions, security, and privacy that its getting to the point that I sometimes don't feel comfortable taking pictures even in places where people don't want to look at, much less care about. I hear people in London are having trouble just taking candid shots on the street without being accused of casing a joint for terrorist purposes.

Madness!