Hope Just Got Real

October 19th, 2009

Shepard Fairey (the guy that made the now famous Obama HOPE poster) was very quickly accused of stealing by the person who took the original photo on which the image is based. Now, he says that the argument over which photo it is based on has shifted to his admittance of lying on the issue. The point is, this whole issue has been going on since the election and is still going. This joint is getting real. LINK.

Are you a designer? Ever use a photo for reference? Think Shepard was wrong to use the photo like this? Think it’s only an issue because his poster got so popular (I know I do)? Your thoughts! I want them!

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Brian

My primary issue, not only with this but with Shepard Fairey's work at large, is that almost everything he does is appropriated from sources he does not credit. If he disclosed the source material of his images (some of which are exact with the exception of color changes) I'd have less issue with the man. As he stands I think he's a hack, a liar, and a hypocrite. Truth is, despite how much work that belongs to other people that Fairey steals, he's been very aggressive towards people he sees doing the same to him.

If he died in a fire tomorrow, I'd find the fire to shake his hand.
B-town

As an IP lawyer with (a small amount of) experience hassling graphic designers who have misappropriated others photographs, yeah, this is only an issue because Fairey's work got popular. The only way it's worth paying an attorney to going after a (mis)appropriator is if the misappropriator's work gets somewhat big and you have a chance of making money back. Conversely, if you spent a lot of time chasing after every copyright violation, you would quickly go broke.

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