what the frick

For all of you who use unlicensed music with your slideshows and videos: pay attention. . . .

Very scary!
The text you saw wasn't Arabic. It is Farsi language.

This is very sad.

Getty probably doesn't want your picture because it has already gone so wild spread and would be copyright hell for them.

freaking crap that nuts! Thanks for sharing this Fstoppers!

Exposure is great to an extent but this is crazy...surprised not much he can do about it, I mean it is his face that was stolen. Obviously that facial expression was in high demand...I wonder now how many are going to replicate that pose?

Love the exposure and cover that he got but it's unfortunate that he became a victim of internet pilferage.

good on you for telling this story

Poor Guy

Funny, I've made a couple of pics a few years back without knowing this one.
Stange similarity !

samuel-maurin.com/samuel-maurin-art-08.jpg

What was the original license of the picture on flickr?

Nice video, thanks for sharing ! Small tip: go a little easier on the sound effects (e.g. music) next time, their volume was a bit too high.

Very nice story thanks for sharing its up at thecuriousbrain.com/

the beauty of the creative commons is that it allows others to reappropriate people's work. i found out recently that my video was featured on the news in mexico - so what? I was flattered, and I was happy that people were doing tributes to my tribute of a video. the real question is, would anybody find out about this photo if it WASN'T free? The reappropriation into street art is actually more interesting to me, much like the way Shepard Fairey's Giant is more interesting than the original photo.

This thing seems to happen often. Or at least this is no insulated case. I found this picture tobiee.deviantart.com/art/covered-up-guy-45938645 on the cover of this book:
piper-verlag.de/fantasy/buch.php?id=12517&page=autoraz&sort=autor&auswahl=S&pagenum=5
google.com/images?q=richard+schwartz+herr+der+puppen
piper-verlag.de/media/0000460894.jpg

I knew the image before the book and I told the author of the image that I think its awesome that one of his pictures are on this great books. He told me he never agreed to this. He es a student from Canada and hasn't the resources to sue/investigate. I wrote the German publisher several times and asked whats up with that and why they aren't paying that awesome student. The never answered. Instead now they simply changed the cover of the reprint:
piper-verlag.de/fantasy/buch.php?id=17582&page=autoraz&sort=autor&auswahl=S&pagenum=5
piper-verlag.de/media/0000466421.jpg

(The only cover that wasn't s**t was the stolen one. The irony.)

I got this question many times including here - so ill answer here too:
All the photos i upload to Flickr are under "All Rights Reserved" and i also write it in the description just in case..

This is absolutely RIDICULOUS!

I have seen this picture countless times and I knew it was one of those stolen pictures because I never read or saw it anywhere in stock archives or any art website just like the other thousands or millions of images out there that are abused and misused.

When you showed the book with another Photographers name it made my blood boil. That is the utmost ridiculous thing I have ever seen.

It's such an amazingly iconic image, much like the famed Che Quevara image. So, I can see how this happened. What annoys me is the complacency and laziness of those editors or book publishers who used this image without making sure it was properly credited and renumerated. I'm amazed (and humlbed) by Noam's perspective, he seems happy to get the exposure but not angry enough to sue anyone. But, I still think the corporations who stole his image should pay up!!

It's unfortunate that in this digital age that photographers and musicians and artists can't rely on people thinking to ask whether they can use one of our creations, they simply assume that because it's on the internet it's up for grabs. I'm having a similar - but to a much lesser extent - issue with a few of my photographs being printed and sold on tshirts coming out of Thailand, and just trying to chase that up is driving me crazy. I can only imagine how Galai must feel.
There should be some sort of precident set for artists and the like to safeguard us from theft like this, or at the very least to attempt to deter people from using our work without even thinking to seek permission first. It's an idealist hope but still, something needs to be done.

It is bloody NOT correct that when one's copyright is violated -- & that's what happened here AFAICT -- there is nothing one can do.

shocked

(You put it on the internet and didn't think anyone might use it without permission? XD )

Problem is: No one cares about copyright anymore.

And why would they? A picture like that can be replicated easily with a camera & photoshop these days.

The same way a donkey can be sold for more than it really is worth, something easily replicated can be deemed worthless.

WTF! this is impressive.

Where is Johhny Cochran? O yea..than I would be callen 1-800-ASK-DAVE man! Same thing happened to Forrest Gump!

Great story! Good enough that it held interest with just the talking head and some b-roll of the images. I have still images up on flickr as well and constantly get bombarded with emails asking to use my images for blogs and non-profit type projects. I usually allow it. One of these days I wonder if I'll be in a similar situation.

This is why i put watermarks on allot of my stuff.

I liked this story a lot. i reposted it here :
jevoisjevoyage.blogspot.com/

thats crazy, and really messed up.
you deserve way more cred Noam Galai.
it kind of reminds me of all the people making bank off of copywrite material they put on youtube. it becomes popular and the then they accept revenue sharing. i guess thats the down side of the digital age

That was really hurting, Its good this video came out so many people aware of your stuff!

Movie posters I designed and uploaded to my website are for sale on eBay by dozens of shops... I never gave permission and I don't get a cent!

What a shocking story. Thanks for sharing.

Hi!
I don't want to make flame here and I really understand the problem and also the copyright things... but somehow the first memo/stuff/picture in my head is screaming face from "The Wall" Film by Pink Floyd.
Respect! :)

Okay. From now on I will put a watermark on every single picture I post online. Shocking story!

Send whoever you can to court ! best of luck.

Noam,
Sorry for you, but unless you are very wealthy, suggest you get on the case. Very straightforward to sue a publisher (Mexico). I am fairly sure that you could find a law firm to take this on with the Dutch artist etc for a % of the'winnings'. Since the Richard Prince case this last week, there is legal precedent to claim from the Dutch artist.

I just watched this video and few hours before, i just browsed through a Facebook Layout Application website where there's a graphic of his face (Noam Galai - the Screaming one)... I was surprised too regarding its story behind.

I know already, and I wish that everything would be fine for him. I am amazed with the picture too! So wonderful and full of arts! =)

its not fair. i would not mind the street art but its ridiculous that publishers and editors have the cheek to do this.i would get a good attorney and make this case well known around the world. other wise this theft will increase leaving photographers and artists no option but to work for free!.

I remember hearing about this through my brother, Anibal, who worked at AOL with Noam and seeing how big it has gotten is crazy to say the least!

Noam, hope you get this somewhat resolved with all the press you've been getting. Hopefully it helps strengthen your case.

wow this is so fokd up, i would be so pissed is it was my work. So unbelievable that people just steal stuff, those fokkers arent creative at all

This guy and his story are so amazing. I was horrified and angry when i saw this. I hope that Noam gets the recognition that he deserves for his work.

Personally, i could handle not being paid for my work, but not being properly credited or someone else taking credit and making money from my work would be a nightmare.

This video is a big wake up call for me and probably many other photographers. I think some of my most popular photos don't have watermarks on them and i personally don't like to distract from the image, but at the same time i'm leaving my images open to situations like this.

While think the Fstoppers presented a valid point of view in that if Noam had put a watermark on his work it wouldn't have blown up the way it had to become the ubiquitous image that it is now.

Still, I think Noam should receive credit for his work and compensation from those who have profited off of it and I hope this video get's reblogged, retweeted, and shared as much as his photos have to help aide in that process.

Noam, my heart goes out to you and i hope that things begin to work out for you. I also hope to see more work from you and i am now an avid follower of the real artist behind the photo.

Sad, but true. His face in the History anyway. How many ppl can be proud of this?

I think it's a similar story with the Guevara photo.

I'm from the Netherlands and would like to find that graphic designer!...