Photographer accuses The Daily Mail of copyright infringement

UK

Catherine White-staff reporter

A photographer who accused The Daily Mail's online picture editors of copyright infringement after publishing her work without permission is seeking a settlement.

Amateur photographer Alice Taylor claims that the Mail Online used her images without authorisation.

Taylor's images show skinny mannequins displayed in Gap shops on her blog. The Washington Post picked up her story and asked for permission to reprint. On her blog Taylor states, "I said yes. I sent them a further picture, too. Then the Daily Mail got in touch."

According to Taylor, a picture desk staffer on 15 August asked for permission to use the images, but then refused Taylors monetary quote due to budgetary constraints. As a result, she denied the newspaper permission to re-use the photographs.

Taylor claims that she then found that the Mail Online had ignored her and published two of her images. She said she contacted the newspaper's picture desk asking for compensation for infringing on her copyrights.

She said via her blog, "The Daily Mail then used both my photos - despite being denied permission - lifting them directly from the Washington Post, along with the quotes I gave that newspaper, too."

In an update today, Taylor revealed that The Daily Mail contacted her and offered to pay £1000 per photo but added, "I said, let's take this back to email. There have since been reports that this matter has been settled amicably, but it hasn't: I haven't agreed anything yet."

She continued, "I've now suggested that the Daily Mail identify an appropriate amount per picture for each daily, unauthorised use, to be donated to the two charities I specified. I'm waiting to see what amount they will suggest is fair and right in this situation."

Taylor states that The Daily Mail said the publishing of the photo was down to "human error".