Newspaper website used my photo without asking

Hello everyone,

My regional newspaper website has used my image of the Gnat tailstrike at RAF Waddington on their website without asking me. They must have screen-grabbed it from somewhere and added it to their new story page... Your opinions on a way forward for me please?

Is there an postal adress? Send them the bill with 200% of the normal costs :) If you copyrighted it they know what they're doing.

Send them a letter stating they used one of your images without your permission and what they think is a fair compensation for violating a copyright.

I have stated on my profile on every site what I would do in case something like this happens and some of the brazilians have done the same. If everyone does, then it would become a standart procedure. Remember that in some cases the photo was stolen half way across the world and there are expenses to take legal action.

You can see the "contract" here: http://www.airplane-pictures.net/member-profile.php?p=6277

Cheers!

Renato

Forgot to say: In your case, I beleive it was Copyright theft because, as I understood, no credits were given.

If credits were given, then I would consider Unauthorized Use.

Thankyou everyone for your feedback. Here is a link to the story in question:

http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/Gnat-aircraft-suffers-heavy-landing-RAF/story-16470739-detail/story.html

They did credit my photography company underneath, but did not contact me prior to publication to authorise usage. So, by the sound if it (thanks Renato!) it comes under Unauthorised Use. I have since been informed that it has been used in various websites and a National newspaper...

If anyone else sees it crop up anywhere as a news story, please let me know...

TVM!

In that case, hire a Lawyer and do what you must do. No wonder if some of the newspapers even charged money to give out the photo to other newspapers or whatever. When you get the settlement, come photograph with us in Sunny Rio de Janeiro.

I've just had a phonecall from the website manager. Seemingly, they don't have to pay for it as they "found it on Twitter", but are taking the image off their story...

In that case steal one of their stories because you found it included with your chips.

I don't know Sunshine Band, this seems a little messed up to me.

Hello all, Just a quick update incase anyone was wondering how it was going. I received a cheque today from the newspaper for £50... Not really as much as I was hoping for...

Thats good news, remember there are millions that probably don't get any money for their images.. SO it's a push in the right direction.. :)

50 pounds is better than nothing, but it is indeed low for such a great image.

Now do the same with the other papers and make some more cash. =D