The problem is more common than you think
If you've published photos online — on a portfolio, social media, a stock site, or a blog — there's a real chance some of them are being used without your permission. It happens constantly: a blog lifts a photo for an article, a small business uses it in an ad, someone reposts it without credit.
Most photographers don't find out because they never check. Here's how to check systematically.
Step 1: Pick your most-published photos
Start with photos you know have been widely seen — your best portfolio work, images that have had high engagement on social media, or photos you've sold or licensed. These are most likely to have been copied.
If you're not sure where to start, pick 5-10 images and do a sweep.
Step 2: Run a reverse image search on each one
Go to FindSource.io and upload each photo. Within a few seconds, you'll see a list of pages that contain that image.
A few things to expect: - Your own pages: You'll see results from your own website, portfolio, or social profiles. That's expected — ignore those. - Legitimate syndication: If you sold or licensed the image, you'll see those pages too. Verify they're using it correctly (right credit, right usage terms). - Unauthorized use: Any other result — especially commercial sites, blogs, or news outlets — is worth investigating.
Step 3: Evaluate each result
For each suspicious result:
Check the date: When did they publish it? Was it before or after you did? (Use cached snapshots or archive.org to check original publication dates if needed.)
Check the credit: Is your name, handle, or website linked? Is there any attribution at all?
Check the context: Is it used commercially (in an ad, a product listing, a paid newsletter)? Commercial use without a license is generally more serious than editorial use.
Check their permissions: Some sites scrape Creative Commons content but misapply the license. Others simply steal.
Step 4: Decide how to respond
You have several options, roughly in order of escalation:
Do nothing: Sometimes it's a small personal blog with no traffic, and pursuing it costs more time than it's worth. That's a valid call.
Send a polite request: A short, professional email asking them to add proper credit often works. Many people who use images without attribution don't realize they've done something wrong.
Request payment or removal: If the use is commercial or they refuse to credit you, you can request either a licensing fee or immediate removal. Document everything — screenshots, URLs, dates.
File a DMCA takedown: In the US, copyright holders can send a DMCA notice to the hosting provider or platform. Most large platforms respond quickly. This is the nuclear option — it typically results in the content being removed.
Consult a lawyer: For significant commercial infringement — especially if a large company is using your image in advertising — it may be worth a consultation. Some IP attorneys work on contingency for clear cases.
How often should you check?
For photographers who publish frequently, running a sweep every 1-3 months is reasonable. You won't catch everything, but you'll catch the most egregious cases.
Consider setting up a simple spreadsheet: image name, last checked date, any issues found, status.
What to save when you find infringement
Before you contact anyone or the content disappears:
- Screenshot the page showing the image in use
- Note the full URL
- Record the date and time you found it
- Save the page using archive.org's "Save Page Now" tool
This documentation is important if the situation escalates.
The short version
1. Upload your important photos to FindSource.io one by one 2. Look through the results for pages you don't recognize 3. Evaluate whether each use is licensed, credited, or unauthorized 4. Respond proportionally — polite email first, escalate if needed
Most photographers who do this for the first time are surprised by what they find. Many are also relieved when they realize a few polite emails usually resolve things.
Start with one photo today.