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LOGAN — There is not a more memorable moment for a parent than when their child takes their first breath. A Logan woman had her baby's birth captured on camera, but recently she found out those personal pictures may have been taken and used to advertise a fake photography business.
At 5-months-old, Olivia Metz has already been featured on the Internet.
“When you see something like that, like someone taking a picture of your child, mama bear comes out,” said Whitney Metz.
Whitney Metz said a professional photographer took pictures of her daughter during and after her birth. The photographer uploaded the photos to a website, but they did not stay just there.
Kylee Maughan, the photographer, got a message.
“Hey, I found your pictures being used by another photographer,” Maughan said.
And not just a few snapshots.
“She sent over 20 to 30 photos straight from my website,” said Maughan.
Metz and Maughan said for the past month, someone else had used the copyrighted photos to try to get clients. Maughan sent her own message.
“I told her she could publicly apologize on her Facebook page, and explain she had been using pictures illegally, and tag my business page, and apologize to all the moms involved, and her second option was to go to court,” said Maughan.
After more than eight hours without a response, Maughan posted her entire interaction with the accused photographer to her blog. Twelve hours later, she already had 17,000 views. And she finally got an answer.
“I started my photography business to help pay my way through college. This is a painful lesson to learn but one I will never forget,” Maughan said of the reply.
Maughan said she won't take legal action, but Metz says the apology is not enough.
“She needs to see the face of somebody who she stole the pictures from,” said Metz.
