Poll: That Monkey Selfie

Bundle in the jungle

  • Copyright of Monkey

    Votes: 110 31.6%
  • Copyright of Dave

    Votes: 139 39.9%
  • Don't give a monkey's

    Votes: 99 28.4%

  • Total voters
    348
Caporegime
Joined
29 Jan 2008
Posts
58,898
Why is the copyright such an issue? Does this one picture really have that much $$$$$ potential?

yup... in theory. If its being used all around the world by different papers, media outlets then it really ought to have netted him a decent sum - each publication should be paying him each time they print/make use of it. (assuming he is considered to be the copyright owner - no idea on the legal position but morally the fact the monkey pushed a button seems to be a technicality... the photographer put a lot of work into setting the whole scenario up)
 
Caporegime
Joined
25 Jul 2005
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28,851
Location
Canada
While I like the idea of a monkey holding the copyright to the photo the reality is the photographer put in a lot of effort to get those photos. It was also his equipment, so if the monkey can't hold copyright then it should devolve to the owner of the equipment.

TBH Wikimedia are being an arse and I'm still not sure why.
 
Soldato
Joined
15 May 2010
Posts
10,110
Location
Out of Coventry
Rather a jump from £2k in a year after taking to £10k in the next 2 years.

Didn't realize there was so much money in a photo.

I don't get the maths:

£2k in the first year (2012), then £10k estimate to the present day (2-3 years).
Why would he estimate that he would have a sustained revenue increase of 50%+ from a photo?

Maybe its to do with the legal fees needed to take wikipeida to court...
 
Caporegime
Joined
29 Jan 2008
Posts
58,898
I don't get the maths:

£2k in the first year (2012), then £10k estimate to the present day (2-3 years).
Why would he estimate that he would have a sustained revenue increase of 50%+ from a photo?

Maybe its to do with the legal fees needed to take wikipeida to court...

Maybe it only became popular/started earning money for him part way through the year.... thus you trying to extrapolate from 2012 earnings to future years could be flawed.
 
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Soldato
Joined
16 Jun 2013
Posts
5,381
I cant imagine how a novel photo would continue to increase in sales once the original novelty has worn off(at best what a year?).
 
Can't type for toffee
Don
Joined
14 Jun 2004
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17,338
Location
Newcastle U/T
It's a shame, the bloke obivoulsy put effort and work into getting some photos and ended up with a couple of cracking ones.

With the group photo argument or even the off the wall "he hired the monkey" imho he should be paid for any use of the image
 
Joined
10 May 2004
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12,813
Location
Sunny Stafford
Surely it's the same as going to a dog show? The humans own the camera equipment, the show dogs are trained enough to do their pose / stunt / whatever while the photographer(s) set up the shots. In the monkey example, Dave obviously tamed it enough to get that shot as pictured in the OP.
 
Soldato
Joined
16 Jun 2013
Posts
5,381
The dogs don't actually take the photo though do they?

I do see what you're saying but the argument is that the monkey pressed the button even if the photographer set up the exposure and so on.

Technically it is his.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
11 Mar 2004
Posts
76,634
Surely the monkey, but as the monkey has no rights in law. Then general.
The monkey wouldn't have signed any papers going by using your equipment he owns the copyright, like you do at work/uni.
So although it seems a little unfair I'm going public.
Court case will ultimately decide.
 
Joined
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12,813
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Sunny Stafford
The dogs don't actually take the photo though do they?

I do see what you're saying but the argument is that the monkey pressed the button even if the photographer set up the exposure and so on. I voted Dave on the poll.

Technically it is his.

Sorry I wasn't very clear in my post. I did mean that it's the guy's copyright and I used the dog show as a comparison.
 
Caporegime
Joined
29 Jan 2008
Posts
58,898
The problem I have is that the monkey just held the camera and pressed the trigger - that was only part of setting the shot up... the photographer set the camera up and had a big hand in actually 'creating' the photograph above and beyond simply owning the equipment. Pushing the button is only part of the process... the photographer had to set up the camera, configure the settings - shutter/aperture, ISO etc.. then allow the event to occur.

Will be interesting to see the verdict.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
11 Mar 2004
Posts
76,634
Or have it set to auto, like most cameras. Especially as it's unlikely he would know the settings in advance or that it would happen.
 
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