Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
That is crazy! They were some great photos though. That really makes me think about doing all I can to (try to) protect my work. Even though I don't have anything really special yet, maybe I'll get lucky some day and get something amazing. This really highlights how easy it is to lose control of your work and how quickly it can be stolen and spread around the world in this digital age.
 
It depends how you look at this...

On the one hand, we have a guy who's potentially lost $$$ by having his image used without permission.

On the other hand, we have a guy who's got a load of publicity from having a popular and recognisable image out there... a guy who's now immigrated into the US and launched a career as a photographer.

Maybe if he'd slapped a big copyright notice on his files and kept them locked up, noone would have used them or asked to pay for them... so no publicity, no success?
 
The big problem (other than all the $$ this could have made him) is that he will likely find it very hard to ever get proper credit for the image in the eyes of the world, since the proverbial "horse has left the barn" syndrome, and since it has already been credited to other photographers and designers in other countries, who have sold it as if it were theirs. Chances are few photographers will ever experience one, or several of their images having this much commercial and mass appeal, and doubtful he will again, so not getting any recognition for his images must be a huge mixed blessing.
This video/film will certainly help, since that's how I learned of the story, but it will probably be very difficult for his name to ever be associated with the iconic images, except in fairly small, informed circles. Most famous pictures that are easily recognizable are generally associated with the photographer who made them -- in this case, that would take one hell of a major publicity campaign, since it's being treated like public domain work. At least this youtube video is a start...
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.