Street artist Shepard Fairey is in hot water over using a photo reference for the now-famous Obama Hope poster. AP is alleging copyright infringement for the photo reference he used, the artist says he changed it significantly enough that there is no infringement.

Full story is here: http://ping.fm/PmHYB

What do you think? Artists use photo-reference, swipe, inspiration boards, competitive shopping and a million other sources every day. Does this cross the line?

Catherine Lang-Cline:

As an artist, I hate when this kind of stuff happens. On one hand, he used the photo. But on the other it is his interpretation. And its WAY cooler then the photo. :-)

Tammy Hershey:

I agree with Catherine, it's a boring photo, but a way cool poster...

Good day,

As a professional photographer I have been seeing this kind of thing everywhere, especially with President Obamas likeness. Mr. Fairey is just in hot water because he attempted to use someones copyrighted work and pass it off as original without permission or credit for the originator. He would be just as unhappy if someone had photographed his work and marketed it ass their own and made a bundle.

Regards,

Dan Floss

Good artists copy. Great artists steal.

~ Pablo Picasso

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Artist

Shepard Fairey has made his whole career out of presenting the work of others (photos, silkscreens, etc) through his own cool aesthetic. While his images certainly stand on their own, I think that he is a plagiarist in that he isn't crediting his source.