- Report: #1261858
Complaint Review: Spartan Photography Paul Sontag - Nationwide
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Spartan Photography Paul Sontag
Nationwide, USA
Phone:
(770)831-0699
Web:
https://www.facebook.com/spartanphoto?pnref=lhc
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Spartan Photography Paul Sontag Model Scam, Image Thief, Spartan Photography Scams Nationwide
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Paul Sontag Spartan Photography Scams
So few days ago, we got this guy Paul Sontag aka Spartan Photography (Buford, Georgia) ban from modelmayhem. Someone said he was kicked off there 2 years ago but manage snuck back in. He is still active on Facebook recruiting models by using photos that are not his. There is now a Facebook group dedicated to exposing him. This is one of many blogs dedicate to exposing the scumtag.
Using stolen photos to lure new models - Paul Sontag
“Copyright infringement is the use of works protected by copyright law without permission, infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, such as the right to reproduce, distribute, display or perform the protected work, or to make derivative works. The copyright holder is typically the work’s creator, or a publisher or other business to whom copyright has been assigned. Copyright holders routinely invoke legal and technological measures to prevent and penalize copyright infringement.” (Wikipedia)
Back in Sept of 2014 the now defunct Forever Beautiful magazine wrote an Expose on Atlanta, Georgia area photographer, Paul Sontag. who had been blatantly claiming other photographers work as his own. In some cases he would add his watermark to an image and in others he would first remove to original photographers watermark before replacing it with his.
Click on thumbnail above to see fullscreen gallery
Unfortunately, Mr. Sontag was not deterred by this article and to this day continues to infringe on the Copyright of other’s work.
lick on thumbnail above to see fullscreen gallery
Mel Jordan
Paul Sontag of Spartan Photography continues to steal photos from others and represent them as his own.
This is the original on Mel Jordan’s Twitter. Notice the date stamp on both
https://scumtag.wordpress.com/2015/09/30/mel-jordan/#more-101
Abieey Eardley
This time Paul Sontag stole image from a model in the UK.
Her name is Abieey Eardley. http://www.starnow.co.uk/AbieeyEardley
The photographer is Jack Russell also in the UK. His MM#2443119 http://www.modelmayhem.com/2443119
Notice how Spartan Photography covered Jack Russell’s watermark
http://www.starnow.co.uk/AbieeyEardley
The photographer is Jack Russell, also living in the UK. His MM#2443119
Morten Eplov
A photographer from Denmark, Morten Eplov posted this on Model Mayhem forum
He is using 5-6 og my pictures… and.. he actually have added his own watermark.. on MY pictures.
I know that he has stolen photos from several other danish photographers.
I have tried to report it to facebook, but no response for more that a month.
*hhrrmmff*..
All these are my pictures, where he just added HIS watermark.
I’m pretty pissed.. :-(
This is the link to the forum
https://www.modelmayhem.com/forums/post/900421/1#post18461625
and this is his MM profile should some one need to contact him
https://www.modelmayhem.com/2356397
Wounded Warrior Calendar
Ed Selby over at http://paul-sontag.blogspot.com/ posted this today
A model Kassandra Krasnow were scammed by Paul Stontag into shooting for Wounded Warrior Calendar
This is the FAKE letter he used to convince her to shoot with him.
From: Paul Sonntag spartanphotographyga@gmail.com
Date: September 16, 2014 at 5:40:01 PM PDT
To: [redacted]
Subject: calendarHello Mr. Sontag, my name is Danny Nova with the Wounded Warrior Project. We are putting together our 2015 calendar and your name came up for a replacement for one of our photographers that shut down his business. We only use 12 models and 2 photos per model will be printed. If you are interested I would like to talk to you about what we are looking for. We sold over 60,000 calendars last year and was able to pay the models $.50 for each sold. We are looking to do the same for this run. I have seen your work and have been impressed. We can talk about your pay for each of the one printed. We are a nonprofit organization so pay has to remain per unit.
Send me your contact info if you are interested in this offer.
Danny.
After learning about Paul’s lies, Kassandra emailed Wounded Warrior Project to confirm if there was such calendar project, and here is their reply
You can read more at http://paul-sontag.blogspot.com/2015/09/wounded-warrior-lies.html
Caitlyn Christensen
This time he stole from photographer AdPhoto Design and the model is Model Caitlyn Christensen.
Share this:
https://scumtag.wordpress.com/2015/09/29/caitlyn-christensen/
Using VETs to lure girls
Over at our friend’s site paul-sontag.blogspot.com
Wendy Watkins wrote
This POS took pics of my daughter for WOUNDED WARRIOR calendar never saw the pics there was no calendar or monies paid as promised LIAR!! THEIF!! Using our VETS to steal pics you are disgusting
https://scumtag.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/using-vets-to-lure-girls/
Raw Talent Clothing
Found out Sontag shoots for Raw Talent Clothing
As of today 09/28/2015 his name is still on their site
http://www.rawtalentclothing.net/Raw-Talent-Photographers.html
https://scumtag.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/raw-talent-clothing/
Sontag is back on Model Mayhem 9/19/2015
Sontag is back on Model Mayhem. Account shows him to be in Atlanta.
Account established on 9/19/2015.
EDIT: The account terminated on 9/26/2015 thanks to few members who reported. Here is one of the stolen pictures he had on there. He didn’t even bother to remove the logo.
The model is Jessy Erinn and the photographer is David Sutton Photography
https://scumtag.wordpress.com/2015/09/26/sontag-is-back-on-model-mayhem-9192015/
Paul Sontag Mug Shot
Source: http://georgia.arrests.org/Arrests/Paul_Sontag_8414631/
New models should know his face in case he goes by different name
https://scumtag.wordpress.com/2015/09/12/paul-sontag-mug-shot/
Paul Sontag Twitter
He have now block his twitter from casual viewer
https://twitter.com/spartan_photo
https://scumtag.wordpress.com/2015/09/11/paul-sontag-twitter/
Rick on Facebook
https://scumtag.wordpress.com/2015/09/10/rick-on-facebook/
Not only is this practice morally corrupt and professionally reprehensive, it is also illegal.
In the US, Copyright infringement, at best, exposes the perpetrator to civil legal action and at worst may carry the prospect of criminal charges as well.
“Copyright infringement disputes are usually resolved through direct negotiation, a notice and take down process, or litigation in civil court. Egregious or large-scale commercial infringement, especially when it involves counterfeiting, is sometimes prosecuted via the criminal justice system. Shifting public expectations, advances in digital technology, and the increasing reach of the Internet have led to such widespread, anonymous infringement that copyright-dependent industries now focus less on pursuing individuals who seek and share copyright-protected content online, and more on expanding copyright law to recognize and penalize—as “indirect” infringers—the service providers and software distributors which are said to facilitate and encourage individual acts of infringement by others.” (Wikipedia)
By refusing to take down the infringed images, even after being notified by the original photographers and others Mr. Sontag shows his blatant disregard for even the most basic of professional ethics and personal behavior. I encourage you to call him out publicly when a violations is discovered and report violations to the sites where he post the infringed images.
If one of your images has been infringed by Mr. Sontag, then you might consider contacting ImageRights for advice and possible resolution. Their link is here.
Paul Sontag
3251 Cranberry Lane
Buford GA 30519
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 770-776-7817 - 770 831-0699
Why am I sharing this?
To provide potential models and other potential victims with credible information about Paul Sontag and Spartan Photography so they make an informed decision. Remove Paul Sontag from Facebook
The Goal:
Alert models in our area are aware that the photos he professes to be his own are, mostly, not his, and that he uses the typical "I shoot for Playboy" BS to get new/inexperienced models to shoot with him.
Mr. Sontag. I urge you to to come forward and dispute any or all of these claims.
Do what is right, stop stealing from innocent victims you prey upon.
Feel FREE to pursue the creator of this report, as I am in full acceptance of anything and everything posted. You'll easily find my identity through subpoena submitted to this website. I have no reason to hide as these claims and your thievery are real.
The Communications Decency Act (“CDA,” 47 USC 230), RipOff Report cannot be sued for posting defamatory content written solely by its users.
Shame on you Paul Sontag of Buford, Georgia
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