The copyright infringement lawsuit between UK photographer Adrian Boot and streaming service Napster — over the allegedly unauthorized use of a photo of Reggae and Dancehall artist Sugar Minott — has been settled out of court.

According to court filings obtained by DancehallMag, both parties reached a mutual agreement on May 14, which resulted in the suit being dismissed before it could proceed to trial.

The specific terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but Boot had sought statutory damages, which can run up to $150,000, an award of US$15,114 for Napster’s alleged willful infringement, attorney fees, and costs.

The photograph at the center of the dispute was taken in 1979 during a session at Minott’s home in London, Boot said in his complaint filed in March 2023. It was later used as the cover art for the 2005 album Sugar Minott At Studio One.

Boot claimed that while UK label Soul Jazz Records paid him £552.25 to use the photo on the album cover, Napster did not have the right to use the original photograph (not the album cover) on its website.

In his lawsuit, the photographer argued that Napster’s use of the digital image on their site would have required a separate license fee of £2,147.56 through his company, Urbanimage.

However, Napster — under parent company Rhapsody International Inc. — argued that by acquiring distribution rights for the album, they implicitly gained rights to the artwork, including the original photograph. 

The company claimed that the photo’s use was legal under licenses passed through several entities, from Soul Jazz Records to music distributor Play It Again Sam (PIAS), and ultimately to Rhapsody/Napster.

In a ruling last month, U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson denied the parties’ cross-motions for summary judgment, citing issues of material fact that should be resolved by a jury.  She noted the “scant evidence” regarding whether Rhapsody’s use fell within an implied license granted to Soul Jazz Records.

Regarding Rhapsody’s claim of a license through its contract with PIAS, Judge Evanson said, “Because the Court finds that on this record, there are questions of fact as to whether Rhapsody’s use was licensed either expressly or impliedly, and that issue is dispositive to both cross-motions for summary judgment, both motions must be denied and this case must proceed to trial.”

The trial was set for June 10 before the settlement was reached.

Adrian Boot, a former Physics teacher in Jamaica, is renowned for his photographs of several other famous musicians, including Bob Marley.

The Sugar Minott At Studio One album is a collection of the Jamaican singer’s work at the legendary Studio One during the 1970s.  It included songs such as Hang On Natty, Vanity, Jah Jah Children, and Love Gonna Pack Up.

Miniott passed away in July 2010 at age 54.

UTICA, N.Y. — Three local artists were recognized at the HomeOwnershipCenter Empowering Art in Cornhill Open House.

Local artists, Brian Lazore, Venus Rose and Sky Channel were celebrated in the Empowering Art in Cornhill Competition.

For the competition, local artists had to have a connection to the Cornhill neighborhood.

Participants were allowed to submit three pieces of artwork to be on display permanently at the Empowerment Center.

Each piece that was selected was purchased for $1,500 each.

The open house tonight featured exhibits for all three winners.

One of the winners, Brian Lazore, is a combat veteran who has a local photography business.

Lazore recently started his journey in photography and uses it as a way to cope with his PTSD.

He said, this is a way for him to gain a purpose.

Lazore said, “As a veteran, I’ve been struggling for the past 20 years without feeling like I have a purpose and being able to give back. Having a mission has really helped me with my PTSD.”

His winning photograph was titled “Royalty” and features a young child on stage holding a balloon at a fundraiser for Utica Royalties Inc. Youth Program.

Alberta Lipinski, director of Marketing and Communications at the HomeOwnershipCenter, said that the judges thought Lazore’s photograph captured a very special moment.

“They all said that they loved his piece,” Lipinski said. “They loved that it looked like a very natural moment of a little girl playing with a balloon, and they loved that he captured that special moment.”

The HomeOwnershipCenter is also celebrating “Neighborworks Week” and their 45 years of empowering communities for success.

EVERETT — Staff at The Daily Herald took home seven honors this week at the Society of Professional Journalists’ regional contest.

All three Herald photojournalists were recognized.

Ryan Berry took first place for General News Photography for pictures accompanied by a colorful story he wrote: “To grow a great pumpkin in Edmonds: seeds, water, brute force.”

Berry had followed up on a newstip originally called in to The Herald’s resident news-of-the-weird columnist, Andrea Brown. As the pumpkin grower, retired dentist Ross Haddow, 72, remarked: “It’s fun to grow a fruit that’s bigger than you are.”

Ross Haddow cuts the stem of his giant pumpkin before receiving help sliding it downhill to the bed of his truck Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, at his home in Edmonds, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

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But if you want to move it, say, to compete in a giant pumpkin competition? That takes muscle. And as many volunteers as Haddow could round up. The team tied a rope to the gargantuan gourd and pulled with all their might. That ended up being Berry’s prize-winning moment.

A judge for the contest commented: “This photo answers the question, ‘Just how big was it?’”

Since the pumpkin was bound for a guess-the-weight contest, Berry was unable reveal its poundage, until now. Just shy of a half-ton.

Ross Haddow sits triumphantly atop his pickup truck after successfully getting this year’s giant pumpkin into the truck bed on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, at his home in Edmonds, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

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Annie Barker took second place in the “Photo Essay” category for images featured in a story by Janice Podsada: “Saving racehorses from slaughter, Snohomish rescue offers second chance.”

“Memorable photos convey the strong, intimate emotion, love of Snohomish rescue saving racehorses,” one judge wrote.

Kaisa Gifford walks slowly with Manny at the Gifford Horses barn in Snohomish, Washington on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. Manny is able to walk longer periods of time and is regaining some of his lost body weight. (Annie Barker / The Herald)

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Olivia Vanni took second for “Spot News Photography,” for photos of record flooding on the Stillaguamish River, leaving pickup trucks stranded in hip-deep water on roads near Silvana.

Herald coverage of the December flooding also took second place in the “Breaking News” category, with credit to reporters Jordan Hansen, Aina de Lapparent Alvarez, Jonathan Tall, Maya Tizon and Ta’Leah Van Sistine.

A red truck navigates through floodwaters covering 28th Avenue NW along Pioneer Highway on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023 in Stanwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

The news crew ended up dedicating the better part of a week to coverage of the fast-changing forecast, the flooding and its aftermath. As the the disaster unfolded on Dec. 5, 2023, The Herald published 10 updated versions of its main story.

“The weather service has their forecast, then we see what the river actually does,” county Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Scott North told The Herald.

A cow watches from higher ground while Brooklyn Holton, left, and Breyline Sawyer, right, stop to take photos of the flooding along Old Snohomish Monroe Road on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

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Another article, by Van Sistine, examined why flooding on the Stillaguamish River is so challenging to forecast. A judge remarked the team’s coverage offered an “in-depth look at effects of climate change on one community.”

Caleb Hutton took second place in “Crime & Law Enforcement” reporting on a man whose remains were known as the Spencer Island John Doe for 44 years. Snohomish County authorities identified him as Gary Lee Haynie, of Kansas, through forensic genealogy, using the combined powers of ancestry databases and advances in DNA technology.

Gary Lee Haynie (center) as child with his parents Sheldon Haynie and Berniece Haynie. (Courtesy of Hal Thayne)

One judge said: “This story was handled with thought and sensitivity in remembering this forgotten man in a manner he deserved — as a human being, not just a cold case.”

Sophia Gates won second place for “Poverty & Homelessness” coverage for an in-depth look at Everett’s expanded “no-sit, no-lie” ban in a series of stories last year. Her reporting offered a microphone to homeless people actually affected by the ban.

Kayla Dunn won second place in the “LGBTQ+ Equity Reporting” category for coverage of a church vigil, countering anti-LGBTQ+ pamphlets scattered across cars in Edmonds: “‘We can’t let hate scare us’: Edmonds vigil pushes back at hateful flyers.”

Attendees raise up candles during a vigil held at Edmonds United Methodist Church to show support of the LGBTQIA+ community in response to the recent hate-filled incidents at two regional churches on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

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A judge wrote: “Very solid story with clear writing and interesting details that tell it in a way that matters to a community.”

The Herald competed in the “Large” newsroom category of SPJ’s Region 10, alongside news outlets like The Columbian, KUOW, The Idaho Statesman, Oregon Public Broadcasting and The Statesman Journal in Salem, Oregon.

The region covers the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.

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As good as it feels to already know, it’s the learning that is the most fun.

The other day, I was part of a panel discussing artificial intelligence and its potential future effects on the photography industry and other forms of arts. This article is not about A.I., so I will keep its mention particularly short. But the only reason I bring it up is because, during the discussion, one of the things that became clear to me is how much I enjoy the thrill of the hunt. Sure, A.I. can get me “a” result quicker than traditional methods. The efficiency is undeniable. But, by replacing the sometimes arduous process of getting to your desired result, you can also deprive yourself of the fun and ownership that comes from discovering the process on your own.

I guess I’ve always enjoyed being a student. Maybe not being in school exactly. Life can be rough for the socially challenged. But I did love the act of learning. Even if the topic at hand was one I knew full well would be of no use to me beyond the wall of academia (I’m speaking to you, Calculus), I still enjoyed the process of sitting in a classroom and being presented with ideas I never knew existed. I enjoyed the feeling that my mind could start as an empty vessel and become more buoyant through hard work and study.

Learning photography was the ultimate equation. Anybody can enjoy looking at a great photograph. But it was when I began to ask the question of how those great images I was seeing were practically created that my mind became alive with possibilities. Exactly why did Annie Leibovitz’s portraits look like that? What must have been going on behind the scenes for Elliott Erwitt to capture such amazing moments? Just what was it Steven Meisel was doing with his imagery that inspired me, as a fashion-deficient man, to spend so much time thumbing through women’s Vogue?

From the moment I picked up a camera, I dove headfirst into the how. As my career progressed, I learned that it was equally important to understand the why. Pursuing both of these levels of knowledge simultaneously, I eventually became a better photographer. As I became a better photographer, rather than things becoming easier, the task at hand only became more difficult. Because as one’s skill set increases, so should their ambition. The wonderful thing about being an artist is that it is the one profession where your goal should be to never be the finished product. Regardless of where you are in your career, from beginner to experienced pro, there is always more you can learn. Your craft is always developing. And, in that consistency of progress, lies the beauty of being an artist.

Of course, it might not seem like it all the time. I can remember the early days of learning photography and making the same mistakes time and time again, deluding myself into thinking the blur in my images was the result of a defect with my camera rather than my own inability at the time to comprehend the ramifications of shutter speed. You don’t know what you don’t know. And multiple times over the course of the career, you will have convinced yourself that you absolutely positively know an aspect of your craft only to discover randomly one afternoon on set that you’ve had virtually no clue all along.

But these scrapes and bumps you incur along the way are the exact things you need in order to develop, not only your craft but your voice as an individual artist. Like mathematics, anybody can use a calculator to get to an end result, but it takes a true mathematician to be able to show their work. And because they understand the intricacies, it gives them the power to imagine new equations beyond what may already exist in the textbooks. Understanding how you got from A to Z is a vital part of becoming a better artist. Even if you don’t ever return to a couple of the letters along the way.

So, as you continue to work to improve your craft, don’t be in such a hurry to get to the end of the road. Over the long haul, photography is in the journey. Skipping the hard part would be skipping the best part.

In 1988, Peter Lindbergh photographed a crush of supermodels, including Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista, roughhousing on a beach in Los Angeles. He may not have known it at the time, but that image, titled Santa Monica, would come to epitomize Lindbergh’s artistic style and change not just the course of his career, but the history of fashion photography writ large. Now, that photograph is one of over 100 works on view at London’s Saatchi Gallery in the exhibition “Beyond Fashion,” a survey that features contributions from Ellen von Unwerth, Miles Aldridge, Inez and Vinoodh, Viviane Sassen, and many more groundbreaking photographers. Taken as a whole they represent the far-flung places the visionary image-makers have taken fashion photography.

The show is split into four sections: Allure, Fantasy, Realism, and finally, Surrealism, where Saatchi has mounted works by emerging photographers. As viewers wind through the gallery, they witness the evolution of the art of fashion photography—its transformation from marketing materials for catalogs to a venerable art form of its own. During the 40th anniversary of London Fashion Week, the exhibition feels like a real celebration. Below, scroll through a preview of “Beyond Fashion,” which runs through September 8.

Erik Madigan Heck for Comme des Garçons, 2017.

Daniel Sannwald, Garage magazine, fall-winter 2014.

Yelena Yemchuk, Tokyo, 2017.

Marton Perlaki, Female Torso, 2014.

Miles Aldridge, Home Works #3, 2008.

Peter Lindbergh, Estelle Lefébure, Karen Alexander, Rachel Williams, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz & Christy Turlington, Santa Monica, 1988.

Coco Capitán, Boy in Socks, 2017.

Ayoto Ataraxia, PJW508 No3946, 2015.

Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, Vogue Paris, 2002.

This Wyoming State Archives is partnering with the Jim Gatchel Memorial Museum in Buffalo to bring you “Early Wyoming Photographers” presented by Jennifer Romanoski, museum educator at the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum, and Suzi Taylor, photo and reference archivist at the Wyoming State Archives. 

This special event will be held on Thursday, June 13 at 7 p.m. at the Johnson County Library, located at 171 North Adams Avenue in Buffalo.

The State Archives will host a viewing party at the State Museum Classroom at 2301 Central Avenue in Cheyenne. For those not able to attend in person, registration to attend the event online is through Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/wyoming-state-archives-49902991693. Virtual and in-person attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions and engage with the presenters. This event is free and open to the public.

This presentation will focus on early photography in Wyoming. Jennifer Romanaski will share a history of photographers George and Thomas Dalgleish and the Dalgleish Bros. Studios, whose photographs are part of the collections at the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum. Suzi Taylor will discuss the history of photography in Wyoming circa 1867-World War I. This part of the presentation will focus on the photographers’ training, subject specialties, and much more.

Jennifer Romanoski has been the museum educator at the National-Medal-winning Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum since 2009. She has a Master’s Degree in Museum Education from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She recently authored the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum book from Arcadia Publishing in 2023.

Suzi Taylor has worked for the Wyoming State Archives as a reference and photo archivist since 2006. She holds a BA in History from the University of Wyoming. While at the University, she concentrated on public history, including classes in archival work and a practicum at the University of Wyoming’s American Heritage Center.

Taylor has been involved in many projects and outreach efforts such as the Wyoming State Archives Evening Speaker Series, Wyoming Flood Map project, Wyoming Penitentiary Inmate Database, Women’s Suffrage in Wyoming, and presentations on Wyoming Community Cookbook collections. She specializes in photographic preservation and access.

Taylor will also be hosting a free photographic identification and care workshop at the Johnson County Library from 1-5 p.m. on June 12 and June 13. The workshop is sponsored by the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum and the Wyoming State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB) with funding from the NHPRC. The Wyoming State Archives, a unit within the agency of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, facilitates SHRAB. For more information and to register for the workshop, visit the website https://wyoarchives.wyo.gov/index.php/news-events. Note that this workshop will be held in the Twing Room.

The WSA Speaker Series hosts talks at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month. Upcoming topics include the Independence Rock State Historic Site on July 11 and historian Larry Skogen presenting on Estelle Reel, educator and the first woman elected to Wyoming public office as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, on August 8. To view upcoming events, check out the Wyoming State Archives events calendar at https://wyoarchives.wyo.gov/index.php/about-archives/events. A recording of this talk will be available on the WSA YouTube channel the week following the talk.

The Wyoming State Archives collects, manages, and preserves Wyoming state public records that have long-term administrative, legal, and historical value. These records document the history of our state and the activities of Wyoming Government offices. The Archives also collect non-government records that contribute to the understanding of the state’s history.

ISLAMABAD:

A photography competition and exhibition featuring 200 submissions from enthusiasts belonging to different backgrounds, was inaugurated at the Punjab National Council of Arts (PNCA).

The Annual Members Photographic Competition & Exhibition was organised by the Islamabad Camera Club and the Islamabad Club and. A large number of visitors showed up to view the diverse works displayed at the exhibition and support the participants.

The event was inaugurated by Jimmy Engineer, who is a renowned painter. While addressing the crowd at the inauguration, Jimmy praised the creativity and skill displayed in the submitted photographs.

The 200 submissions were displayed at the exhibition. Awards were presented to the top three photographs in addition to five honourable mentions given to exceptional work. The winners were selected by a distinguished panel of judges which included eminent photographers Syed Javaid A Kazi and Shaikh Faisal Azeem.

President of Islamabad Camera Club, Sajid Qazi said at the event, “We are thrilled with the enthusiastic participation and the high quality of the entries.This event not only highlights the artistic talents within our community but also brings people together to appreciate the art of photography.”

Islamabad Camera Club was set up in 1998 and since then it has been playing a credible role in the promotion of photographic art in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The Club and the PNCA have held many collaborative events since the creation of the Club.

The exhibition will remain open to the public at the PNCA Gallery until 14th June.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2024.

Sean McKernan from Belfast, Ireland, a social documentary photographer, visited Salida to showcase his work and share Belfast history June 2 at A Church. His presentation was called “From Conflict to Peace: A 45-Year Photographic Retrospective of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.” His exhibition was first shown in 1983.

At age 16, McKernan became a social documentary photographer in West Belfast, where he was born. “Belfast is a divided city religion-wise,” he said, with the Catholics primarily in the north in conflict with the Protestants who desire a British government. This presentation, he said, gives him the chance to explain how Belfast has changed from a “dark time of troubles.”

“I’m looking forward to encouraging people to have a better understanding of Belfast and encouraging them to live there,” he said. There is a big connection with Salida to Belfast through Salida Circus, he said, and the Salida and Belfast circuses have now done several exchanges since 2007. Jennifer Dempsey, founder of Salida Circus, worked with McKernan 35 years ago at Belfast Exposed Photography.

Dempsey said the event’s purpose was “to continue the relationship … and to offer a unique perspective of an ongoing conflict ‘resolved.’” The Belfast Circus will be coming to Salida in 2025, she said, and they will be looking for hosts.

McKernan said, “What I like about Salida is it’s a small town, it’s full of creative artistic people, it’s very tolerant. There’s no religious debate and nobody’s judgmental,” he said. Culture Ireland supported McKernan’s trip to Salida.

Hartel says is thrilled to show her work to her fellow Grande Prairie residents.

“It was fun to have people come into there and look at the photos, and I was able to speak about my photos and other people’s photos who are also parts of the professional photographers of Canada in Alberta,” she says. “And as I was there, my parents actually showed up to see my images up on the wall, which was very special.”

She says photography shows off the different vision that each photographer brings to their subjects.

“You can photograph the same phot, and come up with a different vison from that photo,” she says. “It’s awesome to take a photo, put it into competition and then see it displayed with all of the other photographers that have all of these amazing shots up there.”

Hartel and the other photographer’s work will be displayed at London Drugs until June 15, with plans for it to move to the Teresa Sargent Hall before going on display at the Calgary Stampede.