A photographer is taking legal action against a small church in South Carolina for allegedly using his photograph without consent.

Erin Paul Donovan, a photographer from New Hampshire, has initiated a federal lawsuit against Wightman United Methodist Church in Prosperity, South Carolina. Donovan claims that his photograph, depicting New Hampshire’s White Mountains, was used on the church’s website without his permission, specifically as a thumbnail for a sermon video dated June 2021. According to the lawsuit, Donovan contends that the church unlawfully downloaded his copyrighted image to use in its promotional activities. He reported the unauthorized use to the church on two occasions, June 21 and July 20, 2023, but the issue remains unresolved.

The suit further alleges that the church not only used the image without authorization but also removed Donovan’s copyright notice, name, and watermark from the photograph as it originally appeared on his website. Donovan is seeking legal recompense for the alleged infringement and is requesting the court to prohibit the church from using any of his photographs in the future.

The suit was filed in the US District Court for the District of South Carolina on November 21, 2023. The church has until February 20, 2024 to respond to the filing.