The Internet.. damned if you do.. damned if you don't!

Hello all,

      So its been a while since I have posted my thoughts here.. So here it goes again.. Sometime ago we had active discussion about what issues that the photographer is facing.. For the most part it was a good discussion. I can tell you that after beating my head against a wall trying to figure it out.. I am still trying to figure it out.. and I still don't have the answers.. But I can tell you the following.

     In April we decided to suspend online viewing and sales of our photos.  This was a knee jerk reaction to the photo theft that as anyone in this industry knows is out of control.  I had finally figured it out.. All those photo thieves that steal our photos I would show them.. No internet.. If the photos not posted you can't steal it.. I had finally won. Forever I had been saying if you don't want them to steal them you have 2 options. Let it happen and don't worry about it cause you can't stop it or don't post them on the internet.

     No photos on the internet definately cuts down on the the photo theft. It also cuts down on the level of customer service and convenience that our customers are accustomed to. No internet was not a good fit for my company. I let my non customers (photo thieves) dictate policy that we made for my legitimate customers. To my customers I apologize that I made a decision based on my anger and resentment for a group of individuals that are not even our customers. To the photo thieves if your that entitled that you have to steal our hard work go right ahead it just makes you look like like a jerk. The argument that the photo thief doesn't know any better or is doing the pro photographer a favor ludicrous. It is wrong you know its wrong and it makes you look terrible.

     Enough ranting.. we have decided to resume online posting of our photos be patient with us as we get all cylinders firing again. Thank you to all our customers for your continued support, we really do apologize for letting the non factor, non customer, photo thieves dictate a bad policy decision on our part that effected all of you.


     Sincerely,

     The Entire Shawn McMillen Photo Family