Posting "inspiration" cakes?
Fine.
Recreate a cake and give credit to the original?
Sure. Why not?
Taking amazing cakes off the internet, removing the original water mark, putting your own on, and then claiming it's all your own work?
HELL NO!
Unfortunately, it happens all the time. Some bakers don't have the skills to pull off such nice cakes, or they may not want to take the time to build their own portfolio, or they may just be huge piles of... garbage. Either way, you will get caught, and you will be put to shame.
You'd think these people would know better, especially when they've been baking since they were little, went to a prestigious culinary school *COUGH* Le Cordon Bleu *COUGH*, and has over 8 years of experience, but sadly, they do not.
Here's what they claimed to create:
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| I smudged out the watermark to protect them, though they shouldn't get any. |
Here's the original:
Obviously the watermark was just 'shopped out, and the new one was put over it. It's clear that the picture stealer has no respect for other decorators and their work if she put her huge watermark over it, therefore claiming it as her own. As in: she made it. Which she didn't. (To be clear.)
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| Via Cakes With Love |
Again:
Stolen from:
Ok, so this watermark isn't hard to get rid of, which is probably why the picture stealer stole it in the first place. However, that is no excuse. Pictures shouldn't be stolen, PERIOD.
Also, when called out on it, take them down immediately and apologize for being a thief. Don't deny it and try to cover your own butt when there's clear picture evidence of your thievery:
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| Smudgy smudgy |
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| Via Pink Cake Box |
Also, when called out on it, take them down immediately and apologize for being a thief. Don't deny it and try to cover your own butt when there's clear picture evidence of your thievery:
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| STOP NOT MAKING SENSE! |
I've said it once before, and I'll say it a hundred times over until every decorator in the world knows it: DON'T STEAL PICTURES!
Don't put your own watermark over the original, either.
Make your own cakes, invest in a little studio (find one here) and a good camera, and take pictures of your OWN work.
Notice how I said "invest?" Selling a product isn't meant to be cheap or fast. There's a lot of cost and time upfront, but if you do everything right and by the book, it'll all pay off in the end.
You wonder why in this day and age, they would thing they wouldn't get caught with all of the media outlets that are out there. Not to mention the cake world on FB....we may not see each other, but we are a lot closer than most would think & when we become attached to each other & know each others work, it is only a matter of time before they are are caught. Lying only makes it worse. Put your own sweat on your own dreams and quit being a damn thief. RD
ReplyDeleteAlexis,
ReplyDeleteIt's because of people like you that we are able to self police in this industry and expose those fraudsters that leech off the hard work of others in the industry.
I applaud you for taking the time to educate others about this issue and am VERY appreciative for what you've done here.
Thank you!
Anne Heap
Pink Cake Box
Thank you, Anne!
DeleteI do hope that this reaches new, and veteran cake decorators so they know what not to do.
I do have to give credit to Jamie of Yuma Couture Cakes, though. She was the one that pointed the thief out. I just gathered the evidence and wrote about it. :)
Well there's your validation babe, Anne's two thumbs up! Another excellent article Alexis, keep 'em comin!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jamie!
DeleteAlso thank you for being my "field agent" and pointing this thief out to me. ;)