If I Were The Presiding Judge Over "cake Laws"
Decorating By __Jamie__ Updated 16 Sep 2009 , 3:28am by indydebi
....my first ruling would be to ban decorators from posting stock (purchased-not their own work) photos (flawless, Lambeth style, perfectly pristine, not a fondant fold or smeared dot to be seen) on their sites to pass off as their own work. 
It's almost worse than outright ripping off photos from other decorators.
That's all. Very frustrating to see this. You may now return to your regularly scheduled programming. 
Stock photos? Who does that? 
Isn't that what ethics are for? 
(It's OK, sometimes I prefer naivete over realism. It keeps me from getting too cynical 
)
Floral shops do this too. It kind of reminds me of fast food restaurants. You see this huge wonking burger on the commercial and when you actually get it...well... 
Stock photos? Who does that?
Isn't that what ethics are for? (It's OK, sometimes I prefer naivete over realism. It keeps me from getting too cynical )
Unfortunately, it is done. If I say much more someone will take offense, for sure. 
I don't think anyone I'm thinking of hangs out here, so....
I mean, really. Get some dummies, practice, and post your pics. Mine were atrocious when I started out, but it's called work work work and get better! Sheesh, I'm not even close to where I want be, but doubt I'd ever have the nerve to post a picture of a cake practically off of the cover of Martha Stewart Weddings (not the mag, the big awesome book with the Lambeth monstrosity on the cover) and insinuate that you can do it. Especially when the onnnnnnne pic of yours that you do have posted....probably would qualify for a refund in my book.
Floral shops do this too. It kind of reminds me of fast food restaurants. You see this huge wonking burger on the commercial and when you actually get it...well...
Yeah, and that usually works out in the customer's favor, ya know? Just go back in the next day and get a refund?
That doesn't quite work out in the wedding cake world. You don't get a "do over". 
People buy stock pictures?!?!? Thats just unbelievable to me. What in the heck do they think is going to happen when they are asked to make the cake?!
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_search.php?text=wedding+cake&action=file
Just look at all of them. Yours for as low as 37 cents! 
I used to get so frustrated at hubby because he was always telling people, "The pictures on her site are HER foods and cakes. She made ALL of that." I'd tell him he didn't have to say that because everyone uses their own pics; that it was a GIVEN those were my cakes/foods.
He told me that car dealerships use stock photos, that's why he told everyone at the dealership that. Shortly after this conversation, we came across a website that obviously used stock photos, plus ironically about that time there were a few threads here about phony cake photos.
I was floored.
I mean, it never ever crossed my mind to put photos up that weren't mine, so I couldn't imagine someone who would. I. Never. Imagined.
I guess I still have a little of the naive country girl left in me, huh. 
I'm very puzzled at why one would do this. What happens when the bride orders her dream cake and the decorator can't do it?
- What the @*#&?!?!? I would have never thought!
Indy I don't think it's the country girl left in you, cause I'm a city girl through & through. I think it's just the integrity in all of us.
You know I am the worse for taking pictures of my work, the absolute worst! I know I definetly need to up my pictures. I could aslo do some of those cakes with no problem, BUT I still would NEVER use someone else's picture! And you know I was looking at a site & the pictures just looked so from a magazine, just too staged. Now I know where they got them from!
People buy stock pictures?!?!?
Thats just unbelievable to me. What in the heck do they think is going to happen when they are asked to make the cake?!
It'll probably end up like this!
http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-think-ive-just-been-punkd.html
Yes, I've seen more than a few Wilton pics, pristine edges and all, on other people's websites.
Theresa 
hahaha I totally recognized one of those cakes and sure enough I checked out the website where I saw it and there it is front and center, but....click on the photos tab and it's cake wreck central!
I mean come on if you are going to lure customers in with an awesome stock pic the least you can do is commit and post all stock photos! 
LMAO, I want to call and order the stock cake and see what they say !
I'll never forget the day I realized that people BOUGHT gumpaste flowers for their cakes too - I always wondered HOW do they get such perfect flowers (when some of the cakes were not so great.....) Then someone POSTED that she used purchased gumpaste flowers.....DUH. boy was that an eye opener for me!
Stock pics are not good - not honest at all, but it sure beats those that steal others pics and claim them as their own.
My face hurts from laughing at the Tiffany Box in the Cake Wreck site -Thanks DefyGravity ..... 
I guess it is a good thing then that you see a bit of my dinning room table or work bench in most of my cake pics -
Someone copied my Yellow Gerbera Cupcake photo off this website and posted it on their overseas website and called it their Orange Daisy 
Then i found out and lets just say - its not on their website anymore
Bluehue went Ballistic that day - 
Not a pretty Bluehue at all - *insert evil laugh*
And please, if you have gone to all the trouble and expense of purchasing all those stock photos, please don't add a pic of your own cake at the bottom. You know, the one done all in Wilton stars.
Funny thing....that's very nearly what was done!
And please, if you have gone to all the trouble and expense of purchasing all those stock photos, please don't add a pic of your own cake at the bottom. You know, the one done all in Wilton stars.
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_search.php?text=wedding+cake&action=file
Just look at all of them. Yours for as low as 37 cents!
Wow! I had no idea! That is seriously sick and wrong!
Bluehue - how did you find out your pic was on someone else's site? It seems like you would have to search all day to see if someone was ripping off your photos.
I don't have to worry about this yet, because I'm still not very good. But I'd sure like to know for future reference!
Thanks!
Everyone who is concerned about protecting their photos should go to www.picnik.com and watermark them! It's free and looks snazzy. Even though persistent thieves will photoshop your watermark right off and even (gasp!) add their own, it's a good deterrant for the lazier ones.
And please, if you have gone to all the trouble and expense of purchasing all those stock photos, please don't add a pic of your own cake at the bottom. You know, the one done all in Wilton stars.
HeeHeeHee... Good point Mensch!!!
Jamie, can the watermark can be photoshopped off of the picture even if it's dead center on the pic without compromising the integrity of the pic itself??? It would take a person with a serious lack of conscience to steal pics and claim them as their own! Some people.... AAAAHHHH!!
Happy caking everybody
And please, if you have gone to all the trouble and expense of purchasing all those stock photos, please don't add a pic of your own cake at the bottom. You know, the one done all in Wilton stars.
HeeHeeHee... Good point Mensch!!!
Jamie, can the watermark can be photoshopped off of the picture even if it's dead center on the pic without compromising the integrity of the pic itself??? It would take a person with a serious lack of conscience to steal pics and claim them as their own! Some people.... AAAAHHHH!!
Happy caking everybody
Someone who is good with photoshop can, even not good with photoshop. It's just a matter of blacking out and filling back in with surrounding colors. It ain't hard!
All those photos have the words "stock photos" or something right over them so how can you use them? Are you saying someone in cc is doing that? I am sorry.....I am trying to play catch up here and figure out what your talking about....not doing too well ...is that what you are saying? What would be the point? or are you saying they are using these in a business? Again, to what end...if it comes out looking bad...would not take long for the word to get out....I never ever get dirty jokes either hehehe
Madge, it would seem (as hard as it might be to imagine) that some people actually think it is OK to use these photos to promote their business on their website. ie: they buy a stock photo (which removes the watermark) and post it on a website in which they offer their services as a cake decorator. A person surfing their site would think it was their work! And from what I've read, it would also seem that there might be one or two CC'ers who have done this. But I'm sure it's got to be pretty rare around here. HTH
ahhhhhhhhhhhh.....now I get it..........thank you.....you can tell mine are not stock pics hahahahaha.......
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