One of the biggest problems artists face nowdays is how to protect their intellectual property on the internet. This means text, music, but most importantly, for our profession-photos. Not many countries have strict laws about use and abuse of net content, and that's because is almost impossible to regulate it. I am writing this post not so much as a model, but as a lawyer, since that is my "regular" profession. Even in that huge gray zone, there are some rules we can and should stick to. Each country has different rules about it, in Serbia, photos are generally considered a photographer's property. Of course, models and designers can make a spoecific contract and regulate this differently, especially when the photographer is paid to make the photos for a certain purpose. Unfortunately, once a photo goes online, everyone can download it, change it and use it, so watermarks are a must, but even those are not bulletproof. But there is another thing that upsets me very much, and that is people not knowing what is theirs to protect. Accusing someone of copying your work without legal or any other grounds to do so is as bad as actually stealing someone's work. So, if you feel threatened in that way, take a minute of your time and check your country's law on intellectual property. If you are right, discuss it and solve it with a lawyer's help or in court. You should know that in most countries even verbal or online text (message, e-mail and even sms) can be evidence in court, so you can prove that you've made a deal, contract with someone. I will be the first one to help you out and give you legal counseling for free But think this through. We all have hands, hair, make-up, we all take similar poses (there are just so many we can) , we all wear goth clothes and accessories. These are not your patents. Public locations, even those not so public, are available to many people, and only if you are the owner of that property you can decide who uses it and for what. If you used blue eye-shadow for your last photoshoot, you can't go after every other model who used blue eye shadow since. Protect your name, because it is your "brand", shield your photos from being published without your approval, but don't scream "wolf" everytime you see the same tree in front of which you took a photo. Someone uninformed will believe you, and shame or discredit that other person's work. And that is wrong. Guard your hard work with all the weapons you can, but first- know what is yours and what is not.