09/21/2026
A little heart-to-heart from your local photographer.
I never thought I would have to make a post like this, but here we are.
Recently, I discovered that images from one of my sports photography galleries had been taken and altered using AI. These were photographs and custom designs that I spent my time creating, and instead of purchasing the images, someone used AI to recreate them and remove the original watermark.
And I have to tell you, as a small business owner, this one hurts.
I have spent nearly 20 years building my photography business. Iโve invested thousands of dollars in equipment, software, insurance, and everything else that goes into providing professional photography. I spend countless hours behind the camera, editing images, designing sports graphics, and making sure our local athletes and families have memories they can treasure for years to come.
What you see in a photograph is so much more than someone pressing a button.
Itโs my time. My creativity. My experience. My investment. And ultimately, itโs how I make a living.
When someone takes a watermarked image from my gallery and uses AI to recreate it instead of purchasing it, they are taking the work Iโve already done and finding a way around supporting the person who created it.
And when this becomes a common practice, how are small photography businesses supposed to survive?
I love photographing our local athletes. I love watching them grow, celebrating their accomplishments, and creating images that make them feel like the stars they are. I pour my heart into this work because these moments matter to me, too.
And hereโs something else I want people to understand.
If you know me, you know I donโt just show up with my camera when Iโm being paid. I spend countless hours on the sidelines of our local sporting events, volunteering my time to photograph games and events and sharing those images with athletes and their families at absolutely no cost.
I do that because I genuinely love our community and supporting these kids. I donโt expect anything in return. Seeing their excitement when they have a great photo from a game is more than enough for me.
But the photography I choose to give freely is very different from the photography I create as part of my business.
When I offer professional sports portraits and custom graphics for purchase, those sales help me keep doing what I love, including giving back to our community.
I also have a business to run.
And I want to make something very clear: My photographs and custom designs are copyrighted work. My galleries include copyright notices, and viewing an image in my gallery does not give someone permission to download, reproduce, alter, or distribute it without authorization.
Using AI to recreate or modify my photographs does not automatically eliminate the copyright protections associated with my original work. Removing a watermark does not give someone ownership of an image, and creating an AI-altered version does not automatically make it free to use.
This is more than respecting a small business. Itโs also about respecting the rights of the person who created the original work.
I understand that AI is becoming a part of our everyday lives, and Iโm not against technology. But there is a difference between creating something new and taking someone elseโs work to avoid paying for it.
Iโm asking my clients, parents, athletes, and community to please respect the work of professional photographers.
If you love an image, purchase it. If you have questions about pricing or packages, reach out. If you want something special created, ask!
Please donโt take someoneโs work and use AI to get around purchasing it.
I am so grateful for the families who continue to support my business, purchase their images, share my work appropriately, and allow me to do what I love.
Your support lets me keep showing up for our community, our athletes, and all the special moments worth remembering.
Small businesses cannot survive on exposure alone. We survive because people value our work and choose to support it.
๐ซถ๐ป BWP
ยฉ 2026 Brandi Wimer Photography. All Rights Reserved.
