Based on my knowledge, it is the first time my photos have been published at a newspaper. But if You see the name under the photos, even if You can’t read cyrillic, the name is no way read as ‘Photos by Ranno Rätsep’. Instead, there is ‘Фото Николая ШАРУБИНА’.

What I know about the situation, is that selection of my photos were given to the newspaper to publish with the article, and my name was given with the photos as author of the photos. For a reason, yet unknown to me, newspaper has given credentials of the photo, and most likely royalties as well to Mr Николая ШАРУБИНА.

Of course I was excited to see my photos being published, but I truly can’t understand how such mistake could have happened. I could see if somehow my name was lost at some stage of the publications, but even in such case I can’t see how they had right to replace my name with any name they desire. I had not intended to make money with my photos, but it was deeply offensive to see my photos being published with a name other than mine.

I am looking forward to receive comments from the main editor of the newspaper. Actually, comments are not all I am expecting from them, as I have good basis (including raw files of the photos) to initiate legal actions protecting my rights.

You can follow these links to see the original pages of the newspaper with MY photos:
▲ http://www.moles.ee/07/Nov/23/5-1.php
▼ http://www.moles.ee/07/Nov/23/13-1.php

You can also check my blog story where I published one of those photos weeks before it was published in the newspaper (go to ‘Onegin premier‘).

The newspaper is in Russian, published in Estonia.

Not that I am connecting these things, but today it has been in the news how some of the Russian websites, published under Estonian web domain, announce that Estonian money Kroon has been devaluated. One would assume that Estonian Government and Estonian Bank would be among the first ones to know or announce about such events, but maybe we really are slow-minded Estonians who need to be explained what’s going on in Estonia.

But back to my story and steeling my photos. Some months ago I was informed that a profile on Latvian web community had all the photos that I had on my gaydar profile. With Aivars’ account we checked the profile, and indeed, I saw all my profile photos there. Naturally, I was insulted that my photos are being abused, but that time I did also laugh about it. At cases where weird people use others’ photos on their profiles, it is common that those are really good photos of models that are used. So now that someone used all of my photos, it was rather flattering, despite still being somewhat upsetting. But this time, even though I am flattered that my photos were consiered worthy to be published, there is nothing to be laughed about.