I might be a tad thick but this only looks vaguely similar to me. That is, they look like different bolts to me. The clouds behind don't look anything alike.

It appears to be the same picture, although reversed horizontally for the wall. In the wall it looks like some darkening of the clouds in some areas may have been done as well as removal of the horizon and ground.

IPlural: your suggestion is a good one IMO. However, Dj's remarks are already in the comments section for the wall.

For gods sake not again.

That is not the link nor the same picture, the picture i got i picked up a while ago from a FREE nature site and as i stressed it was something i was practicing on not something i said i started from scratch, i did not flip or remove anything from the image.

All you had to do wass confront me personally and i would have explained, but no it (yet again) has to be made public.

What does one have to do around here to learn and share along the way.

Well given the detail in the pic, even the jags and offshoots of the lightning, isn't it possible that the image you downloaded and used was "borrowed" from the other site linked to above? I'd say it's the same pic.

I thought the rules for work uploaded here were that it's supposed to be original work, not just a manipulation of another work (or photo). (Unless of course permission is granted by the original artist or photographer.) So perhaps according to those rules, it is a "rip?" That's for the mods to decide, I suppose.



[Message Edited]

Everyone shuddap and let the admins sort it out. Not another witch hunt...

Sorry to have to tell you this...blah blah blah...

Yeah, right...I bet you're sorry.

Instead of being an attention *****, take it up with the admins if you feel you need to be Mr. Skin Policeman.

I'm not going to pass judgement by screaming 'RIP!' on this one, but from what Dark Mist has said it sounds like he was unaware that the original image was copyrighted material.

The danger with downloading and using any images from sites which claim to be royalty free collections is that you're never really sure where the image has come from in the first place. It's so much safer, but obviously more costly, to buy photographs like this from a reputable seller or as a part of a CD clipart collection.

I can understand your unwillingness to accept that the image you used was copyrighted Dark Mist, but the evidence seems pretty conclusive on this occasion, whether you were aware of the image's original source or not. I think this is just an unfortunate misunderstanding where you've been mislead by another party.

FYI: I'm pretty damn sure that image was on photodisc a while back.

Check photodisc.com/gettyimages.com
You'll probably find it there. (doing a quick search showed most of those images on the gettyimages site)

free for non for profit use Photo's, unless royalties apply to the specific graphic...

Artist's submit their work however the publisher sets up the contract and submission policies...

It certainly appears original proprietorship is uncertain. This image is very definitely derived from the other[s] and would require verification of appropriate consent, which, that not forth-coming, demands the work be removed from Wincustomize.com.

Now, as a general reminder, such notification of 'rip' SHOULD be dealt with via email to myself or another Admin/wizop and not via public vilification.  On most occasions such incidents are 'accidental', not 'intentional', purely through ignorance/inexperience.

When this work in particular was submitted, my [private] comment was 'gee this looks familiar', but assumed it was a tutorial-type image where you end up with more than one example of 'similar' result, but since it has exact duplicates elsewhere means that is not the case so it is removed...

We still like you and your talent Dark Mist and I for one can understand.

Mistakes, accidents and mis-understandings DO happen and is easily forgivable, but the blatant public "finger-pointing" is no mistake, accident or mis-understanding, and not so easily forgivable.

No problem. Rules are there for a reason. Lets hope others have learn't something too, most importantly on how to handle the situation. Thank you for your understanding, I appreciate it

Right on Dark Mist........Great and mature attitude. For one moment i thought this thread was going to get silly but thankfully due to your constructive approach it has not gone down this route........Keep up the good work