Bart_van_der_Wolf
pro member
Hi Folks,
Apparently the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPAT) saw fit to grant a patent for a lighting setup that has probably been used by many before (=prior art), but perhaps not documented as such, shooting objects against a seamless white background.
This means that using such a lighting setup without express permission will violate the Amazon patent and one may be prosecuted for violating Amazon's exclusive rights to use ''their' intellectual property.
I don't know what the world has come to by allowing such a patent in the first place, but it is bad news anyway, unless one is a patent troll (someone who makes their money by litigation over frivolous patent claims).
Here are some links covering the idiocy:
http://www.slrlounge.com/amazon-patents-basics-studio-photography-photographing-seamless-white
http://www.digitaltrends.com/photography/amazon-awarded-questionable-studio-lighting-patent/#!OnAZD
http://www.geek.com/news/amazon-successfully-patents-photography-against-a-white-background-1593582/
Anyway, something to be aware of, and something to be contested. Steven Colbert has also taken his humorous stab at it.
Cheers,
Bart
Apparently the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPAT) saw fit to grant a patent for a lighting setup that has probably been used by many before (=prior art), but perhaps not documented as such, shooting objects against a seamless white background.
This means that using such a lighting setup without express permission will violate the Amazon patent and one may be prosecuted for violating Amazon's exclusive rights to use ''their' intellectual property.
I don't know what the world has come to by allowing such a patent in the first place, but it is bad news anyway, unless one is a patent troll (someone who makes their money by litigation over frivolous patent claims).
Here are some links covering the idiocy:
http://www.slrlounge.com/amazon-patents-basics-studio-photography-photographing-seamless-white
http://www.digitaltrends.com/photography/amazon-awarded-questionable-studio-lighting-patent/#!OnAZD
http://www.geek.com/news/amazon-successfully-patents-photography-against-a-white-background-1593582/
Anyway, something to be aware of, and something to be contested. Steven Colbert has also taken his humorous stab at it.
Cheers,
Bart