Don't Use Walmart's Picture Department

As a writer/author I know that I wouldn’t want anyone to steal my work or turn their work into something that it is not. Most of us know that we can’t steal images or word art from someone else. Most photos that have a copyright you cannot download or save onto your own computer. As a writer there are men that I use as my muses and I like to have their faces with me when I am trying to write. Well, I don’t want to carry my laptop with everywhere I go so I wanted to print them off and put them in an album so that I can see them. I would not be using them for cash or anything of that sort. I have a book that is copyrighted by the publisher and me so I would be hurt if someone stole my work.

            When I sent some of my pictures to be printed from Wal-Mart they told me that I couldn’t have them. First of all the pictures that I have saved to my computer are for me so that I can see a smile that spark something in my heart. There are pictures that you can’t save because they are copyrighted and they don’t give you the option to save them. My heart dropped and I couldn’t believe how the manager of the photo department was treating me. I spend thousands of dollars in there and this is what I get. I am not out to gain money I am out to use them to help me write. I give acknowledgements to the musicians and other artists who help me write when I publish my poetry. I give credit to the person who has helped me. I spend money on the musician’s discs and other things in return for them helping me write. When the manager refused to sell me the pictures I was to the point I was in between crying and screaming.

            Once my husband and I walked away I thought about walking out to my car and getting my book out of my car and shoving it someplace to show the manager that I knew what I was talking about. When I think about what this manager said and how she treated me, I know that I want to take my business elsewhere because they train them to be dumb and disrespect their customers. One picture was one that his girlfriend had taken and had posted on MySpace and I couldn’t even get that one. As an artist I would not want to take something from someone who worked hard to get there. Some photos are taken for purposes of putting them out for the public to take. It’s just like getting a picture out of a magazine and putting it on your wall. Back in the day, I had pictures lining my walls of musicians and didn’t sell them to gain anything.

            We post pictures online when we have met someone that is known without having them sign something to say if we can post it or not. Most artists want people to show off them pictures to gain fans so what’s the problem? If someone copied my work to make it into a poster I would be proud that someone is proud and enjoys my work. I spend money to meet these people and I can’t print off a picture of them so that I can find a spark in my heart to write.

            A picture can be worth a thousand words if you could carry it with you. Please understand this is my experience with Wal-Mart and don’t want to see people go through what I went through. I plan to send them to Wal-Mart and let them know how I was treated. Doesn’t anyone know what customer service is? The manager didn’t want to show me the law and why I couldn’t have the picture. She also violated my privacy by going through my pictures without my acknowledgements. I was violated more ways than I can to explain.

            To those who work at Wal-Mart I am sorry but there is no excuse for the way I was treated. The manager didn’t have a clue or a brain. I don’t like to walk on people or be disrespectful but that was plain stupid. I will find a way to get my pictures if it kills me. There is a time and a place for things and she didn’t do her job.