Public Apology to DPS Membership

[Jim Bryant]

First and up most I’d like apologize to Scott Bourne, of Photofocus.com and to Mark Hancock (newseagle.com.) for borrowing their articles, reposting on Digital Photography School without their permission to reuse and or giving attributive or providing a link.

Secondly, I want to a apologize to the owner, moderators and memberships for passing off posted information as my own words. It was my hope to provide such information to the members to further their photographic education and quest of knowledge to arm themselves if and when they wanted to start a photography business. For this much I have achieved a small measure of success, but because of my poor judgment I have lost even more, my good name, reputation as a photographer, faith of the membership and more importantly, my respect from you. For this I have to live with.

Again, I apologize to all.
Regards,
Jim Bryant

For what it's worth Jim, I always kinda 'knew' that you borrowed from some places, I hadn't realized that it was the entire articles.

So, from my end, I'm not cool with plagiarism and was a very outspoken member of the student body during the Big-10 Minnesota Golden Gopher Basketball scandal.

That being said, I believe in redemption.

If you truly mean it, I'm willing to welcome you back. Trust is hard to earn, but easy to lose.

Your advice has always been good, borrowed or otherwise, so for me it didn't make a lot of sense to copy verbatim articles to pass off as your own. A simple link and a "I completely agree with all of this" would have sufficed in my opinion.

Good luck, glad you are man enough to mea-culpa.

~Eric

[Swisstony10]

Actually, Jim, that post just earned you more respect in my eyes. It's one thing to make an error, but it's another thing altogether to hold one's hands up and admit it.

Much of the advice you've given, regardless of where it's come from, has been invaluable to me - whether it's been one of the threads which you've started, or comments you've made on other peoples' threads - and I totally get where you're coming from with all of it (even when it sounds a little gruff at first).

And as far as reputation is concerned, your reputation as a poster may be tarnished, your reputation as a photographer is beyond that.

Russ.

[SusanH1970]

Originally Posted by Swisstony10

Actually, Jim, that post just earned you more respect in my eyes. It's one thing to make an error, but it's another thing altogether to hold one's hands up and admit it.

Much of the advice you've given, regardless of where it's come from, has been invaluable to me - whether it's been one of the threads which you've started, or comments you've made on other peoples' threads - and I totally get where you're coming from with all of it (even when it sounds a little gruff at first).

And as far as reputation is concerned, your reputation as a poster may be tarnished, your reputation as a photographer is beyond that.

Russ.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[troutwhisperer]

Jim, apology accepted. I look forward to your future posts.

[BEGM83]

Fair play for the apology.

What is making me ponder though is that in order to know the stuff you were posting was right and applicable to the post and/or thread...you must have understood its content.

So why not just re-write it into your own words?

[Jim Bryant]

I can assure you that all future posts will be original words of mine, if I find someone else's that says or explains it better than I, I'll get in touch with that author to get permission to use their articles with credit and a link back to their blog, url. This, like everything else in life has been one valuable experience, that I for one will not forget or do ever again.

[Ginger Pixie]

"because of my poor judgment I have lost even more, my good name, reputation as a photographer, faith of the membership and more importantly, my respect from you. For this I have to live with."

Chill... crumbs, everyone makes mistakes. Just edit any past posts and add a link, problem solved. I don't think you need to lose any sleep over it or anything.

Originally Posted by Ginger Pixie

Chill... crumbs, everyone makes mistakes. Just edit any past posts and add a link, problem solved. I don't think you need to lose any sleep over it or anything.

I don't think you quite grasp the gravity of the situation.

A little "stress" and loss of sleep might have actually been the best thing for Jim right now.

~Eric

[doctorjames]

I havent been here long enough to know you or your posts that well.

That said, if I did what you have described in your post in my line of work I would be in trouble big time, reported to the GMC (general medical council) and potentially have my licence to practice revoked permanently. Plagarism is never a good thing, and passing off someone elses work as your own just isnt right. If I took one of your images, put my name to it and had it published as my own im pretty sure no-one on this forum would support me. Interlectual property and narrative are the same in my eyes.

Im glad you have owned up to it and apologised, and this is about as much as you can do. Im not sure if its enough for me though, as you made the choice to pass off other peoples work as your own, which is difficult for me to forgive. Im sure however that given a little time, some good advice offered to people in need on here (which is of course your own), and continuing to progress at the art this will all blow over relatively quickly.