Everyone, it seems, is reaping fortune or fame from a 2006 Associated Press picture of Barack Obama. Except the AP.
The wire service published photo at far left three years ago. Shepard Fairey built an iconic, pro-Obama poster around it.
Now photographer Manny Garcia is selling prints for $1,200 each. At a Chelsea art gallery, where his picture sits next to Fairey's poster. He's sold at least one and autographed 40 out of a limited edition of 200.
Presumably he's worked out the copyright issues with AP, because that company doesn't mess around. It filed a copyright-infrigement suit against street artist Fairey just a couple of weeks ago, and Fairey didn't even make any money on the poster.
If Garcia, the original creator of the shot, is relaxed enough about Fairey's poster to turn it to his advantage, there's probably a lesson there for AP. Not that we'll be holding our breath while they learn it.
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