Photographer Sues Paris Hilton for Modifying and Posting Her Images

Within the newest copyright infringement case of photographer towards superstar, photographer Claudia Fiorella Occhipinti has filed a lawsuit towards socialite Paris Hilton for cropping, modifying and posting photographs of herself to Instagram that Occhipinti had taken of her for a publicity marketing campaign.

The lawsuit, filed on the finish of November, states that Occhipinti was employed by Hilton in 2019 to take photos for her Electricity Perfume line (see Occhipinti’s unique photographs from the marketing campaign above). In response to Law 360, the photographer claimed that her photographs of Hilton might solely be utilized by Hilton to advertise her fragrance “in media, on packaging, or in promoting, and that no sub-licensing is allowed.” In response to the lawsuit, Occhipinti is the only writer, proprietor and copyright holder of the particular Hilton photographs from the marketing campaign.

[Read: New AI Apps Raise Questions About Copyright and More]

The swimsuit, filed in California federal court docket, took place after Occhipinti found that Hilton cropped and lower the pictures into her personal montages on Instagram (the place she has over 21 million followers) in situations that includes Barbie, aliens, unicorns, cartoon characters (under) and even different celebrities. In a single cropped and composited shot, Hilton is standing subsequent to a unicorn with the phrase “Sliving” positioned above them. In one other, a picture of Hilton by Occhipinti makes it seem that Hilton is standing subsequent to supermodel Naomi Campbell.

Occhipinti’s submitting, based on Legislation 360, asserts that “like many business photographers, Ms. Occhipinti’s livelihood largely depends upon income generated by licensing her unique and business works for replica, distribution, and public show. She additionally depends on her identify being correctly credited on her work.”

[Read: Lisa Rinna Sued for Posting Paparazzi Photos of Herself on Instagram]

It continues: “Paris Hilton positioned her personal emblem or the emblem of her corporations or merchandise on the pictures as if Hilton or her corporations owned the pictures, deliberately making a misunderstanding and deceptive attribution of origin that defendants are the house owners or authors of the pictures.

Occhipinti is now looking for financial compensation for injunctive reduction, damages, litigation prices and legal professional charges.