I just found out my employer is using my pictures (cakes I made at home, that I had on my resume) for the portfolio of the bakery.

I've been very clear, they can't be used because they belong to me. She says everytime "I will!" but she never did it.

What can I do?

thanks

How would you feel if she kept them on the site, but gave you complete credit (This cake made by...)? Would that work as a compromise? If you really want the pictures taken off, I'm sure someone here will come up with a good suggestion. 

That is completely wrong! If the shoe were on the other foot she might have terminated you. If you have told her that she can not use your photos and she is still using them, you will have to give her a stronger ultimatum. Let her know that you are serious and the consequences that come with using someones photos without their permission.

That is plain wrong, URRRRG, she has a lot of nerve!

Yes, she is wrong to use your photos without giving you credit!!! Although, when she is your boss, she will make it hard for you to work there and probably treat you very badly if you buck here. You are in between a rock and a hard place. I know you have got to be pretty frustrated about this!!!

Hopefully someone here will have an easy answer of what you need to do!! Good luck!!

I think she is already treating her badly to do something like this without telling her. I mean she could go about asking her in a more diplomatic way.

Where I worked we could not use any photos of cakes made at the bakery for our personal portfolios, it was grounds for termination to do so. It was stated clearly when we were hired that anything created there even though we made it, it was created in their business with their products and equipment, which made it their cakes.

She didn't give her credit when she posted them nor ask permission. I  feel like she is taking advantage of her and further jeopardizing her as an employee by not taking them down the first time she asked her to. 

I feel for you ItalianBaker and the tough position you are in but if you want her to take them down, you are going to have to let her know that you are serious.

AYep she is already making hard to be there.. I think she just don't believe I can do something!

So mad right now..

You could go above her head and file a complaint with the company who hosts her website.  You can tell them that she is using images that you own.  Sometimes if you can show that you have several other photographs of the same thing (i.e. different camera angles of the cake) you can prove it is your photo.   

let me tell you I know how you feel. Where I worked the head decorator had it in for me day one. She would talk about the boss behind her back, leave bags of product on the floor, constantly nit pick my style of decorating. Would you believe that she would make display cakes with real cake . I couldn't take it anymore and quit.

I had given the business my website address as part of my portfolio, and wouldn't you know that one day I went to theirs being nosy and there were my cakes, while not exactly like mine but a close enough resemblance to know it was my style. I cant do anything about it because it's not my actual work. 

If my decorating and creativity was so bad why is she trying to copy it . I try to take it in stride but I really chaps my hide to see her do this over and over again. 

I know you are upset, I don't know if you want to try to keep your job or not as they are hard to come by these days. maybe have a sit down with her to try and hatch this out. If that doesn't work I don't know what you can do about it legally but there must be something.

The same thing happened to me a few months ago. I actually sent her an email because I couldn't say it in person (I regret it now, but it worked). I explained how I spent so much time on the cakes and I didn't want the pictures being used in the portfolio for the bakery when they were my own personal cakes. I told her how some of them that I did for fun were so time consuming and frustrating, that I wouldn't necessarily want customers asking for those cakes.

She stopped using them and I learned to watermark ALL of my pictures with my business name.

A

My pictures are not on the website! She printed them out from my resume and put together the other pictures in a paper portfolio to show customers! This is a small town, I'm trying to build my own website and business, I just can't have my pictures all over, people might start wondering who did what!

So you're saying you are making creations for your own business and the bakery in town?

If you are employed by this woman, wouldn't her showing your cake simply aim at getting you to do that cake for the bakery? 

It seems to be there's a huge conflict in there...and you're trying to find the dividing line again? 

While you're there, in my thinking, the pictures compliment you...the baker and decorator. After you're gone, she probably wouldn't take the pictures out if she's not taking them out when you ask now. I feel the only thing you can do then is tell people that's you if and when it may be brought up. 

I always put my watermark on photos.Many of my pics were stolen and posted on facebook.Now theft has came down.

I use this software- Mass Watermark to watermark and resize my photos in Bulk.Its quite easy to use

Take a look at this video 

AYou are so right! I'm doing it now, I didn't think to watermark my pics for the resume.. It needs to be always ready!

She's a sneaky wee one your boss, does she have a facebook page for the business I wonder?

Is it beyond the bounds of reason for "a customer" to enquire about your specific cake, cost, how soon they can have it etc?

Seems to me a resourceful person could do something about this quite easily in a fashion your sneaky boss would richly deserve?

If she's showing the pics to potential clients in store couldn't "a customer" show up and after perusing her pics show a great interest in one of those you have created...a customer from out of town perhaps?

So many possibilities for a resourceful talented person.

Apti:  good suggestion!