Photographer Brian Masck is justly proud of his widely seen shot of Desmond Howard during a Michigan-Ohio State football game in 1991. He'd also like to be justly compensated for its wide reuse, and is suing for that in Detroit Federal Court, Tresa Baldas of the Freep reports.
Howard, Sports Illustrated, Getty Images, Wal-Mart, Amazon.com and four other companies are accused of unlawfully copied and marketing the image.
The picture, which captured Howard striking the Heisman pose after returning a 93-yard punt for a touchdown, has turned up in magazines, posters, giant wall art, Howard's website and on sports memorabilia galore.
But Masck never authorized this mass marketing phenomenon, got credit for it, or ever got paid for it, his lawsuit states. . . .
"This case is not about a photograph going viral. It is about getting credit. ... And yes, it is also about the money," the 67-page lawsuit states.
Masck now sells framed reproductions and other versions of the photo at his own site.
