chromablog is pretty darn close. looks like copying to me.

Inspiration is visible in certain details and hommages. Copying is whatever that web site is doing.

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery - right?

At the same time, theft is the surest sign of a lack of creativity, and I am sure his photos & work will bear that out.

I don't look forward to your site design in my RSS feed every day - I look forward to your photos. He can't steal those. (Legally)

waaaaaiiiiitaminute.....did you use a template or something to design your website? because chromablog is practically an exact copy. if it were me, i'd think it would be more trouble to try and copy all those details of your site instead of just coming up with my own design.

i don't get it.

awesome picture by the way! really like the contrast in color and focus.

From a graphic designers point of view it is a blatant rip off and I would probably be having words.

From the point of view that your website design is for showcasing photographs then I wouldn't worry too much, unless he starts putting your work on his site.

John

great shot! I assume you burned the clouds? I love that effect on the sky. great dramatic contrast between it and the white of the seagull.

btw, about the copycat site....i dont mind that he copied your main page template, what annoys me is that he copied your browse template and your about template....thats just totally unacceptable in my book.

Chromablog may well be a satire - or a piss take.

It's got to be a piss take - a bit like the daily dose one that hung around for a while.

You've made less-than-blatant references to the ultimate seagull pic before and I always thought that was probably because they are so facinating -- to capture those antics and flight that our minds so easily record would be a tremendous challenge realized. This shot is very nice, especially the open air feel and the reversed contrast between the fore- and background.

As to the copied web design, I've often wished others would copy some of your elements. On other sites, the wandering prev/next buttons are a pain, the cluttered margins a distraction, the thumbnail images a waste, the fixed brilliant colors a wash. That said, I also want variety enough that I don't lose track of which site I'm viewing. If there are lines that shouldn't be crossed, the last one has to be a look and name that are distinguishable only with effort.

Strange... His site is next to identical. But his source code is so different... I'm baffled. Oh well, we all know who was here first.

Nice seagull, by the way.

Copying takes no original idea. We may all be inspired by your work, or web page -- if that's the case, we should use it as a foundation... then we can build our own site, not copy yours exactly and say its ours. That's morally wrong for any person, admirer or not. The other web page is nothing more than a copy. Zero originality.

Very dramatic seagull shot. Inspiration is all around us - I'd argue that a large portion of what many of us do anymore is based upon some sort of inspiration (whether it be from a photo blog, or a classic 'master' of photography). However, it is quite obvious that chromablog is straight up copying chromasia. Not only in design and style, but even the NAME had to parallel yours, for goodness sake!

I am frequently inspired to think further about the content of your photographs, sometime amazed at your commitment to a search for more from the subject matter.

The person copying your site design may find there own audience but I have no plans to return to "the other" site.

beautiful shot.. wonderfully captured. I wouldn't worry so much about the other guy.. it seems he is already getting negative feedback from your loyal viewers..

That's a very good shot and I'm surprised that it's a heavy crop because the quality is still fantastic. Good work. Did it require much work in Photoshop?

Chromablog? Ahhh, whatever. You've got far more big-boys-toys on your kit list than he has. That's what matters :)

I too have tried the ultimate seagull shot, and way too many times at that. Not sure I will ever post one as I am yet to be happy.

Inspired is something of your own insight.

Copying is the opposite.

This is a rather beautiful shot. Great sky and a wonderful clarity in terms of the seagull. These two really compliment one another.

Oh, just clicked that link. Did you give him the site?

If not, that takes the piss and his title... ultra takes the piss....

Sorry, thought you were trying to be a little philosophical.

I've seen the other site and yes it looks like an exact copy, but to be honest your images are far more advanced, and thats what gets you the traffic and fan base :)

Great shot Dave - i'm amazed you only used the 50mm lens. He was obviously flying quite close to you then!

That's quite stunning - it's incredible to think you took that photo from the ground, and not up in the sky, right next to the seagull. The moody clouds really add to the photo too.

Chromablog is also stunning, for different reasons. I can't imagine how someone could do such a blatant copy without feeling just a tiny bit self-conscious / silly / lazy etc. etc.

That's a total ripoff. I can't believe (well, yes I can) he did that.

just checked out chromablog... it's sad he copied all of it... is it a template or something? anyway, at least the name...
but i liked his portfolio

I personally provide my work in a creative commons license, thus allowing people to be inspired or blatantly steal stuff if they ackgnowledge me.

For photographs, this might be a bad idea. For a site design, I'd let him get away purely on the basis that he is obviously a crazy fan and not a commercial company trying to make a buck. That said, he should at least ackgnowledge where his inspiration, or CSS, came from.

This is an awesome shot, Dave. Having trouble thinking of what your ultimate seagull shot would be, since this looks pretty ideal to me!

I can't believe that Chromablog guy. Horrible. Pretty willful and blatant stuff...

I've felt inspired by your HTML and CSS before, and I've read the message that you put on the pages asking to not steal your work...he or she apparently did not read up too well (actually, they did read well enough to delete the message from their code).

I like the emotion of the color and contrast depths of the sky. It has a very nice crop. Could you try to catch a 'gull at telephoto, then do a crop so that you get a close-up on its face? I would enjoy a nice, detailed beak and feathers.

Thanks, also, for supporting the relief effort for Katrina in the USA.

fantabulous!

Beautiful shot, David. The perfectly captured transparency of the wing feathers and the boldness of the colours are just the sort of things about your photography (a.k.a. Chromasia) that inspire me.

Great stuff.

As for that other place... what a load of &*%$£@!

I love this shot. It's like the seagull is trying to find his way before the storm comes.

there is a big difference betewns chromas...
the quality of the pictures. your pictures are much much more better!!!!!

by the way. did you see my today's picture? is inspired on some I saw from your blog (http://elfotodiario.blogspot.com/2005/09/algas.html)

Ok Dave,

First, the seagull is perfect.

Second, While I have been inspired by your work, and I have even asked you how to do something and attempted to do it, there is a big difference between learning and imitating, or even copying. I think "the other site" speaks for itself, because talent cannot be copied. Your images have an effect that I have almost never seen anywhere else, and that is why, I am sure you have become the number one photoblog for so long.

I say we, who appreciate your work will keep coming to Chromasia. and I say you should at least let Brandon Stone about his site. Maybe he can be persuaded to be a little more creative.

i love this photo. love.

and whats annoying about that guy ripping you off is that you have always been more than generous with your fanbase in answering specific questions about how you did something in photoshop, or what kind of technique you used or whatever else. you hide nothing, you are very open, and you seem to have no "secrets". so for this guy to steal from you and try to claim it as his own is akin to a slap in the face. but no worries- there's been (and there will be) no confusion about who rocks a camera better.

beautiful shot. so crisp!

Great Photo, I like the originality of it, although being a common subject.

Gorgeous lighting and texture. You've really nailed the exposure here. superb.

I've often considered 'stealing' your code because it is the best looking/most easily accessible photoblog I've seen.

But I have more respect. I saw your source, and your openness to help anyone who wants it should speak for itself. Shame on the other person.

I totally have to get a 50mm lens. You're right - it's not the one. But it's darn close. Me = very impressed.

If this is the same dude that asked on the PixelPost boards for your template...he was told to ask you first! *shakes her head* That is just blatent stealing, but I love your pic, it does stand out.

A very sad imitation. Still, I recommend people go to Chromablog to check out the comments! Very funny. Perhaps I will set up a remarkably similair site called Chromasnap posting pictures taken on my Ixus!

Oh BTW - like the seagull shot.

long time listener, first time caller...

Just had to chime in from an art director's point of view. That is copying. Having said that, we have a saying in my office..."We only steal from the best!"

As for the gull. I find your take on them interesting. I always shy away from shooting them because they're so "common". Some people I know call them "beach rats". Nonetheless, the photo is excellent and the retouching exquisite. As always...

believe it is Bernoulli's Principle, and will surmise you are speaking of the lift of wings (airplane or bird, I guess). Very nice picture.

dang. nice shot.

Great shot! I like the fact that the bird looks a little like he needs a bath. If he was all perfectly clean and white, I'd look over this as just another seagull shot. Can't wait for the "Greatest Seagull Shot of All Time".

And in case you haven't realized it, people try to imitate your site because it is awesome. I've seen people trying to recreate it in different forums.

I just realized my site looks reeealy similar to yours and I'm using a default template that came with pixelpost. I did add nice-titles to my site, but I knew about that before I saw it here. Not that all that matters, nobody visits my site anyway because I'm still a new kid on the camera block.

This is one of the better 'bird in flight' shots i've seen, so don't beat yourself up on it. Love the D&B work on the clouds, and the almost 3D effect the selective editing that you have done that really pushes the gull to the fore...

As for chromacrap.com or whatever it was, the quality of images will be his/her downfall. Having copied and been copied in the past - it's all part of the fabric of the web - different story if s/he started putting your images on the site!

However, I do note that the copyright meta-tag does refer to the design as theirs...not good.

Wow!

Hi everyone-

just a thought, not that it will make people any less upset; but it appears to me that the chromablog copy is actually a spoof. look at the person's comments on kites: "Anyway, shooting kites is a good subject. There are lot of colors."

Looks like he's making fun. Waste of time in my opinion; guess some people have a lot of time on their hands though.

Another guess: if my guess is true, the person is loving all the angry posts on the chromablog site.

BTW, the best thing about chromasia's design is that it is about the images; doesn't try to be fancy.

I'm a bit baffled - if he could put together his dancing rollei, could he not come up with his own site design?

As for your seagull - crackerjack image! The toning on the sky is magnificent as usual. You must have been inspired when you pulled this into C1 Pro!

Great shot dave. Incredible that you captured this with a 50mm. Did he alight from your shoulder?

<

Really? What a curious idea. Why should there ever be a shot to end all shots? This is a fantastic seagull shot, but I can easily imagine 100 other equally amazing seagull shots, no better, no worse.