Happy Wednesday friends! I hope that this finds you doing well! Today, I am sad that I have to address a situation that occurred with someone stealing a photo of mine and sharing it without credit over this past week. If we are connected on instagram than you might have seen a bit about this, but because of the serious nature of this situation I knew it was important to share here in this space.
As a professional blogger who has been blessed to work as a travel writer and social media influencer over the last 7 years, I have had (a few times) someone use a photo of mine without crediting my work. Typically in each of these situations, I have contacted the source, they have apologized, given proper credit, and we have all moved forward. In fact, in closing in at almost a decade of full-time blogging, I have never had someone not apologize and credit me with the work.
What occurred over this past week was anything but that. It has been disheartening, eye-opening, and disappointing.
On Friday night (after a long day of travel to pick up our keys to our condo and work on some moving stuff), I was scrolling through my instagram messages and realized I had several from people screen-shotting me the above image. Several people were questioning that they recognized the image from my Prince Edward Island trip in 2017 and were concerned that this particular blogger didn't credit me with my photo.
I knew instantly that the photo was mine and was surprised that this particular blogger (whom I have known in "bloggy world" since 2013 and even have met in person and have had an acquaintance relationship with over the years) didn't credit me. I also knew that this particular blogger was aware of this special trip because we had expressly discussed the trip in numerous conversations. I also knew that this person has expressly commented on my posts from PEI, instagram posts about press and places my work has been seen in, etc. The whole thing I assumed was an accident.
I admit that I was disturbed (a similar situation with this same person had occurred last year that I did not make public) but I assumed it was once again an honest mistake. Last year this person had even sent me an apology gift for the situation (which I stated and shared was unnecessary) and again just assumed that maybe this was also a mistake.
I was confused why there were numerous pictures (from multiple sources) not credited and I was also confused why the copyright in the right corner was cut off, but again, tried to believe that this was just a mistake in the course of being overly happy about posting pictures of PEI. I know some of you are smiling that know me well, but yes I do try to believe the best about everyone. *smiles*
I reached out, did what I have always done, expressed concern, requested that I be credited with the photo or it be removed, and planned to move on to a very busy weekend with moving.
I saw that the message was read but didn't receive an immediate response and had received so many messages about the situation that I finally made a story post addressing the situation which I posted in my instagram stories.
On Saturday morning I woke up to a bit of weird message from this person where their response was the following:
Hi friend. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Honestly, I google imaged “Anne of green gables” (and as most were via Pinterest or tourist websites) I didn’t even think to look twice. I also genuinely didn’t notice any water marks. Truly, if I would have seen it was your picture I would have given you credit. The funny thing was that I would have loved to share your AOGG posts in my stories, but wasn’t sure if you’d want me to do that. I should have just reached out to ask you, but honestly felt so bad about what happened last year that I didn’t. I feel as though I’ve deeply offended and wounded you and I am truly sorry. Nothing about this was intentional at all, but I take full responsibility for my mistake. I’ve reposted it with a credit to you, but I can absolutely delete the post if you rather. I’d also love to share your pictures and point people to your trip so they can read about everything you did, but if you’d rather me not just let me know!! You were the first friend that I knew who did this trip, so would love to point people to your blog about it, with your permission or course 🤍 And again, no worries if you’d rather me not.
What struck me as odd in this message were many things, but specifically the following things concerned me:
(1) They googled images for Anne of Green Gables but didn't think to credit the sources (which is copyright infringement). As a photographer and blogger, this is widely known. Even if you aren't a photographer or blogger, it is illegal to just post pictures of others work as your own with no credit or disclaimer. As this person has claimed to be both over the years I can't understand why they wouldn't want to cite the source (or if unknown just say "source unknown").
(2) They stated that they didn't know the picture was mine, yet based on previous conversations we had discussed this exact same picture. In fact, I have screenshot comments on the original IG post plus email conversations about this same picture. I get that we are all busy, and things can be forgotten, but the watermark is obviously there and has been cropped out.
(3) When I put in "Anne of Green Gables" or "Anne of Green Gables Museum" into Google the picture that was used is directly is linked to my blog or has a credit to me or my blog in the description... again with the watermark.
(4) They admit that I was the first "friend" that they knew did the trip, but were unsure if I would want my blog posts to be known?? What blogger is ever upset about this?? Especially a professional blogger whose trip has been shared thousands of times, across numerous social media venues, etc. Again, What blogger is ever upset about this??
(5) They tried to create a weird situation by stating that they had "deeply offended or wounded me". For the record, I didn't feel any of those things, but did feel that this situation had quickly become inappropriate with something else that was going on with this blogger and trying to turn it back on me. I wrote back the following response:
__________, the situation that happened over a year ago was very different then this one (although both times there was no credit given) as that was a time where you used a gift that had been specifically created for you in a giveaway. This is copyright infringement when sharing a picture of mine without permission/credit. To clarify- I am not "wounded" but it does baffle me why as a photographer and a blogger you wouldn't think to either cite that the pictures have a source unknown or take the time to find the source of the pictures.
To also clarify I have NEVER been offended to have my blog posts and stories from PEI (or other travel writings) shared as they have been shared thousands of times and even have been shared in magazines, travel books, and various press over the years. As you stated I was the first blogger to discuss a trip like that to PEI and have remained that way and so I have always been honored and humbled when people share (with credit). As a professional travel blogger it is always an honor to have our work credited through other bloggers, press, etc.I appreciate the re-posting of the picture with proper credit. I hope you have a wonderful weekend ___________.
I sent the message, assumed that this strange situation was over and went about my day. A little while later I received an instagram story from her showing that she had re-posted the original picture with credit to me. I was busy with lots of moving details, didn't respond and planned to respond later to thank her, and went about my day.
As Saturday continued though I started getting new messages that there were other pictures being shared - again with no credit. I tried to go to her page and realized that she had blocked me. I was baffled by the entire thing and still am. I tried to reach out via Facebook, but she had unfriended and blocked me there and it was honestly the strangest situation in my years of blogging.
In the midst of the stress of moving, it was unfortunate that this had to happen this way also. While I wish her the best, it was a reminder to me that we don't know what is going on in another person's life and why they chose to do the things that they do. Sadly on line we get to know only one side of a person's life and we really don't know what is going on behind the scenes in her life. I can honestly only imagine if this is the way that she chooses to handle a person simply asking for credit for a photograph that is legally mine.
I feel sad that they felt that this was the way to handle a situation with someone that they had known for so many years, and have questioned a lot of things now about the pictures on their blog (whether the photography from her that I have always admired is really hers, etc.), their social media venues, etc. Having this situation happen one time (last year) was a genuine mistake I believed, but this pattern was concerning in so many ways.
After making a formal complaint on Instagram, I can only hope that this blogger can learn from their mistakes and that they see the seriousness of this situation. Instead of blocking others who may request credit to their rightful pictures, I hope that they can learn from this and I truly hope that in the future that they can find the beauty and joy of their own life instead of trying to just share others.
We each have so much to offer with our unique experiences and lives to the world. It is beautiful to share things that inspire us, but let's be women who encourage and champion each other not try to steal from each other. It is always beautiful to share inspiration from others (with credit *smiles*), but today and each day I hope that this situation can encourage each of us to find the joy and love and gifts of the beautiful sacred now in our personal lives.
PS- I have had so many people requesting me to share more about the PEI trip from 2017 that over the next few weeks I will be re-sharing some of my favorite posts. I hope it inspires you to a fun and beautiful trip to a truly beautiful place on earth! Happy Wednesday friends!
Happy Wednesday friends! I hope that you are having a lovely day! Today I am excited to continue recap my Alaskan Road Trip Adventures from 2019. As I have shared, I wanted to do this because I hope that it encourages you to consider taking a road trip of your own this summer to this beautiful part of the world!
Today I am excited to share the last few posts from our time in Alaska, and today I am specifically excited to talk about our lovely stay at the Pursuit Collection's Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge in Talkeetna (near Denali) which was absolutely lovely!
You may remember me talking about our stay at the Pursuit Collections Seward Windsong Lodge (you can read about my review of the property HERE, our room HERE, and 2 other posts about incredible walks near the property HERE and HERE). 
After a long day (nearly 12 hours) of traveling across the McCarthy Highway and the the beautiful Denali Highway (where we had some car trouble with a flattening tire!) we were excited to sleepily arrive at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge. We were NOT disappointed at all. From the moment we drove up, we knew our stay would be lovely and we also knew that we were in for a treat and an experience like no other- just like the Pursuit Collection is known for!
Like the Seward Windsong Lodge, the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge is part of the Pursuit Collection which is a beautiful collection of experiences and lodges around the world. You can find out more about them HERE! As I mentioned in my post about the Seward Windsong Lodge, we had the incredible opportunity to stay at two of them on our road trip and they were both lovely. The Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge was one of my favorite places of the trip and it was an incredible way to end our journey.
Unlike the property at the Seward Windsong Lodge (which is divided into different buildings and in those buildings there are several different rooms that are in them), the Talkeetna Lodge has a mixture of both- with the main lodge (where we stayed) and then additional buildings on the property.
Talkeetna is sometimes overlooked as a popular stopping point for those on an Alaskan Road Trip (with many people focused on getting to Denali), but I walked away from the trip definitely believing that this area had so much to be discovered and would love to spend more time in this part of Alaska. We spent a few hours exploring the town itself which is about 10 minutes from the lodge (which I will share more about on Thursday) and would definitely recommend that this be the lodge for your "base camp" for your time in this area- whether it be to Talkeetna or to Denali. In addition to this the cost is amazing for all that it includes, especially compared to other lodges in the Denali Park area.
Stepping up to the outside entrace to the lodge was lovely... and then we stepped inside and were in awe.
As we stepped inside we were immediately met by the incredible stone fireplace, the warm vibe of the people and staff, and the incredible cozy luxury feeling. We immediately wanted to sit down on the soft leather couches and just rest in the cozy luxury before us. Isn't the stone fireplace detail absolutely incredible?? (If you go to my instagram site (HERE) and click on the Alaska story highlight you can "walk through" the area with me - it truly was just amazing!)
You can also see in the pictures above how in the main entrance/lobby area there is a "circular" entrance in a way that greets you with the lovely gift shop to the left and then the vast windows and fireplace in front of you and then to the right is the restaurant and then more to the right was a coffee bar area that serves coffee and some finger food type items. It was truly cozy luxury at its best with the warm welcome.
Our views in the evening were simply gorgeous. We arrived around 8pm and after quickly settling into our room we went to eat dinner (see the picture above- isn't that deck gorgeous??) and we stayed outside sitting, eating, talking, and enjoying the beautiful weather and gorgeous views. It was truly a memorable last evening in Alaska.
The next morning we awoke to the most beautiful clear views (we definitely became part of the Denali 30% club!) and it was stunning. We marvled at the amazing rest we all had, the beauty that we saw right from our window in our room, and then from the deck where we went to eat a brunch.
Isn't our lunch spot amazing?!? The unobstructed views from the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge could not be beat!
Our stay was beautiful and I would have loved to stay longer and explore more of the area while making this a "base camp" because it was so lovely. Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge in the "cozy luxury" oasis for this part of Alaska that is just incredible. I would definitely stay at the property again and stay for longer because I enjoyed it so much. It was beautiful, removed from the hustle and bustle so it was giving you a retreat, and very, very cozy. In addition to this the price is unbeatable as it is much cheaper than properties and places to stay in the Denali area (and much nicer in my opinion!)
The staff was incredible, they were friendly, polite, and just incredibly amazing. So much so that when we needed our car tire changed due to a flat we went to call to see who could help us from Triple AAA and were told "don't worry about it at all. Come down and show us your car and we will handle it for you while you relax and enjoy the morning". We were STUNNED by the amazing response we received and the way that we were treated. You felt like you were nothing but a delight to have at the property and that it was an honor for you to be there! Emily, Sue, and I both agreed that we would LOVE to spend more time at this property and I can't wait to do so in the future!
Whatever your reason for visiting Talkeetna/Denali Area is (even if you are an Alaskan resident and are looking for a perfect quick getaway), you will want to stay at the Pursuit Collection's Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge and make this the home base of your plans in the Denali area. To be honest it is worth a trip over to the Talkeetna all on its own - that is how much I recommend it.
Interested in booking a stay at the Pursuit Collection's Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge? You can connect with the Pursuit Collection's Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge and make reservations here:
Phone Number: 1.800.808.8068
I hope that each of you have a chance to stay at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge. It is truly such a beautiful and lovely place. Please let me know if you have any questions!!
A huge thank you to the Pursuit Collection and the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge for the complimentary stay and experience to stay at this beautiful property. ALL opinions are my own.
Want to step forward and plan your trip but not sure how? Check out all of the Alaska Road Trip posts from our trips in 2018 and 2019 which you can find them in the Alaska travel section on my blog by clicking HERE or you can click on the specific links below:
Anchorage: // Hyatt Place Anchorage-Midtown Video // Beluga Point //
// Hyatt Place Anchorage-Midtown// Room 209 Hyatt Place Anchorage-Midtown //
// Anchorage Travel Guide//
Chugach Mountains (Alaska 1-South Drive): // Seward Highway Drive (Turnagain Arm Drive)//
// Along the Matanuska River on Alaska 1-South// A Beautiful Lake Adventure Near Chickaloon//
// A Cloudy & Beautiful Drive on Alaska 1-South//
Chugach Mountains: // Eklutna Lake//
Cooper Landing (Kenai Peninsula): // Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge Nature Hike//
// Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge //
Denali State Park Area: //Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge (Pursuit Collection)// Denali Highway Video//
// One Last Adventure on the Denali Highway// The Denali Highway: Part Two //
// The Denali Highway: Part One//
//The Drive to Cantwell// Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge //
Girdwood: // Winner Creek Trail Video// Winner Creek Trail //
Hatcher Pass Area: // Hatcher Pass Video// Hatcher Pass // Little Susitna River //
Homer (Kenai Peninsula) Area: // Homer Video// Homer Spit// Homer Lighthouse// Bishop's Beach//
// A Brief History of Homer //
Kennicott/McCarthy Area: //Root Glacier Hike //Kennicott // Kennicott Glacier //
// Kennecott vs. Kennicott Spelling // The McCarthy Highway //
// An Unfortunate Review of the Kennicott Glacier Lodge //
Seward: //Holgate Glacier// Kenai Fjords Whale Watching Tour//
//A Beautiful Morning Walk in Seward// An Evening Walk at Seward Windsong Lodge//
//Resurrection Roadhouse Restaurant at Seward Windsong Lodge//
//Seward Windsong Lodge// Room 408 at Seward Windsong Lodge//
Seward Highway Area: //Beluga Point// Scenic Seward Highway Drive (Turnagain Arm Drive)//
Talkeetna: //Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge (Pursuit Collection)//
Thompson Pass Area: // Thompson Pass Area Video // Worthington Glacier Hike//
//Worthington Glacier//
// Among the Alaskan Fireweed on A4-S: A Beautiful Symbol of Hope in the Hard Seasons of Life //
// A Brief History of & Drive on Alaska 4-South of the Richardson Highway//Klutina River//
// The Beginning Drive to Thompson Pass//
Whittier: //3 Things to See and Do in Whittier Port on Your Alaskan Cruise //
// Hyatt Place Anchorage-Midtown// Room 209 Hyatt Place Anchorage-Midtown //
// Anchorage Travel Guide//
Chugach Mountains (Alaska 1-South Drive): // Seward Highway Drive (Turnagain Arm Drive)//
// Along the Matanuska River on Alaska 1-South// A Beautiful Lake Adventure Near Chickaloon//
// A Cloudy & Beautiful Drive on Alaska 1-South//
Chugach Mountains: // Eklutna Lake//
Cooper Landing (Kenai Peninsula): // Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge Nature Hike//
// Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge //
Denali State Park Area: //Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge (Pursuit Collection)// Denali Highway Video//
// One Last Adventure on the Denali Highway// The Denali Highway: Part Two //
// The Denali Highway: Part One//
//The Drive to Cantwell// Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge //
Girdwood: // Winner Creek Trail Video// Winner Creek Trail //
Hatcher Pass Area: // Hatcher Pass Video// Hatcher Pass // Little Susitna River //
Homer (Kenai Peninsula) Area: // Homer Video// Homer Spit// Homer Lighthouse// Bishop's Beach//
// A Brief History of Homer //
Kennicott/McCarthy Area: //Root Glacier Hike //Kennicott // Kennicott Glacier //
// Kennecott vs. Kennicott Spelling // The McCarthy Highway //
// An Unfortunate Review of the Kennicott Glacier Lodge //
Seward: //Holgate Glacier// Kenai Fjords Whale Watching Tour//
//A Beautiful Morning Walk in Seward// An Evening Walk at Seward Windsong Lodge//
//Resurrection Roadhouse Restaurant at Seward Windsong Lodge//
//Seward Windsong Lodge// Room 408 at Seward Windsong Lodge//
Seward Highway Area: //Beluga Point// Scenic Seward Highway Drive (Turnagain Arm Drive)//
Talkeetna: //Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge (Pursuit Collection)//
Thompson Pass Area: // Thompson Pass Area Video // Worthington Glacier Hike//
//Worthington Glacier//
// Among the Alaskan Fireweed on A4-S: A Beautiful Symbol of Hope in the Hard Seasons of Life //
// A Brief History of & Drive on Alaska 4-South of the Richardson Highway//Klutina River//
// The Beginning Drive to Thompson Pass//
Whittier: //3 Things to See and Do in Whittier Port on Your Alaskan Cruise //
//Whittier Tunnel (Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel) //
Wrangell-St. Elias Park Area: //The McCarthy Highway // Copper River Princess Lodge //
Wrangell-St. Elias Park Area: //The McCarthy Highway // Copper River Princess Lodge //
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