Evans v. Walmart

I had an amusing/frustrating experience this afternoon that must be shared...

I uploaded my preggo pics to Walmart's online photo center last night so that I could pick them up at lunch today. When I arrived at Walmart to get my pictures, the girl at the counter pulled a package of pictures from the file and proceeded to consult with another associate before approaching me. The second gal thumbed through my pics, putting grubby fingerprints all over my pristine images, and rather rudely inquired about where I got the pictures. Turns out, Rachel did such a good job that the powers that be at Walmart determined that they must be professional pictures and that I was obviously guilty of copyright infringement by having them reprinted.

Despite my explanation that my sister took them, in my own home, free of charge, the woman straight up refused to release them to me. Nevermind the fact that these photos displayed no water mark bearing the name of the photographer that I was allegedly stealing from, nor any other indication that anyone other than my sister (or husband, or dog, for that matter) had taken these pictures and had given me permission to print them.

The remedy: to provide express written consent from the photographer that these photos could be released by Walmart to one Sarah J. Evans.

Aaaargghh, there are so many flaws in this logic I could scream. Nonetheless, I called Rachel and explained that since she was such a brilliant photographer, it was necessary for her to fax a release form to Walmart so I could take my pictures home. Nevermind the fact that the name Rachel Boettcher is nowhere to be seen on the photographs and that I could've called my hairdresser and had her fax a "consent form" to Walmart. Brilliant.

Oh well, I got my pics, Rach got mad props from the Walmart photo department, and you all got an entertaining rendition of today's bizarre events. I guess things worked out okay...