Photographer Sues Coffee Shop for Using Cartoon Version of Her Image on Cups

A coffee shop is facing a lawsuit for allegedly using a photographer’s image of a protestor (left) in a cartoon (right) on its marketing products, including cups and bags | Images via court documents

A photographer has filed a lawsuit against a coffee shop for allegedly using a cartoon version of her image of a protester on its cups and bags without consent.

Professional photographer Sharon Rose Vanygriff Christenson has sued Cache Coffee and More, which is based in Logan, Utah, for copyright infringement over the use of her image on its merchandise. Jamie Buttars, who is one the owners of the coffee shop, is also named in the lawsuit.

According to a report by The Salt Lake Tribune, Christenson captured a photo in October of a protestor carrying a hand-written sign that read ”I love my coffee fascism free” at a “No Kings” rally in Cache Valley, Northern Utah.

The photographer’s lawsuit alleges that Cache Coffee and More — which describes itself as a “patriot-owned” business — then shared her image on Facebook with the protester’s face scribbled over. The edited image was posted on the social media platform alongside the caption: “I normally don’t feed the trolls, however, he went out of his way to make a special sign just for Jamie.”

The complaint says the photo was removed from Facebook after Christenson filed a request with the social media platform to take it down. Court documents, cited by the news outlet, also claim that Christenson warned Cache Coffee and More that the photo was copyrighted and the company couldn’t use it without her consent.

However, the photographer alleges that Cache Coffee and More continued to use the picture, creating its cartoon version for a coffee label, with the protester’s sign reading: “I love my coffee caffeine free.” According to the complaint, filed in U.S. District Court, the coffee shop also has used the image on its cups and bags. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the company’s website was still selling a decaf roast featuring the cartoon of the photo on its label on Saturday — although it no longer appears to be available.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Utah, alleges that Christenson is entitled to up to $30,000 in statutory damages for copyright infringement. It also seeks up to $150,000 in additional damages, claiming Cache Coffee and More willfully infringed her copyright by continuing to use the image after Facebook removed it from the company’s account.

Previously, PetaPixel reported on a professional photographer taking legal action against a university coffee shop, alleging that it used her photo of a blueberry muffin without permission.

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