Homage?

I visit  The Online Photographer every day or so and it is a frequent source of good information and, more important, intelligent discussion of a very broad array of issues pertainin to Photography. On February 21st there was a very thought provoking discussion about the practice of ripping off someone elses shots. This is a very vexing condundrum and I really don't know the answer as to whether or not this crossing the line of photographic ethical behavior. I have copied the opening portion of the blog entry, but suggest that you read the whole thing. Here is the link: http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2010/02/the-case-of-the-copycat-photographer.html

The Case of the Copycat Photographer

'Teach a man to fish...': PDN (Photo District News) has documented in two articles the curious case of Canadian photo-plagiarist David Burdeny, who has evidently decided to forge a career as an art photographer by, well, by doing exactly what a couple of other art photographers (Sze Tsung Leong and Elger Esser) have done...only a little differently. Not much differently, either.

Sze Tsung Leong, 2007

David Burdeny, 2009.

Coincidence? You might well think so, until you see...all the others.