Photographer Nick Vedros sues Florida design firm for alleged copyright violation
Vedros, a commercial and fine art photographer, has had his work shown in recent museum exhibitions.
Law and Crime
A Missouri photographer has sued a Florida design company, alleging it used one of his images without permission on its website and in promotional materials.
Photographer Nick Vedros filed the lawsuit May 1 in federal court in Tampa against Sarasota-based Indigo Design Inc., accusing the company of using a photograph of a dog in bed with its owners without authorization.
He said the image appeared on Indigo Design’s website as part of a brochure design and real estate advertising portfolio. The suit includes screenshots and links to pages where the photograph allegedly appeared.
Vedros is a longtime commercial and fine art photographer based in Missouri, with a career spanning nearly five decades.
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Court Documents: Photographer Nick Vedros sues design firm
Documents from U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
Adam Schrader
After graduating from the University of Missouri with a journalism degree in 1976, he briefly worked for The Kansas City Star before moving into commercial photography and opening his own studio. Over his career, he became known for advertising work with brands including Kodak, Canon and Apple.
His photography has also been shown in museum exhibitions. In 2013, he created a large-scale photographic installation for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s 80th anniversary celebration, and in 2015, his prison portrait series “Faces of Change” was exhibited at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. He was also included in the 2018 show “Portrait Americana” at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art.
Vedros registered the photograph with the U.S. Copyright Office on April 22, 2014, under registration number VA 1-913-461, according to the lawsuit.
He said he first became aware of the alleged unauthorized use on December 7, 2024. His attorneys later sent letters to Indigo Design on in January and February 2025, seeking to resolve the matter. But Indigo Design allegedly continued using the image after being notified.
Vedros is seeking damages, profits allegedly tied to the use of the photograph, attorney’s fees and a court order barring further use of the image.
Urgent Matter has reached out to Indigo Design for more information and additional comment.
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