Mark Joseph Solis came under fire after his winning photo of the recently concluded “2nd Calidad Humana National Essay Photography Composition” hosted by the Chilean emb(–foul word(s) removed–)y was actually stolen from photographer Gregory John Smith.
Gregory John Smith’s photo stolen by Mark Joseph Solis (Credits: Flickr)
Related Article: Mark Joseph Solis Letter of Apology to Gregory John Smith
The 22-year-old Solis, is a graduate student of the University of the Philippines and the winner of the photo contest bringing home, the much-coveted prize of $1,000 and a round-trip ticket to Brazil and Chile with accommodations.
The photo of the smiling boy from Zamboanga became the subject of controversy on social media on Sunday after the original owner, Gregory John Smith, a “social entrepreneur” at the Children At Risk Foundation who lives from Brazil posted the following comments on his Facebook Page:
“WOW! There is really no limit to people’s abuse of others in this world. This is one of my photographs that just won first prize in a contest that I never entered,” Smith wrote.
“Well, I could certainly make good use of that prize money and the travel prize too, as I plan a trip to the Philippines at the beginning of next year with two of my Jovens Guerreiros – Young Warriors Brazil to visit Young warriors programme in the Philippines. I wonder what their Jury will say now?” Smith posted
To proved Smith’s claimed of his photo, he provided a link to the Flickr account of Children at Risk Foundation, featuring the series of pictures including the one which was stolen by Mark Joseph Solis.
Aside from the stolen photo from Gregory John Smith, some netizens also revealed that the the UP student Mark Joseph Solis submitted the same photo to another contest, the Water and Life: 2013 ICIMOD Digital Photo Contest, although this time the subject was described as a kid from Ramanathapuram district, India.”
mark,
you also stole my handsome photos. give it back to me.