Amy Taylor’s dispute with photographer over sale of her images continues in California
A legal dispute is continuing in California, USA, between Amy Taylor, vocalist of the Australian punk band Amyl and the Sniffers, and American photographer Jamie Nelson over the rights to a series of photographs titled Champagne Problems. Taylor said she agreed to the photo shoot only for publication in the July 2025 issue of Vogue Portugal.
After the material was published in the magazine, Nelson offered the singer’s manager, Simone Ubaldi, the creation of a collection of art prints and offered Taylor a share of the sales. The singer declined, but the photographer put the works up for sale on her website and social media at prices ranging from $1,500 to $18,000.
Lawsuit and countersuit
Taylor filed a lawsuit alleging the unauthorized use of her likeness, violation of her right of publicity, and false association. According to her position, the sale and marketing use of the photographs could create the impression that she endorsed these actions, although she did not give consent.
Nelson filed a copyright infringement countersuit. It concerns copies of the photographs that Taylor and the band Amyl and the Sniffers shared on Instagram and Facebook. Initially, the photographer permitted such distribution, but after Taylor filed her lawsuit, she withdrew permission. Nelson claims that the images were not removed immediately afterward.
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The photographer also sought a court injunction which, if granted, could have restricted Taylor’s travel and touring in the United States, but the motion was denied. The court also denied Nelson’s anti-SLAPP motion aimed at protecting freedom of speech and awarded Taylor part of her legal costs.
Arrangements for the shoot
Before the photo shoot, the parties did not sign a separate agreement: the arrangements were limited to email correspondence between Ubaldi and Nelson. According to ABC News Australia, Taylor told the court that she would not have taken part in the shoot if she had known before or during it about Nelson’s other expectations.
Nelson insists that she is selling her own artwork and that Taylor should have independently ensured contractual restrictions. Court mediation did not produce a result because the photographer rejected Taylor’s settlement offer. The singer’s main lawsuit and the copyright countersuit remain under consideration.
