I fear that I’ve seen a glimpse into the future and I don’t like the view. Imagine a Tea-bagger’s dream world – everything is private property and nature’s splendor is protected by trademark rights!! Pebble Beach Corporation is way out in front of the free marketeers. This inspiring view of the famous lone cypress is under their explicit control. Pebble Beach’s lawyer, Kerry C. Smith, explained: “The image of the tree has been trademarked by us,” and that it intended to control any display of the cypress for commercial purposes. The company had warned photographers that “they cannot even use existing pictures of the tree for commercial purposes.”
If you like either of these photos so much that you’d like to pay me handsomely for a large print… don’t even think of it! The mere thought may be illegal.