Photographer Jamie Nelson takes legal action against Amy Taylor and Amyl & The Sniffers, challenging alleged misuse of her work
by Paul Cashmere
The legal dispute between Amy Taylor, singer of Melbourne punk band Amyl & The Sniffers, and Los Angeles photographer Jamie Nelson has intensified, with Nelson filing federal counterclaims for copyright infringement and issuing an anti-SLAPP motion to protect her First Amendment rights. The case, which first emerged in late 2025, now encompasses multiple legal fronts in the United States and raises significant questions about the rights of visual artists in the digital and international media landscape.
Nelson, whose photographic series Champagne Problems was published in the July 2025 international issue of Vogue Portugal, alleges that her work has been used without proper authorisation. In a full statement to Noise11, Nelson said,
“Today, I filed an anti-SLAPP motion seeking protection of my First Amendment rights. On February 16, 2026, I filed counterclaims in federal court for copyright infringement against Amy Taylor.
“The copyright counterclaim includes two new counter-defendants: the band entity, Amyl and the Sniffers, and John Angus Stewart of PHC Films-Amy Taylor’s husband-who I allege published statements alongside one of my copyrighted images that I contend were false and damaging to my professional reputation.
“Separately, a hearing is currently scheduled for March 6, 2026, in a pending Civil Harassment Restraining Order proceeding that I filed against Amy Taylor on December 9, 2025. The courts will ultimately determine the merits of the claims, and I respect that process.
“The matter involves an international dispute between a U.S. photographer-myself-and an Australian recording artist, Amy Taylor. The case raises broader questions about artistic expression, copyright ownership, and the challenges independent photographers face in controlling and exhibiting their work in a global media environment.
“The case presents issues at the intersection of copyright law, the First Amendment, and the rights of visual artists to control and exhibit their work. More broadly, it highlights a challenge many independent creators face today: defending creative rights in disputes involving complex legal processes and significant disparities in resources. As a working photographer, I believe artists should be able to publish, display, and sell their work without feeling pressure to relinquish their rights, and my filings seek to protect those principles.
“At issue are photographs I created as part of an artistic series that were published by an international edition of Vogue and later offered as fine-art prints, a longstanding and widely accepted practice in the photography and fine-art industries. My legal actions today seek recognition of both my copyright ownership and my right as an artist to create, display, and sell my fine-art prints.
“This case also highlights a broader and increasingly common dynamic in which independent artists often find themselves defending their rights against well-funded opponents supported by national law firms, management teams, and media resources. In many instances, photographers and artists may face pressure to abandon their rights simply because of disparities in resources and influence.
“Amy Taylor is a globally touring musician represented by a national law firm and supported by substantial resources. I am representing myself as a pro se litigant in this federal case due to the overwhelming cost of lengthy and complex legal proceedings.”
The legal conflict first gained public attention in December 2025, when Taylor filed a federal complaint in California, alleging that Nelson had exploited photographs intended solely for an editorial Vogue Portugal feature. Taylor’s filing claimed that images from the Champagne Problems series were marketed and sold as fine art prints without her consent, potentially misleading fans into believing she endorsed the products. Negotiations for the use of Taylor’s image reportedly broke down as early as July 2024, when the band’s management sought to clarify that any photography would be strictly editorial and not commercially leveraged for merchandise or prints.
Nelson, who served as photographer, producer, and sole financial backer of the Champagne Problems series, has maintained that she holds the copyright to the images and is entitled to create, display, and sell her work. In December 2025, Nelson issued cease-and-desist notices to Taylor, Amyl & The Sniffers, and associated third parties for unauthorised use of her images, and filed a Civil Harassment Restraining Order against Taylor, with hearings currently ongoing in Los Angeles Superior Court.
The dispute highlights a growing tension in the music and art industries over the use of visual content. Independent photographers often face legal and financial challenges when defending their rights against globally recognised musicians with established legal support. Conversely, artists like Taylor emphasise control over their image as central to their career and brand, especially when touring internationally and engaging in commercial partnerships.
Amyl & The Sniffers, who formed in Melbourne in 2016, have grown from suburban pub performances to international festival stages, winning multiple awards and building a reputation for high-energy punk performances. Taylor’s visual identity, closely tied to the band’s aesthetic, is cited in court documents as a crucial element of her professional profile, reinforcing her insistence on strict limitations over the use of her image.
As the legal process unfolds, the case may set important precedents regarding copyright enforcement, image rights, and the protections available to independent creators in complex international disputes. Both the federal and civil harassment proceedings continue to progress, with the courts ultimately tasked with balancing artistic rights, commercial interests, and personal reputations.
Amyl and the Sniffers, the Noise11 interview:
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