Boots refused to print student's pictures because they were 'too good'

A photography student was told by staff at Boots that they would not print her pictures - because they appeared to be of professional standard.

Joanna Ornowska, 25, photographed her pregnant best friend Malgorzata Kulinsha last week so that Miss Kulinsha could show her family the pictures.

But the pair were astonished when Boots refused to print the pictures because they suspected they were professional shots illegally downloaded on the internet.



Boots' policy on copyright means it is illegal to print photographs taken by a professional photographer without their permission.

Miss Ornowska showed staff her student ID and a letter from the university proving they were her photos but the manager at the store in the Lower Precinct shopping centre in Coventry, West Midlands, still turned her away.

A Boots spokesman said: ''We have a legal obligation to ensure that we don't infringe any copyright laws including those of professional photographers. In the case of Joanna our store staff were over cautious and on reflection could have sold the pictures. We've refreshed all procedures in this particular store and the staff have been fully briefed regarding appropriate customer care.''

You can see some of the photos here.