A US-Based photographer has filed a petition for a civil harassment restraining order against Amyl and the Sniffers frontwoman, Amy Taylor, escalating an ongoing legal dispute over copyright, image rights, and the commercial use of photographs.
As first reported by Blunt and Rolling Stone AU/NZ, photographer Jamie Nelson filed the petition in December in Los Angeles Superior Court. A temporary restraining order was not granted at the time, with a hearing scheduled for 13 February 2026.
The case centres on a photographic series of Taylor titled Champagne Problems, which Nelson shot and later published in Vogue Portugal in July 2025.
The dispute has since expanded into parallel legal proceedings concerning copyright ownership, licensing, and the commercial sale of fine art prints.
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Copyright dispute expands into dual legal proceedings
Nelson described herself as the creator and sole copyright owner of the photographic series and stated that the dispute escalated after a third party affiliated with Taylor publicly shared one of the images without her permission.
“On December 4th, 2025, after a third party related to Amy Taylor publicly posted one of my copyrighted images without my permission, I issued cease-and-desist notices to the third party, Amy Taylor, and Amyl and the Sniffers,” she said in a statement provided to Rolling Stone AU/NZ.
She added that she sought court protection days later.
“On December 9th, 2025, I sought court protection by filing a Civil Harassment Restraining Order in Los Angeles Superior Court against Amy Taylor. That matter remains pending, with a hearing scheduled for February 13th, 2026. Given the active proceedings, I am limiting public comment to factual context.”
Separately, Nelson confirmed Taylor had filed a civil action against her relating to the sale of prints from the same photographic series.
“On December 22th, 2025, a civil action was filed against me. The matter concerns my rights as the copyright holder with respect to the sale of fine-art prints of my own work. I contest the allegations and will address them through the appropriate legal process. As of today, I have not been served, and no hearings have been scheduled in that matter,” Nelson continued.
Disagreement traces back to album shoot discussions
According to court filings, the dispute stems from an initial approach in July 2024, when Amyl and the Sniffers’ manager Simone Ubaldi contacted Nelson to photograph the band for their album Cartoon Darkness. That shoot was ultimately cancelled after the band objected to the proposed commercial use of their likeness.
“As explained to Ms Nelson, the band was zealously protective of their image and did not want these used for non-band-sanctioned, private commercial purposes, such as Ms Nelson had proposed. As a result, the photo shoot was never conducted,” the complaint read.
Nelson later approached Taylor directly to photograph her, and documents indicate that the images were intended exclusively for publication in Vogue Portugal. Taylor agreed to the shoot, but filings allege she did not authorise any broader commercial licensing beyond the magazine feature.
Court documents state Nelson subsequently sought permission to license and sell the images, including as fine art prints, but Taylor declined those requests. Despite this, filings allege that Nelson continued to sell prints through her website and to use the images in connection with her commercial work.
Image rights and copyright control at the centre of the conflict
The case highlights the increasingly complex intersection between copyright ownership and performer image rights, particularly when editorial shoots transition into commercial licensing opportunities. While photographers typically retain copyright in the images they create, subjects may retain significant control over how their likeness is commercially exploited, depending on contractual agreements.
As of publication, neither the restraining order petition nor the civil lawsuit has been resolved in court. The hearing regarding Nelson’s restraining order petition remains scheduled for 13 February 2026.
Main image: Amy Taylor. Source: Chris Neave