Themusicnetwork.com
A Los Angeles court has denied a civil harassment restraining order sought by a photographer against Amy Taylor, the frontwoman of Australian punk band Amyl and the Sniffers, marking the latest development in an ongoing legal dispute over a fashion photo shoot.
The petition was filed in December by U.S. photographer Jamie Nelson in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Nelson argued that she had faced harassment connected to a copyright disagreement surrounding a photographic series titled “Champagne Problems,” which featured Taylor and appeared in Vogue Portugal in July 2025.
Nelson says she created and owns the copyright to the images and that one of the photographs was later circulated publicly by a third party connected to Taylor without her permission. After discovering the image online, Nelson issued cease-and-desist notices to several parties, including Taylor and members of the band.
The dispute escalated when Taylor filed a civil lawsuit regarding the photographs after Nelson allegedly began selling some of the images as “fine art prints” through her website. According to Taylor’s claim, there was no agreement allowing the photographer to commercially sell copies of the photos.
In a statement following the court’s decision, Nelson said she appreciated the opportunity to present her case and framed the issue as part of a broader challenge for independent creators.
“I am proud to have stood up for myself, and for artists who may face similar situations, because independent artists should not feel powerless when confronted with conduct they believe is bullying or intimidating.”
While the restraining order request has been rejected, the larger copyright dispute remains unresolved. The case is scheduled to continue in federal court later this month, where judges are expected to review an anti-SLAPP motion related to Taylor’s lawsuit as well as a motion for judgment on the pleadings.
Nelson says she plans to continue pursuing the matter, arguing that the outcome could help clarify the rights of photographers and artists navigating disputes over image ownership and commercial use.
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