| they were just participating in what has become an industry norm. |
No, it's NOT industry norm.
I do business with a number of online stores. They ALL either:
1. Take their own photos (usually clearly watermarked with a copyright)
2. Use company-supplied photos (usually clearly watermarked with a copyright)
3. Use customer-supplied photographs (often with no watermark, but always with clear credit.)
Even if it WAS industry norm, that doesn't make it RIGHT. Using someone else's photograph without permission or credit is wrong, cheap, and lazy. Taking a photograph good enough for a website thumbnail isn't that hard, expensive, or time-consuming. I realize that taking GREAT photographs IS hard, time-consuming, and can be expensive. All the more reason to support people who do it well.
I've also seen lots of products listed with a box that says "Photograph Coming Soon!" or "Photograph Not Yet Available" until such time as a photograph can be done.
It wouldn't have been that hard for the company to contact the photographer and ask, "hey, can we use a couple of your pictures?" I'm sure he would have been thrilled.
Enough said.
I AM excited about several of the announced planes.