The funny thing is that the post you are talking about is a LONG time ago and was not the first series I did on that location, as mentioned before the location is only 2 minutes away from my studio.
Look I can take some critique and I can take hints or small stabs.
But I just don't think you can call someone a copycat because they do the same setting as someone else did. It's simply not done, I don't know where I'm being accussed of copying other photographers I would love to see that (or I missed it probarbly).
The truth is and never ever do mysterious about it I have my inspirations, I love David Lachapelle, and I love Douglass Bizarro.
From both I borrow and steal, like everyone does if you claim you don't steal from anyone you are not connected with reality. I also will never ever say that it's not true when it is........
Why should I, there's nothing wrong with it, as long as you don't xerox and idea and sell it as your own that's just stupid and bad.
HOWEVER what I do try and I think that I succeeded in that is getting my own look and style, and of course that will use elements from the people I love.
Just compare it to music, I love Queen and I hear alot of influences of them in the other music I love, is Mika for example a copycat of Queen ??
Well some say and some say not, for me it doesn't matter he has his own sound, his own look and I LOVE to hear Queen in it, someone who never heard of Queen would probarbly never guessed it.
In your carreer you work towards your own style but that style will ALWAYS include elements from other photographers, it's simply impossible not to.... point me to one photographer NOWADAYS who is really unique and doesn't look like anyone else.....
Calling someone a copy cat is often in my opinion just a way to put someone down without a reason, UNLESS again they xerox and idea and that is in my opinion always a bad thing, always bring your own style to it (or in other words, BE INSPIRED AND INSPIRE OTHERS)
The story you refer to is changed to your advantage here.
I did post on DPreview in the past (sometimes sill do), BUT I also post on other forums, always have been posting and more active than on DPReview.
When I got a mail without any explanation and only very agressive language blaming me for copying, to be honest I was blown away, I did not understand were it was coming from, I did not know about which pictures it was and asking nicely did not get a good response so I did the research myself and found out that under your name there were shots on a junkyard but TOTALLY different than from what I had done.
My shots....