Music Memorobilia Collector Claims Photographer Sold Him Someone Else’s Photos

Despite the Ross Halfin signature on this print, another photographer, Barry Plummer, allegedly took this image in 1976. | Heavy Mental

A rock-and-roll memorabilia collector is suing a famous music photographer accusing him of selling photos he didn’t take.

The case centers around four photographs of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd sold by Ross Halfin who allegedly asserted he took the photos. Halfin, a well-known music photographer, was served in December 2024 while attending the wedding of Metallica’s Kirk Hammett in California.

According to court documents seen by PetaPixel, rock and roll memorabilia collector Jeremy Wagner from Chicago met photographer Ross Halfin from the U.K. at a dinner party in Paris, France, in 2017.

At the dinner, Wagner reportedly told Halfin about his love of “1970s-era Lynyrd Skynyrd” and Halfin responded by telling Wagner he had personally taken photos of the band in the 1970s; informing him he had original photos, negatives, and contact sheets in his archive.

The keen collector made it clear that he would buy the prints and later emailed Halfin reminding him of their conversation. Wagner initially agreed to purchase one print in January 2018, titled Nuthin’ Fancy 75. A few days later, Halfin sent over five contact sheets asking Wagner to highlight any of the images he wanted to purchase.

This image was allegedly taken by an unknown photographer but it is signed and sold by Ross Halfin.

Halfin then sent another email offering two images taken at Knebworth Park, U.K. in 1976. Halfin told Wagner that he “only got there as Skynyrd were finishing so got the end of Free Bird.” Lynyrd Skynyrd’s most famous song is arguably Free Bird.

Wagner bought the Knebworth prints and a print from Wanger’s contact sheet titled Hammersmith Oct 27 1975. Heavy Mental reports that in total, Wagner paid over $7,300 for all of the prints believing the photos to be legitimate. The prints arrived each signed by Halfin and Wagner spent over $1,000 for custom frames.

The negative contact sheet belonging to Barry Plummer. Halfin allegedly sent the exact same one to Wagner.

According to the court documents, Wagner shared his new prints on Facebook whereafter Halfin allegedly contacted him requesting he take the post down.

However, Wagner was apparently not suspicious and concluded his business with Halfin in 2018. It wasn’t until 2023 when a Lynyrd Skynyrd expert contacted Wagner asking him if he could contribute any photos to a book he was working on, a request Wagner agreed to.

When Wagner sent the expert the photos, he immediately told Wagner that the Knebworth photos and the Hammersmith photo were taken by another photographer: Barry Plummer. The other print Nuthin’ Fancy 75 was also allegedly taken by a different, unknown photographer.

The expert supposedly provided the exact same contact sheets that Halfin previously sent to Wagner but this version had added notes identifying Plummer as the photographer. Wagner believes that Halfin intentionally cropped out this information. Plummer reportedly confirmed in an email that they are his photos.

Furthermore, Halfin’s claim that he captured Lynyrd Skynyrd playing Free Bird at Knebworth is also under question as the expert says the types of guitars the band is playing in the photos were not ever used to play Free Bird.

Wagner is seeking damages from Halfin. The civil small claims case will be heard on February 25 at the Circuit Court of Lake County, Illinois.

Image credits: via Heavy Mental.