Someone used my copyrighted photos without permission. What can I do?

As the creator of the photographs, you hold copyright automatically under the Copyright Act, Chapter 415 of the Laws of Malta, and using your original images without your permission or a valid licence generally constitutes copyright infringement, regardless of whether the business claims they didn't realise the photos were protected or believed they were freely available online. Start by documenting the infringement clearly, taking dated screenshots of exactly where and how your photos are being used on their website, and then send the business a formal written notice, either directly or through a lawyer, clearly asserting your copyright ownership, identifying the specific infringing use, and demanding they either remove the images immediately or properly licence them from you with appropriate payment. If the business does not respond appropriately to your initial notice, you have the option of pursuing a formal legal claim through the Maltese courts for copyright infringement, which can potentially result in remedies including an order to stop the infringing use and compensation for damages, and having evidence of your original creation of the photos, such as original files with metadata, dated backups, or your own portfolio history, would meaningfully strengthen your position. Given the practicalities of correctly asserting your rights and negotiating an appropriate resolution, consulting a lawyer experienced in copyright matters before escalating further would be a sensible next step.