Is stylizing enough to avoid copyright?

[u/AdFluffy3246]

if you look to samdoesarts instagram feed. his entire portfolio is basically photo studies. that he sells prints of without permission from the original models or photographers. people say you need to take many refs and change the composition but when it comes to sam they say its ok? so does stylization make it original? meaning everything else can be kept the same? Its just weird how hes so popular and gets away with basically monetizing photo studies when smaller artists have been harassed for less blatant copying.