copyrights

[mmartinfan]

Real quick, any photo I take is copyrighted and can not be used by anyone unless I give permission. Even if I print them out on to a disk.

[tofuboy]

Sounds right to me. However, if what I have heard on this forum is correct... registering your photos with the copyright office would make any potential legal battles much much much easier.

[steven]

In general you are correct.

There are some exceptions to the use. In some cases you can use part of the copyrighted work. Like when you make a reference to part of a book. I would assume that the same thing applies here. There is also satire, where you can make use a little more.

Details as to how the indivudual got the disk. There could be an implied authorization of use if you gave the individual the disk.
Also how the image is being used. If just someone has the CD and is doing nothing with it I don't think there is any copyright violation.

[cmM]

the copyrights belongs to you, no matter what. You are the owner of your picture, unless you decide to transfer(sell) the copyrights.

Registering the photos with the copyright office only makes it easier for you to proove it in case of a law suit that the copyrights belong to you. It's not necessary, but it can be helpful.

[robertwgross]

Real quick, any photo I take is copyrighted and can not be used by anyone unless I give permission. Even if I print them out on to a disk.

I would amend it slightly:

"Any photo I take is copyrighted and can not be used legally by anyone unless I give permission." Heavens knows that they get used all the time.

If you sell the photo as "royalty free," then you have given permission.

---Bob Gross---

[wolf]

In general you are correct.

There are some exceptions to the use. In some cases you can use part of the copyrighted work. Like when you make a reference to part of a book. I would assume that the same thing applies here. There is also satire, where you can make use a little more.

Actually not even a part of an image can be used legally unless you give the user written permission or sell the photo as "Royalty Free", "Rights Managed" or "Exclusive Rights".

[steven]

Actually not even a part of an image can be used legally unless you give the user written permission or sell the photo as "Royalty Free", "Rights Managed" or "Exclusive Rights".

I must disagree, there is the term "Fair Use".
Under fair use not every copy of a copyrighted work constitutes an infringment. Like - for purposes of criticism, coment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research. Also Parady has been used in court to defend copyright violation.

So there are some situations where you don't have to give permission.

[IanBMW]

While fair use is a nice idea, and what you say is hypothetically how it should be, i'm going to disagree. From what I've read there is no Fair Use anymore, it comes down to who has the most lawyers. If you disagree with me or are curious I suggest you read "Free Culture" by Lawrence Lessig (it is free). To answer your question, Yes your photo's are safe and you don't have to do anything. No copyright symbol or anything. Although if you wouldn't mind letting non-profit org. and such use your images, or if you want a more flexible copyright I suggest looking into www.creativecommons.org (free).