Copyrights...

How many copyright their photos? I know I haven't but I know that I really should and I plan to very soon.

Anyone else thinking of or already doing this?

NiL,

I have not yet sent my images in for Copyright. But I do plan to now that I have just gotten my DBA and plan to start shooting for cash.

All you need to do is go to:
U.S. Copyright site and download the forms VA and GR/PPh/CON

The just burn yourself a disc and send it in with a check for $30 (I believe).

The VA form is for Copyrighting published and unpublished owrk and the GR/PPh/CON is a continuation for the VA form to copyright multiple images as a group.

There is alot of good info on that site that take alot of the guesswork out of the process.

- Digital Prophet -

Interesting. I wasn't aware that you had to go through a process in order to copyright your images. I have always been under the impression that your work was protected under a slightly different rule of copyright that covers artistic work.

As an side comment, none of my local photoshops will make prints of anyone's work without a release form. This, of course assumes that your work is marked somehow. I am designing a rubber stamp to use on the back of my shots so that I don't have to deface the front of the image.

It is true that your work is technically copyrighted from the time you create. In fact, speaking of current work, any photo you take is copyrighted from the date of it creation for the duration of your lifetime plus seventy years unless it is formally injected into the public domain by written statement.

But, and there is always a but, you are going to have a hard time seeking damages if you don't have a Federal Certificate of Registration. And copyright lawsuits are in fact federal cases, and as such are VERY expensive. So unless you have a CoR most lawyers won't take the case. But if they do you have a pretty good chance of settling if you can prove copyright ownership since it is cheaper to settle than fight.

That is that. Or as much of that as I have come to understand it. Besides, $30 isn't too big a dent considering that you don't have to send 18meg files. You can fit alot of reasonably sized images on a CD. Or set of CD's.

As I said I plan to start registering my works. I am thinking that I will file either on a 3 or 6 month cycle. Depending on the level of activity that is.

- Digital Prophet -

In this original question you ask are you referring to putting a copyright on a printed image?
If so, I don't put anything on my sold photos. Clients don't like that. I stamp the backside with a stamp that says "This image copyrights are owned by Cloverdale Photogrphy and may not be reproduced without permission from the copyright holder".

I didn't even think about that.

Yeah I totally agree if that is the meaning of the question. I don't have a stamp, but I should get one.

- Digital Prophet -

The printers in my area assume that if the photo has a stamp with the name of a photo studio, or photographer, that there is a copyright issue involved. I plan to stamp, the back, of my proofs.

If someone pays for my photos, I will not deface the photo itself. A stamp/sticker whatever on the back, but nada on the photo itself. If they want to scan it after that, then that's their option. I have no control over that, even with a small sig in the corner.

In my world, if a customer pays for a photo, they deserve a clean, perfect photograph.

However, if they want it personally signed, I'd be more than happy to oblige, which I have done on more than one occasion. 8)

On the other hand, if you are in the photo sales business such as wedding or portraits, you could be losing hundreds of dollars in sales for each customer that comes in the door, if you don't protect your images.

Nice summary, DP, and accurate.

A sig in the corner does nothing. If they want to scan it they will. A quick PS band-aid and that sig is gone. You only have so much control and if you start to make your sig/protection to large, then people will walk. That's why I just don't put anything on a purchased photo, except for a label/stamp on the back.

hoi,

But what if you put your picture's on your site and somebody (an organisation in the USA) take your picture's and sent them around the world.
I sent them several e-mails but they don't answer them, what can i do???

I live in the Netherlands.

Dirk.

Dirk, it is for that very reason why I never put any high-resolution image on my web site.

---Bob Gross---

Dirk, first question, do you have the images copyrighted? If so, it doesn't matter what country you live in or what country the offending party lives in, it is still your property and most countries are acceptable to honoring copyrights of other nations.
Contact a local attorney.