Should I copyright or not?

First of all, limit the file sizes you make available online. 400x600 pixel images are pretty hard to do much with, even if folks steal them.

Next, watermark... But not across the middle of the image and use your URL or email address or other contact info, so that when people steal your images and post them on Facebook, at least you are getting some free advertising out of them. It doesn't matter very much what you write in the watermark, doesn't need the (C) or year or even the word "copyright". Your name or anything else the proclaims ownership of the image will do. Your watermark doesn't need to be huge and obnoxious. See below.

Also embed the image EXIF data with copyright info. Some Canon cameras can do it (look in the manual or menus, folks... I know 50D, 5DII and 7D can). But it's limited and you might want to add more contact info.

Previous response is correct, many post processing software programs strip off the EXIF if you do "save for the web". If you just do a "save" or "save as", it will retain the info (but you'll have to size the image yourself, say to 100 ppi and 4x6", or 400x600 pixels, or whatever size you choose.)

FInally, periodically register your images at Copyright.gov. You can register thousands of thumbnails on a DVD at one time for the single charge. A lot of folks just make it a habit to send them in quarterly, since you have 90 days from first publication to add the protection of registration.

Once registered, as others have responded, you have much, much greater potential to recover punitive damages in federal court. This can be in the tens or hundreds of thousands. There have been some multi million dollar awards, even. An unregistered image you can only collect standard usage fees, through local small claims court typically, which will be a whole lot less!

Sure, people can strip off the EXIF and maybe crop off or Photoshop over your watermark. However, so long as your images are registered, each instance of deliberate and malicious removal of copyright/ownership info enhances the award by $35,000....

Lots of good advice above, but it all assumes that the OP is in America. The copyright registration info is only valid there, most countries do not use that system.

Brian, welcome to POTN, it is a goldmine of great information but it would be of great benefit if you could add your location to your profile. That way, you are likely to get answers that are more accurate as they will take that into account. Many subjects that pertain to laws and rights etc., can be very regional.

mebuck wrote in post #11318159
I have seen this a couple of times in different threads and if you could clear this up for me. Do you mean that your name is actually embedded in the exif data of the photo? Is this something you had to do within your camera? I've never heard of it until I started reading this forum. If so, how is it done? I couldn't find anything in my menu settings on my camera that allowed me to do this.

Canon EOS Utility can code this into the EXIF as it comes from the camera.

sandpiper wrote in post #11319793
Lots of good advice above, but it all assumes that the OP is in America. The copyright registration info is only valid there, most countries do not use that system.

I was just just thinking about...

Would one benefit from registering copyrights in the US even if they do not live there ? Would one even be able to do it ?

I am in Canada, and there is a similar agency, though i do not know if it provides the same benefits

yes.

Csae wrote in post #11322180
I was just just thinking about...

Would one benefit from registering copyrights in the US even if they do not live there ? Would one even be able to do it ?

I am in Canada, and there is a similar agency, though i do not know if it provides the same benefits

Yes, you can do, it protects your work in the US better. It depends on whether that is going to be a market for your work really.

It all comes down to how much money do you have for a lawyer..

There are some articles on various aspects of copyright you may find useful here. This one is particularly interesting in terms of dealing with an infringement and has links to other useful info.

amfoto1 wrote in post #11319584
FInally, periodically register your images at Copyright.gov. You can register thousands of thumbnails on a DVD at one time for the single charge. A lot of folks just make it a habit to send them in quarterly, since you have 90 days from first publication to add the protection of registration.

Once registered, as others have responded, you have much, much greater potential to recover punitive damages in federal court. This can be in the tens or hundreds of thousands. There have been some multi million dollar awards, even. An unregistered image you can only collect standard usage fees, through local small claims court typically, which will be a whole lot less!

Sure, people can strip off the EXIF and maybe crop off or Photoshop over your watermark. However, so long as your images are registered, each instance of deliberate and malicious removal of copyright/ownership info enhances the award by $35,000....

Interesting. Thanks....but what if the photos are over 90 days old? Does it matter?

If the images have not been registered within the 90 day window, you can still register them at any time. However, the benefits of registering only apply from that day forward and not for any past infringements prior to the registration date. When registering within the 90 day window, full benefits of registration apply back to the date of the image creation and carry forward.

amfoto1 wrote in post #11319584
An unregistered image you can only collect standard usage fees, through local small claims court typically, which will be a whole lot less!

You are eligible to collect damages, which is more than just usage fees. Damages could also include lost profits, degradation of an images exclusivity thus lowering its resale value, profits earned by the infringing party due to the use of the infringed images, and so on.