Copyrighting Photos...

[CanonKid]

How do you do that? Is there a process that involves paperwork etc? Or is it as easy as putting your name on them?

[moose135]

As soon as you press the shutter button and create the photo, you have copyrighted it.

From the US Copyright Office:

Copyright protection subsists from the time the work is created in fixed form. The copyright in the work of authorship immediately becomes the property of the author who created the work. Only the author or those deriving their rights through the author can rightfully claim copyright.

What can make a difference should your copyright be infringed is whether or not the work is registered. If the work is registered, you can be awarded statutory damages and legal fees if you sue; if not registered, you can only collect actual damages.

There are lots more details here: http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.pdf

The USCO has a page with information and instructions on how to register photos here:
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl107.html

[CanonKid]

So if you decide to register the photo thats when the paperwork would come out?

[moose135]

So if you decide to register the photo thats when the paperwork would come out?

Yes.

[CanonKid]

Who do you go through to register the photo? Are there companies that do it?

[moose135]

You can do it yourself, just follow the second link I posted to the USCO site.

[CanonKid]

Oh ok, thanks. I've been wanting to do that for a while now.