Being a photographer can be a joyous experience. Capturing certain moments in time is a gift that very few people can master. Due to the internet and the relative ease it brings, uploading photos is much easier now than ever before to get it out to the masses.

However, it is also easier, now more than ever, to have much of our work is stolen or used without or permission.

Thankfully, photos and images and many pieces of works can be copyrighted and thus protected from those who would otherwise take our work and pass it off as their own.

In this article, we will break down what copyright is and offer you ways to which you can go about to protect yourself on lien from this who may want to steal your work.

What You Need to Know About Copyright Law as a Photographer

What Is Copyrighting?

Copyrighting, in the real of photography, basically means that you own the photo that you have taken. What the law says about this is that once you have closed the shutter, you have taken sole ownership of that picture.

The photographer will own the picture for life and the up to 25 years afterward. Under the Copyright Law of the United States of America you have exclusive rights to the photo.

What this includes is:

1. Reproduction of your photo
2. Having derivation of your work based on your photography
3. Distributing copies of your photography to the masses (either by sale, by rental, by lease, or by lending)
4. Publicly displaying your photography

When you upload your image, they become yours, and you do not necessarily need the copyright symbol to own the photo.

Work-for-hire May Be An Exception

Now, it is essential to know that sometimes this copyright law will not work. And the only time it will fail outside this parameter of “closed shutter ownership” is when you are paid to take the photos for someone else.

If you are being paid to take photos, then the ownership of the photos goes to the person that is paying you to take the photos.

This is very straightforward, and many people are okay with this type of business model and ownership.

Will You Need To Add The ‘©’ Notice On Your Photos?

There is no longer a need for the ‘©’ notice. However, if you WANT to use it, to better protect yourself from all areas, if you choose to go this route and get the ‘©,’ you will need to register with the U.S. Copyright Office.

The copyright notice will have three parts that you must complete.

Which are:

1. The copyright symbol
2. The year of the creation
3. The name of the holder (being you)

This is one of the best ways to cover yours and protect yourself from those who may want to steal your work.

Best Way To Protect Your Images/Photos

The best way to protect your images is to simply visit your settings and add “Image Protection” under your site. You can choose on or off on the slider.

Do You Need To Register You Copyright?

Registering for your copyright is voluntary, and as we have shown, you really don’t need to do it, if you don’t want to.

However, there are some benefits to doing its, as it better protects your works form those who may want to steal it.

The biggest issue that you may face if you DO NOT copyright your work is that you may only receive “actual damages” instead of “statutory damages.”

Need To Learn More

If you are still curious and would like to learn more about copyright issues and what steps you can take to defend yourself better if your work is ever stolen, feel free to reach out to Douglas Healy.

You can visit his site in the link provided here at Douglas Healy