Copyrighting photos

missloulou

Can anybody help with the processes of copyrighting your photos??

I don't know where to start!

Thanks in advance

Sleepy

AFAIK, you don't need to copyright a photo, you automatically have copyright as soon as you take the shot.

mehfesto

I would have thought so too. But just incase we're wrong!

You can do it on your camera, depending on what you have. One of the menus has a location where you can automatically add a copyright tag to the EXIF data on my nikons.

Alternatively, uploading it to Flickr creates a copyright for the image. Not sure of the technicalities of this, but I have used it myself to get someone to take an image of mine down.

In photoshop however, I wouldn't have a clue. I know it can be done - and easily so, I'm told, but I'd not be able to help you here!

JayEnnis

mehfesto wrote: »

I would have thought so too. But just incase we're wrong!

You can do it on your camera, depending on what you have. One of the menus has a location where you can automatically add a copyright tag to the EXIF data on my nikons.

Alternatively, uploading it to Flickr creates a copyright for the image. Not sure of the technicalities of this, but I have used it myself to get someone to take an image of mine down.

In photoshop however, I wouldn't have a clue. I know it can be done - and easily so, I'm told, but I'd not be able to help you here!

You're talking about watermarks.

You automatically own the copyright of an image no matter what. If its just sitting on your hard drive you own the copyright.

If its on the internet you own the copyright.

If its in print you own the copyright.

missloulou

Thanks very much for the replies, I have managed to put a copyright message on the actual photo, but I'm thinking thats far too easy!!

I'm hoping to sell a small quantity of photos and hypothetically if I named myself "something something" photography, do I need to register this name or anything??

Is there nothing else I should do?

Many thanks again for the advice

charybdis

You hold certain rights under copyright law over any original work you create. You don't need to do anything, they are in effect from when you create the work to 70 years after you die.

JayEnnis

missloulou wrote: »

Thanks very much for the replies, I have managed to put a copyright message on the actual photo, but I'm thinking thats far too easy!!

I'm hoping to sell a small quantity of photos and hypothetically if I named myself "something something" photography, do I need to register this name or anything??

Is there nothing else I should do?

Many thanks again for the advice

Look, you don't need to do any of this.

You AUTOMATICALLY have copyright over your images.

You own them, there's nothing to register.

missloulou

Thank you all very very much

mehfesto

JayEnnis wrote: »

You're talking about watermarks.

You automatically own the copyright of an image no matter what. If its just sitting on your hard drive you own the copyright.

If its on the internet you own the copyright.

If its in print you own the copyright.

I wasn't talking about watermarks at all. I was talking about evidence of copyright.

It's all well and good saying 'I own that image', but I'd imagine in court you'd have to prove that you do. Adding it to the EXIF data, or to the online file of it (dated) would be far more convincing if the issue of theft/misuse ever arose. I just presumed that's what the OP was after.

K.Flyer

The best solution is to Watermark your images before uploading them see here about Watermarking.

There are different software packages available eg. PickMarkr or just Google Image Watermarking and pic one.

JayEnnis

mehfesto wrote: »

I wasn't talking about watermarks at all. I was talking about evidence of copyright.

It's all well and good saying 'I own that image', but I'd imagine in court you'd have to prove that you do. Adding it to the EXIF data, or to the online file of it (dated) would be far more convincing if the issue of theft/misuse ever arose. I just presumed that's what the OP was after.

Owning the full res file is more than sufficient and the serial number of your camera will be in the EXIF data anyway.

K.Flyer wrote: »

The best solution is to Watermark your images before uploading them see here about Watermarking.

There are different software packages available eg. PickMarkr or just Google Image Watermarking and pic one.

I don't see the point of watermarks, when I compose a shot I try to remove any unwanted elements. So what's the point of adding in more in post processing? As long as you don't upload full res files nothing can be done with your images for profit.

Paulw

JayEnnis wrote: »

As long as you don't upload full res files nothing can be done with your images for profit.

Even very low res images can be used, for newspapers and website graphics. Those are the most common uses of images.

A watermark is a good way to discourage usage of your images, even though you automatically own the copyright of your images.

K.Flyer

If you are going to upload your images to a site where everyone can view them but you dont want anyone using them, then a watermark is the best bet to discourage illegal usage.
Just printing the words e.g. "copyright -MissLouLou- 2010" at the bottom may not deter someone from using your work.
Read this News Story on what can happen to a picture that was put up on Flickr then grabbed by Virgin Mobile for an ad campaign.

Adriatic

You can add copyright info to the EXIF data in Photoshop by going to File>File info and and adding the copyright, name, email, website etcetera and it can also be done in Lightroom in the right window/bar but the file must be exported for the info to be applied to the image outside of lightroom.

So when the EXIF is looked at in flickr you can view the owner info by doing this.

TinyExplosions

missloulou wrote: »

I'm hoping to sell a small quantity of photos and hypothetically if I named myself "something something" photography, do I need to register this name or anything??

Legally, if you are not using "<real name>, photographer" when you're selling images, you should register the name with the Companies Registration Office -usually as a business name. Many people however don't bother to do this and if the quantity of stuff you're selling is small you may be ok.

-I'm not a lawyer or expert on business registration by any means, so don't expect any of the above to stand up in court!