Copyright: I am fairly new to photography but am getting to know enough just to be dangerous. I am looking for the best way to copyright photos that I have as I have been published...

jpmphoto

I am fairly new to photography but am getting to know enough just to be dangerous. I am looking for the best way to copyright photos that I have as I have been published numerous times without a copyright on any of the photos. Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks, John

Wall-E Loc: Phoenix, AZ

jpmphoto wrote:

I am fairly new to photography but am getting to know enough just to be dangerous. I am looking for the best way to copyright photos that I have as I have been published numerous times without a copyright on any of the photos. Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks, John

What post processing software are you using?

And what you want is a 'watermark' that has your copyright information.

jpmphoto

I am using Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 and I want to copyright photos that I have taken and may sell or publish.

Wall-E Loc: Phoenix, AZ

jpmphoto wrote:

I am using Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 and I want to copyright photos that I have taken and may sell or publish.

You already own the copyright. Don't confuse that with a copyright legend, which is a notice of who the copyright holder is. Which most people put on with a 'watermark'.
I'm not familiar with PSE, but I don't doubt that there will be at least a dozen responses before morning.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

jpmphoto wrote:

I am fairly new to photography but am getting to know enough just to be dangerous..... Thanks, John

Well then, you know enough to post on here....

;-)

jpmphoto

If I understand you correctly, I already have the copyright rights. The watermark is simply an insignia etc that is placed in the lower right on photos?

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

jpmphoto wrote:

If I understand you correctly, I already have the copyright rights. The watermark is simply an insignia etc that is placed in the lower right on photos?

That is correct, but you still need to REGISTER the copyright with the copyright office if you want to be able to recover any damages if your pics are stolen.

If you are in the US, just google "US copyright registration" and you will get info on the site to provide the needed information and forms.

Wall-E Loc: Phoenix, AZ

Wahawk wrote:

That is correct, but you still need to REGISTER the copyright with the copyright office if you want to be able to recover any damages if your pics are stolen.

If you are in the US, just google "US copyright registration" and you will get info on the site to provide the needed information and forms.

Yeah. $35 PER registration. And it needs to be registered BEFORE any infringement. Unless it's 'published', and posting on the web is NOT publishing.
If you're really thinking about registration, then you need to find an intellectual property rights lawyer.

Wall-E Loc: Phoenix, AZ

jpmphoto wrote:

If I understand you correctly, I already have the copyright rights. The watermark is simply an insignia etc that is placed in the lower right on photos?

Give that man a cigar, he just shot the bullseye of the target.
And it doesn't HAVE to be lower right. Anywhere on it AND IN the metadata of the image file.

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

Wall-E wrote:

Yeah. $35 PER registration. And it needs to be registered BEFORE any infringement. Unless it's 'published', and posting on the web is NOT publishing.
If you're really thinking about registration, then you need to find an intellectual property rights lawyer.

The $35 fee can also be for a GROUP of photos, such as a CD full.
Don't need a lawyer to REGISTER the copyright, as long as they are YOUR pictures, but will definitely need one to fight for any infringement or damages.

jpmphoto

Thank you all for the great information. It has really helped. John

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=elements+11+watermark&oq=Elements+11&gs_l=youtube.1.4.0l10.3681.3681.0.6650.1.1.0.0.0.0.207.207.2-1.1.0...0.0...1ac.2.11.youtube.9PiMceWqYFk

here is a for instance!
http://blog.webcopyplus.com/2011/02/14/legal-lesson-learned-copywriter-pays-4000-for-10-photo/

Pictxterowner 3 D sbs

I have heard you should pack everything you can into your submission to the copy right office. I believe there is no limit but you can't add to it. You can submit again later for another fee.

Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

Pictxterowner wrote:

I have heard you should pack everything you can into your submission to the copy right office. I believe there is no limit but you can't add to it. You can submit again later for another fee.

There are some limitations. The form you use has a page which can be photocopied to allow for the listing of additional images. You may use up to 50 continuation pages, holding 15 images each, for a total of 750 images. After that, you must file a second registration.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Here's one way to add a copyright notice:

http://www.essential-photoshop-elements.com/watermark-brush.html