Copyright law: When I take a pic, I own it. Copyright law says its mine. To further prove its mine i put the C symbol and my name on the pic. To further prove ownership I can record it...

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

When I take a pic, I own it. Copyright law says its mine. To further prove its mine i put the C symbol and my name on the pic. To further prove ownership I can record it with the copyright office.
A few years ago, a guy took a copyrighted image. Then made changes to the image and claimed it as his own.
It went to court and the original owner lost , the court said it was a new image once edited.
Now look at the image with this message.
It is an AI created image. Copyright law is still being written I believe for these AI images.
so I took the original image, I made a few changes, and by the case mentioned above I should be able to claim it as my image and copyright it.
Whats your thoughts?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Hmmm... You created the end result.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

bdk wrote:

When I take a pic, I own it. Copyright law says i... (show quote)

Copyright law dealing with taking someone else's work and how much it must be changed to make it a new work is decided on a case by case basis, and some courts may rule differently. I'm not clear about your image. Was it a work created entirely by an AI app and then changed by you? You said you took the original image - did that mean it was a photograph you took and changed with an AI app?

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

JohnSwanda wrote:

Copyright law dealing with taking someone else's work and how much it must be changed to make it a new work is decided on a case by case basis, and some courts may rule differently. I'm not clear about your image. Was it a work created entirely by an AI app and then changed by you? You said you took the original image - did that mean it was a photograph you took and changed with an AI app?

I edited the original AI image ,

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

The AI apparently doesn't entirely understand water dynamics. The right most waterfall doesn't look like it has a water source, it appears from nowhere! I realize "photo AI" isn't a perfect science yet.

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

bdk wrote:

the original owner lost , the court said it was a new image once edited.

I would have to see a lot more detail about that case to have an opinion.

"It was a new image once edited" leaves out so much...I know that derivative works are regulated and you don't just make a small change and claim it's an original work.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

bdk wrote:

When I take a pic, I own it. Copyright law says i... (show quote)

So your saying if I put a Pepsi bottle in with all the Campbells Soup cans Andy's estate couldn't touch me?
Interesting

tcthome Loc: NJ

This guy had a photogrphy buzz for years & has a couple of vids on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSYflhiRxv4&t=5s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6cEIJVXKyI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDS0dwQt4XU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Scc7YgPK5LY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTEsjmQ2xs4

another one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18i2IHJh5WM

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

bdk wrote:

When I take a pic, I own it. Copyright law says i... (show quote)

But according to your words about the law someone can make a chance and the image is theirs !!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Retired CPO wrote:

The AI apparently doesn't entirely understand water dynamics. The right most waterfall doesn't look like it has a water source, it appears from nowhere! I realize "photo AI" isn't a perfect science yet.

Hmmm...

How do you know it's not hidden behind the mound on the front right?

Perception....

13 Loc: I am only responsible to what I say..not what

It's that same with patents. Just make a small change and you're ok. Too bad, that's the way it is nowadays.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

13 wrote:

It's that same with patents. Just make a small change and you're ok. Too bad, that's the way it is nowadays.

It's not that simple. If you only made one small change you likely wouldn't prevail in court. Each case is different and the outcomes have gone both ways.

Morry Loc: Palm Springs, CA

Interesting discussion. Sounds to me like you may think the law should be modified to please everyone . . . if that is possible. I was in Wedding photography business for 17 years. I used the copyright law with the stamp on back to protect my right to sell photos taken by me. I'm sure there are several answers to this potential problem . . . and i'm not sure that there is an answer.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

First, Uunless you have a team of lawyers behind you, copyright on photos doesn't mean much. I saw a video from Tony and Chelsea Northrup where some company stole one of their images for a marketing campaign and the company was in a different country. They sued. It took years, a lot of money and they didn't get any economic satisfaction, but at least they won the copyright case. Second, law is always way behind technology. It will take years and a lot of cases for image modifications to become settled law. Third, did you see that Jack Daniels won it's copyright case against a dog toy company that made a dog toy that looking similar to a JD whiskey bottle?

IMHO, if you are a professional, this is something to worry about as there are no protections against stealing something you post on social media. For me, I take pictures for me. I capture memories, hopefully with an artistic flair for my own enjoyment and to share with friends and family and on forums like UHH.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

bdk wrote:

……Copyright law is still being written….

I am not an attorney and my ability to understand copyrights and trademarks can easily be challenged by anyone with the IQ of a squirrel. When I was I’d school and learning photography I was taught that we should use a “Poor Man’s Copyright.” I later learned how foolish and ‘childish’ this trick really is. It can easily by challenged by a competent attorney. I would like to recommend that any one who wishes to copyright their work to head over to their Nearest US Copyright office and follow their rules.
For those of us, like myself, pick up the book, ”The Copyright Zone, by Edward Greenberg and Jack Reznicki. There is a lot of stuff in the book that will open you eyes.
I guarantee it is worth the money, won’t collect dust on the shelf and you can read it and lean from it in a one night’s sitting.

There is a website that isn’t a substitute for an attorney but helps send us down the correct path.

Have a look at https://copyrightalliance.org/

I am far from a pro-phototographer. I consider myself an ordinary person with a device that amuses me. I am not an artist either. I like to show my photos to family and friends.