Copyrighting Photos - Use own name or Business Name
small fish (7 pencils) | Tue, 2007-07-24 01:26Hello,
I am a newby and a seriously serious amateur photographer; hence want to dot all my 'i's and cross all my 't's. I have been pulling my hair out reading about copyright and trademark laws etc.
But getting to the point - I am taking photos which I have hopes of sending to agencies to use as stock photos; and I am trading under a business name not my own name, as most photographers seem to do. I want to put a copyright notice on the images and in the metadata. For my purposes I want to retain some amount of anonymity on the web and thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to do something like this: Copyright © 2007 'mybusinessname'.
If the business went under (I am not thinking of selling), couldn't I just hand over the copyrights of all the images to myself, that is, my name?
Any ideas, opinions... anything - please help!
Commenting on this Forum topic is closed.
You own your content unless you sign the rights away. However, that doesn't always stop companies from trying to use your limited use images in unlimited ways. You just have to be diligent since they can sustain a lawsuit defense longer than you can.
However, to fully copyright images, go here to get the forms and file for the US:
http://www.copyright.gov/forms/
Not sure how other countries do it.
Here's a great site for info on copyright and your photos:
http://www.photosecrets.com/tips.copyright.html#how
----
Powerpoint is not a design application.
----
Dirt and Rust
I don't understand what you mean by "if the company went under"?
I believe it's like $50-$70 per image to copyright (I could be wrong, I took that class senior year in college). You do not have to copyright. By puttng the "©2007 blah blah" you are stating your intent to copyright. If someone decides to steal it. Then, you can have it copywritten. Then, send them a cease and assist, blah blah... then sue if they don't comply.
According to the link I posted you don't even have to use the copyright declaration, but legally I think it does help.
----
Powerpoint is not a design application.
----
Dirt and Rust
Hi, I can see I have not been very clear, in what I was trying to say.
It is not the Copyright or the registration of the Copyright, or even the infringement of the Copyright per se that I am worried about.
It is the label or watermark that I shall be putting on the images, as I see people tend to do. My concern is this, if today I watermark all my images Copyright 2007 'mybusinessname' and disseminate these images all over the place, but tomorrow my business name ceases to exist for whatever reason; then how do I make it known about that the Copyright is now under my name. Do I rewatermark all the images and change the Copyright info in the metadata of all the images I have distributed all over the place: Copyright 2008 'myname'? Can one even do that?
I
Your business license would be registered in your name with your biz name as DBA or doing business as, so you're covered either way.
----
Powerpoint is not a design application.
----
Dirt and Rust
Thanks for the link BTW very helpful!
Ah, so I was helpful afterall! he he. Glad to be of service. :)
----
Powerpoint is not a design application.
----
Dirt and Rust