Can someone help me with Copyrighting?

[Michael Fanelli]

I was wondering if someone could give me some pointers on how to copyright my photos to post on the web. I'm extremely new to photography and would like as much guidance and imput as I can get.

Thanks

Jason

Everyone is assuming that you want to know how to place a copyright notice on/in an image. I'll just add a different twist: you already have a copyright on anything you post whether or not you explicitly say so. A copyright registration merely makes it easire, sometimes, to prove the point. Whether or not you register a copyright, getting anywhere in the legal system to defend a copyright takes lots of time and money.

[danag42]

The Copyright Office has a form VA you can use to copyright a collection of unpublished photographs. They will accept a CD of jpegs, I'd send a bunch of contact sheets with small thumbnails since nobody knows how long CD's will last.

It costs $30 for each collection.

http://www.copyright.gov/forms/formvai.pdf

[beth russell]

You can also register your entire website with the Copyright Office. Circular 66 helps to explain the process: http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ66.pdf

Beth

[ken1953]

You can also register your entire website with the Copyright Office. Circular 66 helps to explain the process: http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ66.pdf

Beth

Hello Beth...and Welcome to PR. To all others, this is the person who gave the seminar on contracts that I went to the other night. She is very knowledgeable on the subject of legal matters as they pertain to art!!! In just a short 2 hours she taught me a lot about contracts and copyrights.
Beth, I'm really glad you found your way here!!! I hope you like our little family because I know that you have a lot to offer us, and I hope we have at least a little to offer you.
Again, welcome to PR
Ken

[ken1953]

The Copyright Office has a form VA you can use to copyright a collection of unpublished photographs. They will accept a CD of jpegs, I'd send a bunch of contact sheets with small thumbnails since nobody knows how long CD's will last.

It costs $30 for each collection.

http://www.copyright.gov/forms/formvai.pdf

One thing I recently learned about "compilations" whether they be contact sheets or CD's/DVD's etc...each item in the compilation must be "unpublished". Once published (which includes posting on the web for general viewing), then it must be copyrighted seperately.
Make sure to read the application very carefully.
Ken

[Ronnoco]

Everyone is assuming that you want to know how to place a copyright notice on/in an image. I'll just add a different twist: you already have a copyright on anything you post whether or not you explicitly say so. A copyright registration merely makes it easire, sometimes, to prove the point. Whether or not you register a copyright, getting anywhere in the legal system to defend a copyright takes lots of time and money.

Michael has his law precisely correct. Copyright is automatic and does not need to be registered.

He is also right about cost to defend copyright and to be precise about $50,000 to begin legal action for copyright infringement.

Ronnoco