Copyright is a set of laws established in our country that gives the original artist or creator exclusive rights for his work’s use. The Federal Copyright Act of 1976 protects original photographs under copyright law. Under this act, the photographer/person who physically took the photograph is considered the creator, and therefore has ownership of its copyright. If a photographer does not want his work distributed or used, he can issue or tag his work with a copyright notice, but is not required to by law. According to copyright law, work does not have to be officially registered as copyright, but rather is secured automatically once it is created.
However, copyright laws can often be confusing and misinterpreted. For example, if a company or business hires a photographer, the company does not technically own the photographs or work the photographer has done for them unless the copyright ownership is transferred by the photographer. Therefore, whenever you hire a photographer, it is essential that copyright negotiations are discussed before any work or payments occur.
As an artist producing work that is viewable by the public, it is important that the artist takes necessary precautions to avoid his work being stolen. Therefore, when publishing work online, the creator should include a tag in the header or footer of the website or blog it is posted on giving notice of copyright. Also, it may be a good idea to include a link that redirects users to existing copyright laws.
Remember, taking another’s work without permission is against the law!
For more on Copyright Laws check out our link below.
Photography 