Sadly, there are plenty of scoundrels and thieves out there just waiting to capture digital photographs others have taken and claim them as their own. While a photo belongs to you the second you take it, without registration, that can be difficult to prove. When you register your digital images with the US Copyright Office or a copyright agency in another nation you are a citizen of, you protect yourself from violation by digital thieves. Here's how to do it.
Register Images Before You Post Them
While you might be tempted to post those pictures you just took on Facebook, or send them to another site where people can see them, or even add them to written internet content, don't do it until you register the images. Start by going to the US Copyright website and be sure to read all the information you find there about the process for registering photographs that belong to you. You will need to pay a fee to do this, but if you've got valuable images, they're going to lose their value the instant they are stolen.
You can save money and time by registering your images as a collection. This requires you to pay one fee and use only one application form. The fastest way to register your photos is to upload them online. Before you do, resize them for easy uploading and organize file names. Using zipped files is a good strategy for cutting back on the amount of time the process takes.
Delaying registration can prevent anyone who infringes on your copyrights from paying full damages.
Benefits of Copyrighting Photos
There are many reasons to register your digital images! First of all, it completely eliminates the burden of proof in the event someone else tries to claim they own photos you took. In fact, you cannot file a lawsuit for infringement unless you have registered your photos. If you have, though, you can collect statutory damages, plus you can request attorneys' fees, which is important, since filing a copyright infringement is extremely expensive. Since copyright is enforced by Federal law, you'll have to retain an attorney capable of filing your suit in Federal Court.
Most of the time, copyright cases end up being settled out of court, between the owner of the photos and the person or entity responsible for lifting them. That settlement might be as small as a public apology, or it could be as large as tens of thousands of dollars in lieu of even more costly legal action. As long as you have copyrighted your images, you have leverage that provides you with the upper hand when working to negotiate a settlement for copyright infringement.
While registering your digital photos does not prevent people from stealing the images you own, taking the time to send batches of photos to the copyright office and shelling out a small fee is completely worthwhile. Wait until you've taken this important step before uploading any images to the web, and don't forget to add copyright notices to each and every image you have taken. In addition, use java scripts and other electronic methods for deterring would-be photo thieves. Taking the time to learn what to do, and then taking the necessary steps to do it makes all the difference in the world.