Copyright ®
Written works are protected in the U.S. Constitution. Copyright provides protection for written works, movies, plays, music, lyrics, recordings, photographs, sculptures, and artwork.
U.S. Copyright ® Registration
A copyright © provides legal protection for a written works, musical arrangements, recordings, and lyrics, photographs. A copyright is provided to a work on its creation once it is recorded into a tangible medium. No action is required to obtain this right, but registration of a copyrighted work is required in order to enforce a copyright against an infringer. The registration provides constructive notice to all potential infringers that the work is protected. Infringement that occurs after a registration is obtained may be entitled to enhanced statutory damages.
A copyright © registration is available by completeing a registration submission which can be submitted online at copyright.gov. A copy of the work is required to be submitted with the registration submission thereby providing the Library of Congress a copy of the work for its collection. Photograghs may be submitted by uploading a thumbnail copy of the image with the submission. Multiple photographs may be submitted at one time for a single application and fee.
A copyright © registration is recommended before the work is published. Works that are published on a website and/or social media are recommeded to be registered before the works are uploaded. Prior publication of a work before a registration is obtained does not mean that rights are lost, but infringment damages may be reduced for the time before the registration is obtained. A photographer, for example, should immediately seek registration for all of the photograghs taken during a photo shoot. The creation of the thumbnails and submission online to the copyright office should be part of your workflow.
One or more completed application templates with the information needed in the registration submission can be saved at the copyright.gov website. A photographer can create a registration submission by adding a few items of information such as the title of the photos, the date and location of the photo shoot, and similar information regarding the submitted photographs. The photographer uploads the thumbnail images and pays the required fee. A similar process is followed for authors, musicians, and artists.
We can submit your copyright registration for you. We also provide copyright analysis, infringement analysis, and advice.
Copyright ® Resources
U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
U.S. Copyright Office Info and Forms
The Copyright Office in the Library of Congress provides a website containing information for creators about the copyright process and the various steps from filing an application to registration.
Photographer’s Guide to Copyright ©
A photography trade organization provides a useful guide for Photographers about the process of registering a large number of photos in one submission online to the Copyright Office. This guide provides a useful DIY tutorial with screenshots. The guide was created by and the rights are owned by Photoshelter and the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP). The guide is provided for your convenience.
https://www.showmeyourpix.com/photos/copyguide.pdf
