Do I need to copyright my photos with the Libr. of Congress before I post them? Are they immediately copyrighted by being posted on your site....or should I embed a year and my name on the image?
I also want to know because I am entering a number of photo contests, and I want to protect my rights to my images.
The minute you create the photo, it is copyrighted.
Adding your name and the year to it just serves as added notice that it is copyrighted and not part of the public domain. Getting the copyright formally recognized by the government gives you even more protection in the event that somebody unlawfully uses it, but it's hardly worth the time/effort for a single photo.
As for photo contests, just read their terms carefully. Be wary any time you see the word "exclusive."
Discussion
4 repliesDo I need to copyright my photos with the Libr. of Congress before I post them? Are they immediately copyrighted by being posted on your site....or should I embed a year and my name on the image?
I also want to know because I am entering a number of photo contests, and I want to protect my rights to my images.
Lucy
Adding your name and the year to it just serves as added notice that it is copyrighted and not part of the public domain. Getting the copyright formally recognized by the government gives you even more protection in the event that somebody unlawfully uses it, but it's hardly worth the time/effort for a single photo.
As for photo contests, just read their terms carefully. Be wary any time you see the word "exclusive."
Lucy
You might want to check out some of the links I have listed near the top of my Legal Resources page.
Hope those help & Good Luck with the contest. Ditto the advice about reading entry terms carefully.