{"id":79551,"date":"2022-07-07T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-07T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=79551"},"modified":"2022-08-31T11:07:58","modified_gmt":"2022-08-31T15:07:58","slug":"how-to-copyright-image-protect-your-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/how-to-copyright-image-protect-your-photos\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Copyright an Image & Protect Your Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Copyright is an extremely important consideration for photographers and other types of artists, but many new photographers don\u2019t consider the value of copyright protection until they\u2019ve experienced an infringement on their intellectual property. But knowing how to copyright an image is essential for professional photographers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just like you would insure your gear before you take it on an overseas vacation, you should always copyright your original work before you publish it on the internet. If you\u2019re new to the idea of copyright claims, copyright protections, and concepts like protecting your creative works from infringement, we\u2019ll cover all the basics and help you get started with copyright registration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an aside, when it comes to nonfungible tokens (NFTs)<\/a>, the question of copyright is important. When you sell your photo or image as an NFT, you may continue to retain copyright. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does U.S. Copyright Law Say About Copyright Ownership?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Any type of visual artist, including photographers, owns the copyright to their published and unpublished works by default. The moment you click the shutter, you own the copyright for your images. The only potential exception to that rule is if you\u2019re contracted to take the photographs in question and you signed that copyright away to the client or employer who hired you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, even though you automatically own the copyright to your artistic work, you can\u2019t bring copyright claims to federal court if you haven\u2019t officially registered your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office. It\u2019s significantly easier to get the results you want and initiate an infringement lawsuit if you officially register your copyrighted material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image via Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What Counts As Copyright Infringement?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Copyright infringement is any sort of unauthorized use of your copyrighted material. Here are a few common types of copyright infringement:<\/p>\n\n\n\n