Is Copyrighting Necessary?

you can make a batch and do it that way. however no, you don't. unless you have to fight it out in court, having it registered early is a good idea. but you still have to pay money in court, and it's doubtful that it's worth it in the end. the images are yours as soon as you start.

unless i had to go to court, i would copyright it officially then. but even if you don't, you can still win, you wouldn't get as much as if you did register.


---Mike Savad

Hi Frank...here in the U.K we have "design rights"..this is automatic copyright to any original designs or works of art produced. they do not have to be registered at all. If you can prove the work is yours..then that's all there is to it.. I'm not sure how it works over the pond but.. there is a wee trick you can do. If you take a photograph of a batch of your work, then post it to yourself in the mail.. your covered. you must leave the package un-opened and the postal mark serves as your "proof of production".. copyright for the price of a stamp! Hope that helps.

Frank,

I did a large batch (about 200) back in February. Glad I slid in under the wire of the fee increase! :-) Personally, I would recommend submitting yearly, around Christmas time perhaps for anything that has accumulated.

If you register you have to do it within 3 months after first publication and all the images in the batch/ series have to be produced in the same calender year.
Otherwise don't bother

I appreciate all your suggestions...

It sounds like helpful guidelines Rudy. It sounds like you're speaking from some legal experience that many might not know about.

Going by what Rudy said I wouldn't have much to do since almost all my work has been published by others. But that brings to mind isn't just putting an image up on the web publishing?

Anyway, while it may be a good idea it is mostly a peace of mind thing. All work is copyrighted when you make it and as long as you can prove its yours you can stop others from using it . Suing for money over misuse is quite another thing. In the US it would be very costly and time consuming. Sure there are minimum penalties but unless you are going to be awarded legal fees is it really worth it? The companies that can afford to pay and are not hidden overseas usually respect copyright.

Its interesting to me that Getty images, which has a mythical reputation for suing everyone over copyright , once said they never took a copyright case to federal court.

Thanks Bradford....
...Interestingly though, just putting an image on the web is actually NOT considered to be 'published'. I personally emailed the Library of Congress back and forth about this very question. And they were emphatically clear about it - it is NOT considered published.

I thought folks might want to know this...