Week Four EOC: Copyrights

The standard definition of the word copyright according to Merriam-Webster, when using as a noun, is defined as the exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, sell, or distribute the matter and form of something (as a literary, musical or artistic work), also it is defined as the legal right to be the only one to reproduce, publish, and sell a book, musical recording, etc., for a certain period of time. (Merriam-Webster.com) 

When using as a transitive verb it means to secure a copyright on. The point in time something is copyrighted is at its point of creation. ” Copyright is part of federal law. Published and unpublished photographs may be protected and registered. It is unlawful for anyone to violate (infringe upon) the rights of a copyright owner. A case of copyright infringement may only be heard by a federal court.”(JPMag.com)

 As a photographer, the moment I take a photograph it is copyrighted by me because it is mine. I took the photograph therefore I own it. But with just me, I know it is mine; I still need to mark it for the world to know that I own the rights to the photograph. These days taking someone’s photography on the internet is becoming more and more common, leaving photographers struggling to find even more ways to distinguish and protect their work from thieves, because for working photographers, not only is that  their career  and livelihood on the line but also their reputation as a photographer, as well.  ” Intellectual piracy on the Internet is a serious problem, one that policymakers in Washington need to address quickly and responsibly without unduly restricting Internet freedom.”(FoxNews.com)

While still using photography as the example, there are a few ways to copyright the photograph. While editing the photo I can write in the metadata that the photo is copyrighted by me and that all rights are reserved. Another way is to watermark the photograph so on first glace you people know who shot the photo but most importantly who owns the photo. “Photo protection is just like any other type of security: even though complete safety isn't possible, violations can still be made so difficult that they won't be worth doing. In other words, don't leave the front door of your house wide open just because someone could potentially also break in through a window.” (CambridgeInColour.com)