Copyright Info


I'm not sure if everyone understands what copyright fully means. So I feel that I need to make a post on the details of copyrights and what they mean!

What is a Copyright?
Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States to the creators of "original works" including literary works, movies, musical works, sound recordings, paintings, photographs, software, live performances, and television or sound broadcasts. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. The Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive right to:

Reproduce the work;
Prepare other works based upon the work ("derivative works");
Distribute copies of the work by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by lease;
Perform the work publicly; and
Display the copyrighted work publicly.
The copyright owner also can authorize others to do all of the above.

Copyright law only covers the particular form or manner in which ideas or information have been manifested, the "form of material expression". It does not cover the actual idea, concepts, facts, or techniques contained in the copyright work.

(For example, the copyrighted "Superman" comic books may not be reproduced and distributed for sale without authorization from the copyright owner. The copyright also prohibits others from creating similar works involving the Superman character. However, the copyright does not prohibit anyone from creating a work about a super-human character in general.)


How Does it Work?
A copyright notice indicates that a work is protected by copyright, identifies the copyright owner and shows the year of first publication. Under US law a copyright notice is no longer required to protect copyright. Photographers own the copyright to their work the instant they press the button.
Copyright is secured automatically when the work is created, and a work is "created" when it exists in some physical form, or "fixed" in a copy. "Copies" are material objects from which a work can be read or visually perceived either directly or with the aid of a machine or device, such as books, manuscripts, sheet music, film, videotape, or microfilm.

A work that is created is automatically protected from the moment of its creation and is ordinarily given a term enduring for the author's life plus an additional 70 years after the author's death.

With a copyright, you control the use and copying of your creative work, the right to distribute it, display it, or perform it. You have the right to transfer your exclusive rights or any portion of those rights to another person, but the transfer must be in writing with your signature. (Such as a copyright release received with your CD.)  

So please don't take this symbol lightly: © 







"All Images ©Magical Photography"
is at the bottom of my website as a friendly reminder!! Thank you for respecting my work (and the work of others) by not printing, copying, reproducing, or altering copyrighted images! It is breaking the law!
Thank You!!
(Sources: here & here!) 

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