Education & Training: (In-Person) Photography and the Law with Jim Norman

This presentation will focus on two topics of importance to photographers — an introduction to copyright and a discussion of limitations that can be placed on where and when you can take a photograph and the uses you can make of that photograph.   

Copyright is controlled exclusively by Federal law and provides important protections — and limitations — to you as the creator of a photograph. You automatically own the copyright in a photograph you make for your own use (if you’re employed by someone else, other factors come into play), but once you share a photograph, things become more complicated.  In addition, your rights and remedies change significantly if you take the time to file a copyright registration.  In some instances, it may be worthwhile to take legal action against a party that has made unauthorized use of one if your images.  In addition to the more complicated remedies available in the past, we now have a less complex, and less expensive, option — the Copyright Claims Board. We will also touch upon the “fair use” exceptions and the complications that can arise if you employ artificial intelligence to make or enhance an image. 

Limitations of when and where you can take a photograph, and how you can use it, will vary considerably depending on circumstances. We’ll go over the factors you need to take into account and what your options are if someone tells you “you aren’t allowed” to make photos of a particular scene.  It can be complicated, and often the best option is to use common sense and common courtesy, regardless of what you have the “right” to do.

Bio

Jim Norman is a long-time member of NVPS and other organizations with an interest in photography, including being a Creator Member of the Copyright Alliance. 

In Person at the Dunn Loring Firehouse