Photo copyrighting

[angeloa76]

I may have missed this topic b/c of scanning through the options in this category, if so, please direct me to the right option.
I have Photoshop Elements 7 and am trying to figure out to copyright photo's.  Amazingly enough the tutorials I have read from Adobe aren't any help.
Can anyone tell me in brief how to copyright my photographs?
Thanks
Angelo

[FlyingKiwi]

Angelo,

Your photographs are copyrighted the moment you press the shutter button.

In the United States, you can register your copyright with a government department, I think it's the Copyright Office, which gives you additional legal rights when you sue people who violate your copyright.

In spite of an almost universal misperception, you cannot sell your copyright.  Instead, you can license people to use your photographs, which basically means that you're promising not to sue them for using your photograph.

If your original question isn't about how you copyright your photos, but is really about how you use Photoshop to put a copyright notice onto your photos, then I think it basically comes down to using layers, putting a copyright notice onto the top layer and adjusting the opacity of that layer so the photograph in the layer below it is visible through the copyright notice.  However, since I've never done that, I might be wrong.

Richard.

[The Edge]

You can sell your copyright if you want.  However, when selling images normally it is just a license to use.  If you are paid for a shoot, the contract can include ownership of the copyright (if you agree to sign it away of course).   If you want to sell the rights to anyone, you can legally do that too. 

Rob

[angeloa76]

Richard and Rob,
Thanks for your responses.
My question was in regards to putting the copyright notice on my photographs.  I have tried layering and am obviously not doing something right.
Angelo

[Scott Adams]

Angelo,  when you use the text tool  it will automatically open a new layer (look in the lower right corner under "layers") when you begin to add you ©. When done I always right click on one of the layers shown in the right corner and then click on the "merge visible". This will merge your © and your photo. Then save. I only use text, but I would think that if you used an image as a copyright that all you would have to do is add image to a new  layer, right click on layer in the right corner, then "merge visible" to make that work also.
I always save a copy of photo without © also.

Scott

[garphoto.com]

To add the © logo, press the Alt key and the numbers 169.

[SBGrad]

Any Lightroom experts out there?  Is there a way to do this in Lightroom, short of adding a plugin?

[Midnight Mover]

This is what I use myself. Easy and quick to use. It is a stand-alone program and you can download a free trial

Link: http://www.watermarkfactory.com

[The Edge]

Lightroom has a setting that will overlay whatever information you have put in the copyright field of the metadata.  It is a bit basic but it does work.  The Lightroom 3 beta has a more complex watermarking function built in if you want to try that but it is still beta software so i wouldn't rely on it too much just yet.

Rob

[angeloa76]

Thanks for replys.
When I have a chance to fool around w/pics, I'll give suggestions a run.
Angelo

[SBGrad]

The Lightroom 3 beta has a more complex watermarking function built in if you want to try that but it is still beta software so i wouldn't rely on it too much just yet.

Rob

Oh wow, excellent! Thanks for the pointer.  I DO have the beta, just didn't RTFM.  Bit of playing aorund and I think I got it.

[The Edge]

You should also be able to get the same effect in Lightroom 2.  The LR3 beta has more functionality I think including logos.

Rob

[ATC Controller]

I have created a brush in PSE 7.0 that is used to put my copyright mark on all photos. I found the tutorial to do this in one of the many books that I have on PSE 7. By having your copyright as a brush, you don't have to use layers which can be a pain sometimes when using the PSE programs. Plus, by using your own brush, you are saving some money on purchasing a watermark program. Here are a few tutorials that I have found on the web to help make a copyright brush:

http://www.myjanee.com/tuts/brush/cbrush7.htm
http://www.photokaboom.com/photography/learn/Photoshop_Elements/copyright/3_copyright.htm
http://www.takegreatpictures.com/HOME/Columns/Digital_Photography/Details/how_to_make_a_copyright_brush.fci

I just did a search for "Creating a copyright brush for Photoshop Elements 7".

I will mention that I only apply my copyright watermark after I have finished editing my photo and accomplished the final save.

Another way to copyright your work is to add a comment to your photos from inside your camera. By doing this, you are ensuring that your name is permanently attached to the photo through the EXIF data. Since each camera is different on how to accomplish this technique, you will have to look at your camera's manual or do some searches on the internet.

[SBGrad]

You should also be able to get the same effect in Lightroom 2.  The LR3 beta has more functionality I think including logos.

Rob

Once again, thanks. 

When I originally tried to figure this out in LR 2.5, I searched 'watermark' in LR help.  Well, that searches the entire internet, and I kept getting results pointing to plug-ins.  You would think that Adobe would give some weight to their self-written help, but I guess not.

Anyhow, going back to 2.5, I figured out how to do it there, but as you say, LR 3 beta is much more flexible.