American Society of Media Photographers Press Release 19/10/04

October 19, 2004—The American Society of Media Photographers has posted a new Copyright Tutorial to the public area of its web site: http://www.asmp.org/copyright/. Although modern law gives independent photographers an automatic copyright at the moment a picture is taken, there still are procedures that must be followed to obtain the maximum legal protection for the photographer’s rights. The ASMP tutorial details those procedures, providing step-by-step instructions and annotated sample forms. In addition, it explores several copyright-related issues of particular importance to photographers, such as pictures of public buildings and the distinctions that courts use in deciding whether two images are substantially similar.

Said Eugene Mopsik, ASMP’s executive director, “Photographers would rather make images than file paperwork, but their future income often depends on having properly registered their copyrights. ASMP can’t do the paperwork for its members, of course. But we can educate about the importance of registering, explain the ins and outs of the process, and provide clear, photographer-friendly directions. Our goal in preparing this tutorial was to help photographers protect their legal rights with a minimum of hassle.”

He added, “Other areas of our web site keep members posted about the latest changes in intellectual-property litigation, publisher contracts and commercial practices. But everything rests on the legal foundation of copyright. Photographers who are new to the profession need to learn how to secure their rights, and even long-time practitioners can use a good refresher.”

The ASMP copyright tutorial is freely available (visit www.asmp.org/copyright/). It is expected to be of great value to photographers who are just starting out on their professional careers, but established veterans may also want to consult particular sections for reference from time to time.

Founded in 1944, the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) is the leading trade association for photographers who photograph primarily for publication. ASMP promotes photographers’ rights, educates photographers in better business practices, produces business publications for photographers, and helps buyers find professional photographers. It has more than 5,000 members, including many of the world’s greatest photographers, in 40 chapters nationwide.