Copyright

I apologize to my two (so far) members for the long pause between posts here.

Right now I'm focusing on copyrighting my images with the U. S. Copyright Office.  It has become an easier process since the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) and the Copyright Alliance have clarified the steps necesarry to get the ball rolling.  I know that once I do the first listing it will be easy to copyright all of my new images before putting them on the web.  From this point, I expect to be more courageous in giving my images a larger web presence.

While images are copyrighted the minute you create them, they aren't very well protected in an infringement case taken to court if they are not registered with the Copyright Office.  Best to officially register your copyright before you put them on the web or at other points of publication.  Doing this online gives you almost instant protection. The registration is effective on the date the application, fee and deposit are received in acceptable form by the Copyright Office, regardless of the time the Office takes to process your application and mail you the certificate of registration (which can take up to eight months.) Obviously, sending your registration with a CD of your work by snail mail will take much longer.   

Here's what ASMP says registering your work can do for you (taken from the ASMP Business Resources, Copyright Tutorial page http://asmp.org/tutorials/copyright-overview.html):

• You have the full weight of the law on your side if you are infringed.
• You can file an infringement suit. 
• You can more easily secure an attorney to take your infringement case.
• If you register your work prior to infringement (or within three months of first publication), you can ask for statutory damages and attorney fees if you win an infringement case.
• You can use your registration as leverage to get paid by defaulting clients.
• You have added protection against anyone claiming your work is an "orphaned" work.
• You are adding value to the services you provide your clients by protecting the investment they have made.

ASMP has launched a new initiative called Registration ©ounts to bring awareness to copyright issues, encourage all photographers to register their work, and to provide the tools and information needed for registration.

Their Tutorials & Forms page is available to anyone and can be found at http://asmp.org/links/8

For anything you've ever wanted to know about Copyright, go to http://www.copyright.gov/

Please post your experiences of becoming empowered or living larger through your art.

Open for Adventure

I attended Photo LA this past weekend.  Sadly, it was smaller than last year but still a great place to see fabulous images, network with gallery owners, meet with featured photographers, attend enlightening seminars, and get fresh ideas. 

Friday's open portfolio presentation is always inspiring.  I saw new concepts and techniques I'd never considered, like J. T. Burke's collages made from costume jewelry (www.JTBurke.com).  At the show: Robert Stivers huge "astigmatic dramaturgy" images (www.robertstivers.com), Rolfe Horn's tonal and structural inventiveness (www.f45.com), and Nicola Costantino's three piece panel, The Dinner (www.nicolacostantino.com.ar), of a table with an empty platter opening to one full of a lovely nude woman - all fresh ways of presenting. 

Living large means putting one's self out there, embracing life and opportunity.  At Photo LA, I put negative and fearful thoughts aside and raved to one of my favorite photographers, David LaChapelle about a show of his I saw in Berlin and learned a few things about his upcoming presentation in China; met Marthe Smith, founder of Photosight and former photo editor of Time Inc. Picture Collection who told me things I'd never read about their archives; and shook hands with Susan Burnstein whose images I find mezmorizing.  In two days, I had met with everyone I needed to and came home with a reaffirmation of and boost to my passion for the art of photography. 

Clearing The Decks!

I've spent the last few days clearing my extra bedroom for my first guest of the year.  It had become a cluttered storage room, as many do.  Through this action, I've opened my life up to friend and family visits!  That in turn opens me up to more adventures.  My soul takes a deep sigh and breaths into the open space that has been created.