TIPS60 - Why register copyright?

Here is another of our videos offering tips and inisights into the business of photography. a transcript of the video is included after the jump.

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TRANSCRIPT:Here are a few thoughts on the value of registering your copyright. I'm John Harrington. You can shoot all you want, make as many pictures as you want to and have your work stolen and deal with your clients without registering copyright if you want to, but ultimately registering your copyright with the United States Copyright Office is incredibly important because it allows for you to actually file a claim in federal court for copyright infringement. It also allows you to have statutory damages, which is basically a penalty or punishment for infringement of copyright and here's the big deal, it actually allows for you to have your lawyer's fees paid for by the people who stole your photography. It's very important you register copyright methodically and on a regular basis. It's something you can do every month, every two months and have a full force and effect of copyright registration as if you had done it the day that you took the picture. You have a 90 day window to register and still have full protection. So register your copyright all the time.

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