It's no secret that traditional stock photographers (and presumably their agencies) are not fans of royalty free stock photos. These low cost images can be purchased for just about any use and then re-used royalty free. It often seems like no one is listening any more when the caution is raised that the licensed image will no longer be unique or special since it is likely to be found almost anywhere anyone else also wants to license it. Or of course they could have gone to the trouble of finding actual coal users and coal industry employees (there are certainly plenty) and done a photo shoot.

Well, the chickens came home to roost this week... Read more »

by James Cavanaugh for nikondigital.org, March 2006

Copyright law in the United States grants copyright to the creator (photographer, illustrator, writer, artist, etc.) at the moment of creation. Under the Copyright law’s intent, full legal protection is also granted at that moment. However, the law’s intent and the realities of the legal system leave creators without any real protection unless they take the additional step of registering their work with the United States Copyright Office. Read more »