Q. Who owns the photographs after the shoot?
A. The photographer does. Since the Copyright Act of 1976, photographers sell the right to use images they’ve created rather than the photographs themselves. Only he or she, as the copyright holder, has the right to license their use.

Q. What if I am given a photograph?
A. Contact the photographer to discuss usage. Physical possession of photographic material, such as slides, prints, transparencies or digital files, does not grant the right to reproduce the images. Without specific permission from the photographer, it is a violation of Federal copyright law to reproduce photographs in any form, including color copying and scanning.

Under 1976 Federal Copyright Act and the Bern International Copyright Agreement, photographs automatically receive copyright protection even though a copyright notice is not displayed. Absence of the copyright notice does not relieve the prospective user from the responsibility of obtaining permission from the copyright holder.