What are the necessery steps to file a copyright for a photographic work? Is it necessery for me to pay a fee per photo, or can I submit a CD full of them at the same cost?
You can find all the info you need for this at: http://www.copyright.gov/ Relevant snippets: You may register unpublished works as a collection on one application with one title for the entire collection if certain conditions are met. It is not necessary to list the individual titles in your collection, although you may by completing a Form CON. Published works may only be registered as a collection if they were actually first published as a collection and if other requirements have been met. See Circular 1, Copyright Basics, section “Registration Procedures.†Can I submit a CD-ROM of my work? Yes. The deposit requirement consists of the best edition of the CD-ROM package of any work, including the accompanying operating software, instruction manual, and a printed version, if included in the package.
Your photographs are copyrighted as soon as that picture is taken. You don't have to actually register them, but it makes it a little more secure. I usually just add the copyright statement at the bottom of each photo.
So even if I do not register a copyright for a photo, no one else can use it without my permission? I've often wondered about this and it's one reason I've been scared to sell photos online. I was worried about what someone might use the photos for.
Yes, as soon as you create your artwork, be it photographs they are copyrighted and you own the copyright to them, if anyone wanted to borrow/re-publish your images then they would need to seek your permission or they would be breaking copyright law, in my opinion. Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer though so seek independant advice.
yes, that's true. However it may be difficult to prove who really took the picture. Plus taking someone to court can be very costly. That's why most photographers register their copyrights
It's easy enough to prove who took the photos as the owner will have the original "digital negatives" eg. full resolution images. They will also have all the not so good similar photos taken at the same time!