Could someone tell me how to copyright an image before giving it to a client for use as the image on their 2011 Christmas Card. Do I put my copyright on the lower hand corner of the image before releasing it to them. They will be putting their logo on a blank area on the lower left side of the image. I am sure they will need an electronic file. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how much to charge?
You need to be a member of Art Fair Insiders to add comments!
Replies
Sharron, you do not need to register your images with the copyright office. The copyrights belong to you as soon as you produce the images. The question is, can you prove you produced them, and when? You can't technically prevent anyone from stealing your work, you can only defend yourself after it happens. So it's best to thwart violations in advance, and mostly this can be done by communicating clearly with your customer. Tell them what they may and may not do with your image, and do it in writing. You don't have to put a copyright notice in the image itself, but you can stipulate in your agreement that the customer must print on the back of the card "Title of Image" copyright 2011 by Sharron Covey. This helps to discourage any stranger who sees the card from getting any ideas. People are less likely to steal from an artist who clearly knows her rights.
You can also imbed copyright info into the data of your photoshop file. Here are some basic instructions:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4578212_information-digital-photos-photosho...
Again, this won't prevent someone from stealing your work, it just helps you defend your rights in the event of a violation.
As for how much to charge, that depends on how widely it will be distributed. Are they printing 50 christmas cards, or 20,000? I've bought many photograph licenses during my years as a graphic designer. For an artist-quality photograph, I think the license should cost between $100 and $1500, depending on how widely it is being distributed. This is just my two cents, there are probably others with different experiences and advice. The bottom line is to charge what feels comfortable to you.
Mea
Mea, I didn't see your response until now. Thanks for the great info! I used it before sending the image to my customer.
Sharron
http://www.copyright.gov/
When licensing images, never put a visible copyright on them as it makes them worthless to the licensee. The only reason to put a copyright on an image is to prevent unauthorized use.
Fees are based on size of image, quantity produced and length of time. But for a simple image for a one time use of a Christmas card, whatever makes you both happy.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100