Copyright – Part 2 : What can be copyrighted?
Many things can be copyrighted. Most things that can be created physically can be copyrighted. These include books, photography, art, and music. There doesn’t need to be a physical copy of the item to be copyrighted. Digital books and software, among other things, can also be copyrighted.
When doing street photography, it is important to pay close attention to buildings and decorations. Some structures can be considered copyrighted, but also the decorations of the buildings or structures. For example: The Eiffel Tower is considered to be public domain, yet the light display shown at night is copyrighted by the company that created it. A photographer can photograph the Eiffel Tower during the day and sell the photograph, but they cannot photograph it at night for commercial use.
Other things to consider when doing street photography are the number of copyrighted or trademarked symbols and logos that may be present. Many delivery vehicles, buildings, signs and other displays can be copyrighted or trademarked and cannot be part of a commercial photograph. One exception is for art or editorial use.
Tags: copyright, how to, legal, part 2, photography, rights
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