I need advice from a professional photographer

[TheWinner]

Our local newspaper invites the public to send in photos of anything to do with the past, and I have one that I took, that I would like to submit. Normally, members of the public can order photos that have been published (for a fee) in the newspaper. What happens if the photo was not taken by their photographer but was submitted by me (by Jpeg). My question is, would the public be able to buy it (and do the paper get the money?). How do I copyright a photo, so that they can publish it, but can't resell copies it to the public?

[clairey-s]

If you don't want it bought, don't send it in!!

[chakka35]

You should look at the rules of the feature they want you to contribute to. It might say that they will claim copyright of all submissions. If so, run a mile.
If there is no such proviso then the copyright is yours unless and until you sign it away.

[TheWinner]

Hi Chakka35, Thank you for your answer.

There are no rules listed. Just an offer to the public to submit any old photos that they think will be of interest to the readers of our local newspaper.

[saxy_jag]

Chakka's absolutely right - you retain copyright to your image unless you sign it over to the paper.

All you need to do is phone them and ask.

[Lil O'lady]

Copyright is only as good as the lengths you go to to protect it. So yu have to ask yourself, if someone does use my photo without paying / asking / acknowledging, what will it cost me to sue that and what do i hope to make from it?

[Buenchico]

You already own the copyright to any photograph taken by you (unless it was taken in the course of your employment, in which case your employer would own the copyright). There is no need (and, indeed, no method) for registering that copyright.

By submitting your photograph to the newspaper (when no offer of payment has been made) you're clearly granting the newspaper the right to publish that photograph without payment. However the copyright remains with you and the newspaper can't provide copies to other people without your permission. (Our local rag put a reference number against their own photos, so that copies can be ordered. But photographs like yours are simply labelled as 'contributed').

Chris

[Buenchico]

Ooh!

I've just seen the date on this question!

I must have clicked on it in error when I was checking TheWinner's profile. Oh well, c'est la vie!