Copyright Law

The "Copyright Law" is a federal law that is designed to protect the income of artists, composers, writers, and photographers. It says that the creator of a work (a photograph, etc.) owns the exclusive rights to make and sell copies of that work. Simply, this means that only the photographer who took your portraits can make additional copies for you.

Why are we concerned with copyrighting our images?

The portraits you have commissioned us to create are made by the printed by some of the finest craftsmen in the industry. Our own equipment is calibrated for color and tone accuracy with our lab to insure the best quality print possible. We also invest heavily in training and education to insure we are providing the highest level of quality photography possible -- and this high quality found in each of your portraits cannot be duplicated or copied without suffering a severe loss of sharpness, color and clarity.

Since such a loss would reflect poorly on the reputation of our work, we have reserved the copyright on each portrait we create. And, although it is not possible or legal to have copies made directly from the photographs, we do retain all original and retouched files from which additional images can be made to our exact specifications.

Did you know that the following actions constitute copyright infringement?

• Scanning images for electronic distribution (emailing) or printing.
• Printing images from a photographer's website or image gallery.
• Copying and printing a photograph using a self-service Kodak™ picture maker

Why can't I make my own copies?

Many people think that because they have purchased a photograph they have the right to make additional copies. That's simply not true. If you like a photograph enough that you need additional copies, then the photographer must have done a good job; as such, he deserves to be paid for that job.

What are the penalties for copyright violations?

The law is very clear in these matters.

Copyright infringement is a felony and is punishable by civil and criminal penalties. The law also specifies damages at $150,000 per infringement.

But extra copies cost more!

Yes, they do. Stealing is always cheaper than buying the product, and making illegal copies is stealing from the people who have worked so hard to create your memories for you. Photographers charge more than the copy shop or the discount store's photo lab, but that's because it costs more to create a portrait than it does to copy one.

So please don't compromise the quality of any professional portrait (ours, or someone else's) by having discount or inferior copies made; doing so damages the photographer's reputation when you display this less-than-ideal replica as "their" work, when it is not at all what they would provide you with. It is also against the law.

We will work with you to try to accommodate all reasonable requests.

We sincerely appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us maintain the highest levels of quality and integrity you have come to expect from our studio.