You take a picture of a city street. Look closely and you'll see copyrighted material everywhere in your photo. The obvious copyrights are on the billboard, the newspaper stand and products in the store window. The less obvious copyrights are in the sculptural ornamentation of the lamppost, the patterned fabric of a woman's skirt and the toy the kid is holding. You will never be able to track down all of these copyright owners to get their permission to use the photo. Are you out of luck if you want to use it commercially? Maybe not.

While copyright law can be restrictive on photography, it is not irrational. Copyright law includes the doctrine of "fair use" that allows unauthorized use of copyrights in certain circumstances. The courts recognize that free expression and avoiding law suits over minor issues are more important than protecting intellectual property rights.

The doctrine of fair use means that copying will not infringe a copyright when it is "for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research." Four factors are considered to determine whether the use qualifies under the doctrine:

The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes; The nature of the copyrighted work; The amount and substantiality of the portion used; and The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

So if the copyrighted material that appears in your photo is covered by these four categories, you do not have to be concerned with getting permission to use it. On the other hand, it's a judgment call. Would a court agree with your position? It may be costly to find out. The next best alternative is to get a copyright lawyer's advice. The lawyer can give you an opinion based on research and experience. But the safest and sure way to use a copyrighted work in a photograph is to get permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Take my advice; get professional help. PhotoAttorney

Copyright 2005 Carolyn E. Wright All Rights Reserved

Carolyn Wright

Carolyn Wright is a professional photographer with an active wildlife photography business. Shooting for 25 years, her award-winning images have been used in books and corporate marketing materials. Her wildlife photos will be included in the upcoming book, "Captivating Wildlife - Images from the Top Ten Emerging Wildlife Photographers" by Scott Bourne and David Middleton. She also is working with Scott Bourne on "Wolfscapes," a photo book documenting the beauty and strength of wolves. Carolyn shares her love for photography with her enthusiasm for the law. Trained as a top-flight attorney, Carolyn's legal practice is aimed squarely at the needs for photographers. She understands the special issues that confront both professional and amateur photographers, and she regularly speaks and writes on the subject. Her book, "88 Secrets to the Law for Photographers," also co-written with Scott Bourne, is scheduled for release in fall 2005. On the faculty of Olympic Mountain School of Photography, Carolyn?s passion is enhanced when teaching photography. She enjoys writing and speaking on the subject, as well, and is a regular columnist for PhotoFocus, an online magazine for serious photographers. Carolyn is particularly tuned to the special interests of women in photography. She appreciates women's unique approach to the subject, and adapts her instruction accordingly. Armed with more than 20 years of general business experience and a Masters of Business Administration degree, she understands what is needed to succeed in male-dominated fields. This knowledge, combined with her training and experience as a teacher at all levels from grade school to graduate school, provides the strong foundation she uses to help others with their photography. Carolyn can be contacted at 2107 N. Decatur Rd. #117, Decatur, GA 30033 or by phone at 678.592.8025.