You created the image. You own the copyright. So what happens when someone uses your photograph without your permission?
In this episode of Beyond the Image, James Patrick breaks down one of the most overlooked parts of running a photography business: understanding and protecting your intellectual property.
James explores the difference between copyright and trademark, why photographers often wait until something goes wrong to learn about their rights, what questions to ask when your work is used without permission, and why contracts, licensing, documentation, and education matter.
He also addresses some of the questions photographers ask all the time:
- Should you register your copyrights?
- What should you do when someone uses your image without permission?
- What happens when a client gives your images to someone else?
- Can you protect a creative concept or idea?
- When should you handle an infringement yourself, and when should you talk to an attorney?
James is a photographer, entrepreneur, and longtime creative-industry professional, not an attorney, so this episode isn’t legal advice. Instead, it’s a conversation about knowing what you don’t know and being better prepared to protect the work you’ve worked so hard to create.
James also discusses Protect Your Work: Copyright & Trademark for Creatives, a live Q&A taking place August 26 at The Hive Studios in Phoenix with attorney Wendy Neal.
Doors: 5:00 PM
Program: 5:30 PM
Admission: $5
Location: The Hive Studios, Phoenix, AZ
Bring your questions. Get real answers. Protect your work.
