The world’s copyright registration service
Common questions
What resolution should images be?
The resolution of submitted images simply needs to be sufficient to clearly show the content you are seeking to register.
Does a registration also provide evidence for a design right?
Yes, though there are two types of design right, ‘registered’ and ‘unregistered’ design right.
A registered design right (which covers the work for a longer period) can be applied for at national level, typically via the national Patent Office of the country in question.
Unregistered design rights are automatic (just like copyright) so a submission with us is evidence of the unregistered design right in the same way that it is evidence of copyright.
What is the best format for images?
You may submit in any format that is convenient to you. We do however recommend that standard common place formats are used to ensure future readability.
PNG and JPEG/JPG are particularly good formats as they use compression to reduce the file size, (meaning you can get more images on a CD/DVD or reduce the time uploading if registering online), and can be read by most applications.
Can I submit ‘hard copy’ prints?
Yes, if you use a postal application, though there may be processing fees (see postal registration application form for details).
Does registering a collection of images cover each individual image?
Yes. As long as a particular photo is included in the submitted content, it is covered, and the registration is evidence of your claim to that image.
How many photos can I submit as a single ‘work’?
For electronic images (computer files) there is no limit. You can include as many files in the registration as you like. There is only a limit if you are submitting hardcopy prints by postal application (please see the format processing notes for details on postal submissions).
If I register a collection of images as one work can I sell images separately?
Yes. Neither the fact that a work is registered nor the manner of registration places any restriction on how you choose to use your work.
Registering photographic work
Understanding registration
When you register you are asked to provide details of the work that you are registering. Occasionally the ‘work’ may be a single photo, but more typically it will be a collection of photos that are registered together under a single title.
- Registering a collection of photos
Most photographers will submit a collection of images as a single work. Items registered as a collective work should form part of a single project or logical grouping, but you are free to group your photos (or other items) into works in any way that makes sense to you. Over time you may submit more works (other collections), or add new photos to an already registered collection using the update facility.
When you register a collection you need to be aware that:
- The copyright ownership of all the items should be the same.
For example, if you are registering in your name the copyright owner of all the photos should be you.
- A registration can only have a single title.
The ‘title of work’ on the application form is simply a way for you to label the registration so you know what it contains. Typical examples of a title for a collective work could be the name of a type of event i.e. ‘Wedding Photos’, a specific project i.e. ‘Azores hotel pictures for ABC Travel Co.’, an ongoing theme or classification of photos i.e. ‘Pictures of Dogs’, or simply a date reference like ‘May 2012’.
- The copyright ownership of all the items should be the same.
- Registering an individual photo
You can of course register a single photo in its own right. Although registering a collection of photos is more economical, there are times, particularly if a photo has special value, that it desirable to register that photo in its own right.
Submitting your work
Copyright registration can be carried out either online or by postal application.
If the total size of the files that you are registering is less than 300MB online registration will work out cheaper and will provide immediate cover for your work.
If the work is not stored electronically, there is over 300MB of data to submit, or you have a slow or unreliable Internet connection, a postal application will be a better option.
- Registering online
During online registration you will be asked to upload the files that make up your work. If you are registering a collection of photos you will probably have a lot of files and we strongly recommend that you take the following steps:
- Create a directory on your computer to temporarily store the images.
- Copy the images you wish to upload to the directory you just created.
- Use an application such as WinZip, WinRar/Rar, 7-Zip, StuffIt, or Tar to create a single archive file (i.e. a .zip or .tar.gz file) of the directory (so you now have a single file containing all the photos).
- Upload this archive file when you register online.
We accept any type of compressed archive file, although we recommend that a non-proprietary format (i.e. .zip, .tar.gz) is used. As with all electronic files you should choose common formats to ensure that software to read the files will be available in the future.
Please be patient whilst uploading – most domestic ADSL lines will upload at around 1MB/minute, see our upload advice page for more details.
- Registering by postal application
If registering by post - simply send a CD/DVD or USB drive containing all the images you wish to include in the registration with your application.
Updates and future work
To ensure manageability, most photographers will group work into logical collections, (i.e. a specific project, a year, type of image), and treat each collection as a single registration. Additional photos for an already registered collection could be added as an update, while new projects should be treated as new registrations.
