In the age of right-click and repost, it’s easy to forget that every image on the internet was created by someone -someone who owns the rights to it. Whether you’re a photographer, a content creator, or just someone who loves to share pretty pictures, it’s crucial to understand copyright and intellectual property laws.
Photographers retain the rights to their work the moment they hit the shutter. That means just because an image is posted online doesn’t make it fair game for memes, marketing, or mood boards. Using someone else’s work without permission (or proper credit, or payment!) is not just bad etiquette - it’s potentially illegal.
Respecting copyright isn’t about limiting creativity - it’s about protecting it. So before you grab that perfect photo for your project, take a moment to ask: Do I have permission to use this? If not, reach out, license it properly, or create something of your own. Because being respectful of others' work helps protect your own too.
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The Nerdy Photographer Podcast is written and produced by Casey Fatchett. Casey is a professional photographer in the New York City / Northern New Jersey with more than 25 years of experience. His mission is to help people and make them laugh. You can view Casey's photography work at https://caseyfphoto
If you have any questions or comments about this episode or any other episodes, OR if you would like to ask a photography related question or have ideas for a topic for a future episode, please reach out to us at https://nerdyphotographer.com/contact
