Photographer and Licensing Verification — Photographer and Licensing Verification

Every photograph is protected by the creative choices of its photographer, such as the camera placement, lighting, and angle. The person who takes the photo is generally the author and initial copyright owner, unless it is created as a work made for hire.

S. Copyright Office will not register photographs that lack a sufficient amount of creative expression. Verifying these creative and legal origins helps confirm the authenticity of the visual content used in online stories.