Tracing the Publication History — Tracing the Publication History

S. copyright guidelines, a photograph is considered published when copies are distributed to the public for the first time, or offered to a group for further distribution or public display.

Note that the public display of a photograph, on its own, does not constitute publication. Tracing this first instance of distribution helps establish the original context of the image. What procedures does your team follow to verify the initial publication date of visual media?