How To Add Copyright Information In-Camera

Do you have your camera set to automatically add copyright information to your images? If not, why not? Digital theft is at an all time high and adding copyright data to your images can add another layer of protection in the event of a dispute.

However, it’s important to know the correct way to add the information to give yourself maximum protection – and most people do it wrong. In this video, I’m not just going to show you how to add copyright information to your images, but what you should and should not do. Plus, we’ll talk about the Artist / Photographer / Author field that you find next to most copyright boxes – and the big mistake people make with it.

Check it out!

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Keyboard Note – The keyboard is a little confusing if you need to make edits to your copyright or artist entry. To move the “cursor” around in the entry field (not in the keyboard area), press and hold the “Zoom out” button as you use the multi-selector. To delete characters, you use the actual delete button (next to the viewfinder – the same one used to delete photos). 

Deleting Metadata – I’ve also had people ask if someone could just delete metadata – and yes they can.

Keep in mind that US law dictates that the moment you press the shutter you automatically own the copyright to the image. You don’t even need to put a notice. The notice is there to tell people who holds the copyright and to prevent them from pleading ignorance if something would come up. It’s like putting a private property sign up – it simply warns someone that they are on private property and shouldn’t be there. They can take it down, but they are still trespassing. 

PS – If you enjoyed this post, I think you’ll REALLY like my e-books and video workshops! Thousands of pages and hours of videos filled with tips, tricks, and techniques – all my best content! Check ’em out – click here (hey, it’s free to look).

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William Davis
William Davis
1 year ago

Excellent information!

Alex Khashaki
Alex Khashaki
1 year ago

Hi Steve. Should I Save/load ……

Mark & Emily Fagan
1 year ago

Fantastic info Steve, Grabbed my D850 and followed along with you, very easy. You’re a great educator.

Peter
Peter
3 years ago

Thank you so much for adding the info about how to use the delete key on the camera to delete info from the copyright field. That was very helpful!

Eddie Wyke.
Eddie Wyke.
3 years ago

Hey Steve. I have a D5000. It doesn’t seem to have a place in the menu settings for copyright info. Do you have any information about it that may not be my manual?

Sumangala Rajapakse
Sumangala Rajapakse
3 years ago

My Dear Steve Perry, First of all, Let me Sincerely Wish you a Very Happy New Year. When I bought my Brand New Nikon D 7100 DSLR + NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6 E ED VR Super Telephoto Zoom Lens for my Nature and Wildlife Photography works, I Read well the Nikon D 7100 Manual and followed the Copyright Steps mentioned therein and at the very beginning itself entered all the MetaData for my Image Data Protection. Your Video herein is a great resource to me and I Love your esteemed Back Country Gallery and Youtube site a Lot, I already purchased… Read more »

Paul Blais
3 years ago

You don’t need to put the information on your image if you submit them to the US Copyright office because you had it when you pressed the shutter. If you don’t submit – you have no remedy even though you had the copyright. Getting remedy is what we care about!

Paul Blais
3 years ago

Bottom line: The copyright on your camera was your before you pressed the shutter but the remedy for someone stealing it is worthless.

Paul Blais
3 years ago

There is one additional detail. Should someone steal your image and use an image to the extent you can find out. Say – think they stole Bird Image and put it on a package of retail Bird Seed sold for retail. The idea will be for you to seek Remedy! That means you need to file in US District Court with an Attorney (they need to be qualified) . Unless you have Prior to this submitted your images to the US Copyright Office, the Attorney you want to hire will laugh at you. You are screwed. There is a process… Read more »

Rich Cower
Rich Cower
3 years ago

Thanks Steve.

Carey Van Loon
Carey Van Loon
3 years ago

Thanks for the annual reminder!

PJ Heller
3 years ago

Happy new year, Steve. I have the copyright info in my cameras, but followed your suggestion to include the word “copyright” and “all rights reserved.” I use my name/company name … the only problem is the field isn’t long enough to include the year (or I can add the year and delete all rights reserved). Too bad Nikon doesn’t let you use the copyright symbol.

Jim Wilson
Jim Wilson
3 years ago

I entered copyright info on my Z60 and Z6, but it is not showing up in the metadata on Photoshop or Lightroom. Copyright is “On” in the setup menu. Any suggestions? thx

Jim Wilson
Jim Wilson
3 years ago
Reply to  Steve Perry

Thanks. Upon further investigation I confirmed that the camera was generating the copyright, so the problem is with Lightroom CC. It seems not to include or recognize the copyright data produced by the camera.

Gary Haigh
Gary Haigh
3 years ago

Happy New Year Steve, yes, valid point regarding copyright of your images, I have always had this option turned on in the settings as I was once accused of stealing a photo which I actually owned and the copyright tag proved this beyond doubt thus saving me a court case.

Andy Lamberson
Andy Lamberson
3 years ago

From https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ03.pdf
Copyright notice is a statement placed on copies or phonorecords of a work to inform the public that a copyright owner
is claiming ownership of it.2
A notice consists of three elements that generally appear as a single continuous statement:
• The copyright symbol © (or for phonorecords, the
symbol ℗ ); the word “copyright”; or the abbreviation
“copy.”;
• The year of first publication of the work; and
• The name of the copyright owner.
Example: © 2017 John Doe

Bill McDonnell
Bill McDonnell
3 years ago

This is fabulous. The details are important. Concise, easily understood and timely, as usual, Steve

Ted Rydstrom
Ted Rydstrom
3 years ago

Thanks for the reminder Steve.

Lew
Lew
3 years ago

Works great. Lasts long time.

Vince
Vince
4 years ago

Good clear info – Great video – as always! Thanks Steve

Bob Hergenhan
Bob Hergenhan
4 years ago

Good clear information. Thanks

Bob HergenhanHergenhan
Bob HergenhanHergenhan
4 years ago

Good clear information. Thanks

Saman T-Baduge
Saman T-Baduge
4 years ago

Steve,
This info is very clear and I value it very much. Good job.

Pierre
4 years ago

Good and simple. I learned that it is better to add “all rights reserved”

Pierre Vellay
Pierre Vellay
4 years ago

very good and simple advice

Jan M
Jan M
4 years ago

Thank you for taking the time to prepare and share the Copyright information

Glenda Rowland
Glenda Rowland
4 years ago

Thanks for the informative video, Steve. I have all your ebooks. My Nikon D500 won’t allow me to type in the full copyright info you prescribed. It won’t allow that many characters in the typing field. How do I overcome this. Have a happy and safe 2020. Look forward to more of your invaluable photography advice.

Guy Harrington
Guy Harrington
3 years ago
Reply to  Glenda Rowland

Try again, I think you missed something,I have the D500 and had no problem entering in all the data

John League
John League
4 years ago

Thanks for the reminder and the info about adding info to the copyright box.

Dale Elliott
Dale Elliott
4 years ago

some great information Steve, I did it when i read my books but for got to go back and change date. and add the extra information thanksDale

Tom Garrison
Tom Garrison
4 years ago

Great Video Steve and now we all need to remember each year to update the year in our cameras

Murli
Murli
4 years ago

Great tip, Steve. Thank you. So we don’t have to actually register our copyright? Right? LOL. What we are essentially stating is that “This image belongs to xxx, and hence be warned that using it without xxx’s express permission can render you liable under the Copyrights Act” Why the year? I have seen your comments and that of others too, but still confused. The year (probably) must be added IF we register it, so that every one knows the validity, or when the copyright would expire. But adding a year in the “Warning” notice, without registration? Well, as has been… Read more »

Lew
Lew
3 years ago
Reply to  Steve Perry

That is my understanding as well.

Jeff King
Jeff King
4 years ago

Happy New Year, Steve! Thanks for the timely and informative video! Prompted by reading all your books and your excellent YouTube field test camera review, this “outdoor photo hobby Enthusiast” just upgraded to a Nikon D7500 (within budget allowance). I can’t wait to put it through its paces, as you did!

Thanks for increasing my confidence by expanding my photography skill set, fun and enjoyment!

steve Jones
steve Jones
4 years ago

Only thing you forgot steve was that if you camera is stolen and the serial number removed you may get lucky and be able to show the police your name in the copyright file to prove its yours .

Matthew Davidson
Matthew Davidson
4 years ago

Do you know of any easy way to quickly change the names in the “artist” and “copyright” fields? My wife and I share cameras and it would be very convenient to be able to change the names when we change cameras. Would make processing and organizing much easier.

Gary
Gary
4 years ago

Thought I had this covered, nearly but not every angle
Always learn from Steve, the , and the copyright reserved I missed, and comma
Thanks again Steve !
Regards,
Gary

Praveen Jassal
Praveen Jassal
4 years ago

Hello Steve, can the photograph’s metadata be deleted? Assuming yes, is there anyway to prevent the copyright data from being deleted?

Thank you for your insightful information.

Dale Maas
4 years ago

Thanks Steve, I needed that little push 😉

brendon White
brendon White
4 years ago

Hi steve, i bought my D7200 second hand but im not sure how to erase the former owners name in the copyright section. The keyboard doesnt show a backspace button, or one i recognize?

Douglas Roe
Douglas Roe
4 years ago

Steve have a great New Year! I just love these little tips (mine was setup right). These cameras keep getting more complicated. I had a Sony and the menu system made the camera not usable, You would think that cameras would be getting more usable, instead it has gotten worse. This is why camera companies are losing there sales, and camera companies “Nikon” do not listen to there users at all

Craig Niedzielski
Craig Niedzielski
4 years ago

Thanks, Steve, and Happy New Year. I just finished your Exposure & Metering book–the things I thought I knew, but I do now! I’ve read all your books, and they have really helped me up my game. Your photos, by the way, are sick. Cheers!

Darrell Williams
Darrell Williams
4 years ago

Thanks Steve, very much appreciated.

Shaunie P
Shaunie P
4 years ago

Thanks again Steve, awesome.

Baz
Baz
4 years ago

Thank you Steve for the video and the great tip , I I have a question, what Is the different between image comment and copy right information in the camera menu. Thank you and happy new year.

dennis larrisey
dennis larrisey
4 years ago

how to check if my photo is coyrighted if I don’t have photoshop?

dennis larrisey
dennis larrisey
4 years ago

how do I check if my photo is copyrighted if I don’t have photoshop?

Sumangala Rajapakse
Sumangala Rajapakse
4 years ago

My Dear Steve Perry – Let Me Sincerely WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020 – Good Health and Happiness Be there for Ever to do more extra-ordinary works for the betterment of Nature and Wildlife Photography. By the way watched the very interesting video and got a very clear understanding about the latter part that most doesn’t do..including copyright section details. Even Myself just typed the ARTIST section details in the past. But now I am well aware of the process and Thank you very much for the very nice work. I am always following your esteemed Back… Read more »

Andy Work
Andy Work
4 years ago

I didn’t know about the “all rights reserved” part. Great info, thanks for sharing!

Garrett Winslow
4 years ago

Interesting… You don’t register with the US Copyright Office! I would think the theft of your images would be an issue. That’s money left on the table?

Garrett Winslow
4 years ago
Reply to  Steve Perry

Not necessarily the case Steve. A lawyer was not necessary to register your images, and it used to be only 35.00 per registration. Registration copies of images only needed to be about 640 on the long side, and it was possible to upload thousands at one time. Pricing has gone up a bit, and the upload max has decreased a bit, but a lawyer is not necessary. Where the Lawyer becomes necessary is going after the theft, and if your images aren’t registered a Lawyer will not typically take the case. Registered images? Yup! They’ll take that case because real… Read more »

Mike Goldstein
4 years ago

To delete old info or misspellings, highlight the offending character and hit the trashcan button. This may be obvious to everyone but sure wasn’t to me. 🙂

Randy Kahn
Randy Kahn
4 years ago

Thanks for the video information. I noticed that just underneath the “Copyright information” on the setup menu on the Nikon D500, there is “IPTC.” I know this is related somehow to metadata, but just what is it and is it important? If so, how do I use it or set it up? Thanks!

Nick
Nick
4 years ago

Thanks for this Steve. Does this data transfer from our .NEF files into Jpegs when we export from lightroom? Do we have to do something special when exporting?

Thank you and Happy New Year!