It seems as the years progress, there’s more of a concern for protection of intellectual property. In our world, that’s mostly our photographs. I’ll be one of the first to say that setting copyright info on your photos is not going to stop people from trying, and succeeding, in using your work without authorization if they really want to. But just as putting a lock on your home won’t stop a burglar from getting in if they want, it’s always helpful to have up a few barriers. It can also be helpful should you find someone using your work and decide to pursue some form of legal action.
[REWIND: Make Your Own Sign Or Signature Into a Watermark in 10 Min]
A lot of photographers I know tend to update their copyright at the start of a new year, though some put a more encompassing copyright with only their name. Lightroom, ever useful, makes it entirely easy to create and apply copyright info to your photos. You can do it by creating a preset which you can apply per photo or through import. Here’s the how to:
Lightroom Copyright Application
1. Enter LR and ensure you’re in the Library module. At the top menu bar, select the following: Metadata>Edit Metadata Presets
2. There will then appear a scrolling list menu. Scroll down to “IPTC Copyright,” drop the menu down, and complete the fields as per your requirement.
3. When you are through, LR will ask you if you’d like to save as a preset. Click save, and name is as you’d like. Copyright and the year usually makes it simple.
Once you have completed the above steps, you can go into an image, and using the Metadata menu on the right of your module, select it. (First two images in the triptych).
You can also select it when you are importing as seen on the last.
Thoughts
Setting the metadata in camera is also quite simple, and the most requests I’ve seen have been on how to set it in Canon 5Ds. Currently, the Mark III can do it in camera, but for models lower and earlier you may need the Canon utility which you can find here.
The SLR Lounge Preset System
If you’re a habitual Lightroom user, or would like to become more proficient in your editing and workflow you likely are, The SLR Lounge Preset System is created by professional photographers enable you to achieve virtually any look and effect less than 5 clicks. You can drastically change, correct, and improve your photos in record time, and to high effect. From color correcting, application of color and black and white effects, specialty lens effects, HDR, and professional retouching, and more, it’s the benchmark Lightroom system. The links above and below will take you to them. The SLR Lounge Preset System is available for both Lightroom 5, Lightroom 4, and Adobe Camera Raw. (Bridge CS6 and CC only, click for more info.)
