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WHAT IS COPYRIGHT AND
HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOU?

British Institute of Professional Photography
FOX TALBOT HOUSE
Amwell End,
Ware, Hertfordshire.
Chief Executive
A. M. Berkeley, LLB (Hons)

BREACHES OF COPYRIGHT

Whilst I appreciate that it is probably unreasonable to expect everyone in business to know everything about all of the numerous laws which apply in business, it is not unreasonable to expect people to be aware of the various laws which apply in their own particular fields of activity. Furthermore, you are probably familiar with the adage that ignorance of the law is no defence.
I am taking the liberty, therefore, of writing this open letter to alert you to the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, which provides (amongst other things) that a photograph is an artistic work protected by copyright, and that the owner of the copyright is the photographer, not his client.
Anyone, whether an individual or a business, who reproduces a photograph in breach of that copyright is liable to be sued for damages. Further, many breaches of copyright are criminal offences too, punishable, by imprisonment, or a fine, or both.

Please respect the photographer's right to earn a living from his art, and please, for your own benefit as much as the photographer's, refuse to reproduce any photography whatsoever without the clear authority of the photographer. Members of this Institute will be advised. to take whatever legal steps
may be necessary to protect their lawful rights.