photographs within three months after publication may provide a range of publication dates without providing a specific date of publication for each image, however, this information may need to be established in any infringement action.
1116.6 Completing the Application: Group Registration of Published Photographs
This Section provides guidance for registering a group of published photographs using Form VA and Form GR/PPh/CON.
As discussed in Section 1116.2, the U.S. Copyright Office has established a pilot program for applicants who wish to register groups of published photographs through the electronic registration system. Applicants must contact the Visual Arts Division for authorization to use the online application and for guidance in completing the application and submitting the deposit copies.
1116.6(A) Form VA
1116.6(A)(1) Space 1 : Title of this Work
In the space marked Title of This Work the applicant should provide a descriptive title for the group as a whole. If the applicant fails to complete this portion of the application or fails to provide a descriptive title, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant.
The applicant may provide a title that identifies the photographer and the year that the photographs were published, such as "John Smith's published photos 2001." In the alternative, the applicant may provide a title that identifies the photographer and describes the general subject matter of the photographs, such as "Jane Smith's wedding photos."
The applicant should not provide "Untitled," "No Title," or the like. Interested parties typically search for works by title, and it may be extremely difficult to find a group of photographs that has been registered under a non-descriptive title.
In the space marked Previous or Alternative Titles the applicant should state "Group Registration / Published Photos" and provide the number of photographs in the group.
1116.6(A)(2) Space 2(a): Name of Author / Nature of Authorship
As discussed in Section 1116.1, all the photographs in the group must be created by the same photographer.
The applicant should provide the photographer's full name and his or her nationality and/or domicile in space 2 [a]. For a definition and discussion of nationality and domicile, see Chapter 600, Section 617.
If the photographer is "doing business as" an unincorporated organization, the photographer and the organization are considered the same legal entity. In this situation, the photographer should be named as the author and the work made for hire
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