...should I expect the viewers to be taking my works and using them for wallpaper or screensavers? This was a question that I posed to myself before uploading my work into an online gallery. I would also like to ask a question about online theft, I do know that it happens, but my question is, when it does, how do you find them? I am under the impression that once I create an image it is mine. I also know that my pictures must be registered and marked in order to be able to prosecute those that might try to take my images and claim them as their own. Is anyone here versed on this subject?

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?ForumID=12395

I'll answer this as best I can, but a good place to ask this question would be the [copyright forum](http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?ForumID=12395)! :~) As far as people stealing your images, well unfortunately there is no guarentee that they won't. I've noticed that you watermark your images, but obviously that isn't enough. People can easily clones those off of the image. Secondly, a suggestion would be to make the images smaller, and of lesser quality. The bigger they are, the nicer a screen saver it makes, and the easier it is to get a quality print from. How do you find them....? Not very easily...! My answer would be you probably can't. Usually image theft is found by someone other than the artist. Someone will recognize an image on another site as belonging to someone else and will then notify the real artist. And you are correct in your assumption that an image is yours from the moment you snap the shutter. While officially registering each and every image could be prohibitively costly you can still claim and prove copyright by keeping your original full size, high quality images intact, and on file. I have in the past posted links to sites that dealt with copyright issues and laws, if I can refind them I will repost them for you.... but in the meantime do stop by the copyright forum. :~)

I do know that registering them one at a time can be costly, but there is a rather inexpensive alternative to that, you can register your photos in large quantities for about $30. I know you are also a photographer Michelle, and if you are interested in the information that I have, feel free to email me. You can find my addy on my home page, or you can click on my name and contact me that way also. :)

Attached Link: http://www.stockindustry.org/resources/commandments.html

Here was one link previously posted before....short but to the point.

Wow. Really nice work. Palmer