Unquestioned acceptance of ANY information submitted by strangers from the internet is no way to do business or make rational decisions. Always follow up with your own research.

It will cost $30 US at the U.S. Copyright Office to OFFICIALLY register a copyright. However, you can register as many images as can fit in the envelope for THAT price, whether it be one or 1,000 images. Each image will require either a photocopy, slide, or transparency etc.. As I mentioned in my above post, GO TO THE WEBSITE. Likewise, you can get a copy of 2004 Artists And Graphic Designers Handbook at your local Borders Books & Music. Therein you will find copyright details as explained above.

My reference above was in regard to "recompense" for stolen work, i.e., receiving MONEY for ones work. And copyright theft is not limited to a reposting on another website. Rather I refer to having it used in commercial venues wherein the thief receives a profit from your work (magazines, books, television) without your knowledge. On www.whatiscopyright.org, third paragraph clearly states, "He then registers his copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office which is a requirement in order to sue for monetary damages should a violation of his copyright arise." Simple and simply said.

And the FACT is, you do have to provide proof. I don't know what country you are from, but in the U.S. we support the notion that you are innocent until proven guilty (with some albeit arguable exceptions). THIS is the very reason why you would officially register a copyright. Proof. If you have no interest in monetary compensation, and consider the registration of copyright an unnecessary expense, disregard it.

Hypothetical example......I complain to Webmaster@Joe3D.com stating that X-Poster has posted MY work under her name. Yet I am lying and have no means of backing up my complaint. And X-Poster has NO means of proving it is her original work, since she ignorantly deleted everything from her harddrive after posting her image, Its a skewed unrealistic scenario, but were it to happen, who should be believed? A crime with absolutely no evidence at all is not a crime.