The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) has added a new search service that allows members to list themselves as assistants. The "Find an Assistant" engine is a free, ASMP-members-only benefit and is currently still in a gamma-test phase.

The application has been designed so that chapters can borrow the search engine and place it on their regional websites. ASMP's national board may consider options to open the service to the public, but currently intends...

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have each introduced versions of an "orphan works" bill this April. Orphan works are created compositions that are copyrighted but for which it is difficult to locate the copyright owner or the owner is unknown.

The Copyright Office has attempted to make orphan works public domain for many artists and institutions. In 2006, a similar bill was introduced but was highly unpopular with many groups and was later withdrawn.

Both new proposals would require the creation of an extensive public database of current works before either bill could become law, a feature lacking in...

The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) received a $1.3 million royalty distribution from the Authors Coalition in December 2007, the largest such payout to date.

The Authors Coalition of America, founded in 1994, redistributes royalties on non-title-specific works that are photocopied abroad.

Unlike the United States, many European countries have created a tax on photocopying. International reprographic rights organizations funnel these funds through the Authors Coalition, which, in turn, distributes payments to its member organizations...

The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) was recently awarded with funding from the Library of Congress to promote digital photo standards based on the Universal Photographic Digital Imaging Guidelines (UPDIG).

The three-year project will include the development of new educational resources that use web-based awareness campaigns for the UPDIG guidelines. The award was given, however, with the stipulation that the ASMP cannot use the funds for any ongoing operations, including the UPDIG.

As part of the Library of Congress' Preserving Creative America initiative, eight partnerships projects...

On July 1, the Copyright Office increased the fee for basic copyright registration from $30 to $45.

According to the American Society of Media Photographers, registering is the cheapest and most effective action that photographers can take to protect their businesses, and hundreds of images can be registered...

Congress is considering a bill that would affect the disposition of orphan works, those images whose copyright owners may be impossible to identify and locate. Early this year, the Copyright Office completed its study of problems related to these works and presented its findings to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The study was in response to concerns that uncertainty surrounding ownership might discourage subsequent creators and users from incorporating such works in new creative efforts, or from making such works available..

The U.S. Copyright Office has issued new interim regulations regarding the registration of unpublished works being prepared for commercial distribution in media that the Register of Copyrights determines have had a history of pre-release infringement. The office also sought comments on whether use of Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser would create difficulties in the preregistration process.

The preregistration process was outlined in the Artists' Rights and Theft Prevention Act of 2005, and was intended to give artists protection against pre-release infringement of their work prior to authorized commercial distribution. Originally, the regulations required...

The American Society of Media Photographers has posted a new copyright tutorial on the public area of its web site at asmp.org/copyrightt. Although modern law gives independent photographers an automatic copyright at the moment a picture is taken, certain procedures must be followed to obtain the maximum legal protection for the photographer's rights. The tutorial details those procedures, providing step-by-step instructions and annotated sample forms.

In addition, the tutorial explores several copyright-related issues of importance to photographers, such as pictures of public buildings and the distinctions that courts use in deciding whether two images are substantially similar.

The American Society of Media Photographers, having reviewed a copy of what is allegedly a new freelancer contract from Condé Nast, calls it one of the worst the organization's staff has ever seen. Although the contract appears to leave the photographer with marketable rights, the reality is that it comes very close to assigning all rights to Condé Nast, according to ASMP, which is urging photographers to negotiate changes before signing the contract.

The contract does not deal with compensation, leaving the specifics of each assignment to be arranged on a case-by-case basis, ASMP reports. The society also warns that Condé Nast will have the exclusive rights to first publication...

Seattle-based OnRequest Images has launched a new service to provide customers with broader choices about their involvement in the image production process. Custom Assignment Services allows customers to select photographers and direct photo shoots, just as they would with regular assignment photography.

Trade associations, such as the Professional Photographers of America, American Society of Media Photographers and Stock Artists Alliance, are cautious about the new service. Representatives of the groups have expressed concern about spec assignments, fees, royalties and copyright issues.