Copyright

All photographs taken by Paul Blum and displayed on www.blumfotos.com or elsewhere are the exclusive property of Paul Blum and are protected under international copyright laws. These photographs are not to be downloaded, reproduced, copied, stored, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way, alone or with any other material, or by use of computer or other electronic means without the express written permission of Paul Blum.

  1. Ownership: As the photographer, I hold the copyright to all images I've taken. This grants me the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, and display my photographs worldwide.
  2. Transfer of Rights: When I sell a photograph, I'm typically selling a physical print of the image, not the copyright or any other exclusive rights. The buyer has the right to display the print, but not to reproduce or distribute it without my express permission.
  3. Licensing: I often license my images rather than sell the copyright. This allows others to use the image under specific terms, while I retain the copyright. These licenses can be exclusive or non-exclusive and can be limited by factors such as time, geography, and type of use.
  4. Work for Hire: In certain situations, such as when I'm commissioned for specific types of work, the photographs I take may be considered "work for hire," and the copyright might belong to the employer or the person who commissioned the work, not to me.
  5. Fair Use: Many jurisdictions have a concept similar to New Zealand's "fair dealing," which allows for the use of copyrighted material for specific purposes such as criticism, review, news reporting, and research or private study.
  6. Public Domain: If the copyright of a photograph has expired or if I've chosen to relinquish my rights, the photograph is in the public domain and can be used freely by anyone, anywhere in the world.
  7. Model Releases: If a photograph includes recognisable people, I may need to obtain a model release to sell the photograph for certain uses, especially commercial ones. This is separate from copyright but is an important legal consideration.
  8. Infringement: Unauthorised use, sale, or distribution of my copyrighted photographs is considered copyright infringement and can result in legal penalties, regardless of where the infringement occurs.
  9. Registration: While New Zealand does not require registration for copyright protection, some countries do, and it can provide additional legal protections and make it easier to enforce the copyright internationally.
  10. Moral Rights: Many countries, like New Zealand, recognize the moral rights of photographers. This can include the right to be identified as the author of the work and the right to object to derogatory treatment of the work.

Please remember that copyright laws can vary significantly from country to country. If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to contact me.