I'm interested in photography and opening a flickr, picasa, or etc., but I'd rather not have people taking credit for my photos. Does it automatically make my photos copyrighted if I just put the © symbol and the date, or do I have to do the whole registration thing for $35? Would it be easier to just upload my pictures with my own logo type of thing directly on the photo? Please help!

All Answers To Questions

No. You could go to court and register them, but you really don't have to. As long as you can prove that the works are original and are yours alone, then you can claim copyright on them.

Most people specially (Bad-Souled) don't care about copyrights or whatever because they know that no one will harm them if they used these images illegaly, but at least you can watermark your photos or put a logo on it .

No need to copyright just upload it for free

Under USA and Berne Convention, your copyright is automatic (without filing anything and without using circle-C). However, if you want to sue a violator, you will have to register the copyright. Registration also gives you the right to claim "statutory damages" without having to prove any actual damages. Putting circle-C on your works will help people recognize your rights so they can contact you for license fees, and it also deprives violators from claiming "ignorance" of your copyright ownership. It is a federal offense to remove or tamper with a copyright notice. The watermark (or other copy protection) is also a good way to reduce infringement and to track and find infringement. It is a federal crime to tamper with or bypass copy protection.