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Copyrights & Trademarks [ View as pdf ] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader A Few Things You Should Know About Copyrights, Trademarks & Restricted Materials Before making a copy, we want you to be aware of the legal issues involved when copying copyrighted, trademarked, and restricted materials. The lists of copyrighted works and legal restrictions provided here are not exhaustive and are provided as examples only. What is a Copyright? A copyright is a form of protection provided to the creators of original works by the laws of the creator’s resident country and through International Treaties. Copyright owners have the exclusive rights to reproduce their copyrighted work. They may, however, grant permission to others who wish to reproduce the copyrighted work. Photographers, artists, authors, architects, publishers, singers, writers, and composers can all be copyright owners. Reproducing Copyrighted Material with R. D. Wing Co., Inc. As with trademarks, R. D. Wing Co., Inc. requires that customers receive written permission from the copyright owners prior to reproducing any copyrighted material. At our sole discretion, after proper verification by us, the copyrighted material will be reproduced.

Copyrighted Works Protected by Copyright Laws

The following is a partial list of copyrighted materials:
Graphics	Newsletters
Sculptures	Computer Programs
Photographs	Plays
Cartoons	Screenplays
Maps	Choreographic Works
Blueprints	Videotapes
Music & Lyrics	DVDs
Newspapers	Compact Discs
Magazines	Cassettes
Trade Journals	Phonograph Records
Books	Architectural Renderings

Copyright Owners
If you are the copyright owner, ownership and identification must be verified by R. D. Wing Co., Inc. before we will reproduce any copyrighted material. Please note that mere ownership of a book, manuscript, painting, photograph, computer software program, or a copy of such items does not give the possessor of these items copyright ownership or the right to copy or modify them.

What is a Trademark?
The definition is simple enough: Names, words, logos, and designs used to identify services or products are considered trademarks or service marks. The owner of a trademark or service mark has the exclusive right to use or reproduce it. For example, the name “Backlight Images™” is our trademark and no one else can use it without our permission.

Reproducing Trademarks with R. D. Wing Co., Inc.
R. D. Wing Co., Inc. requires that the laws regarding trademarks and service marks be upheld. Customers must receive written permission from the owner of the trademark or service mark prior to us reproducing it. At our sole discretion and after proper verification, the trademarked or service marked material will be reproduced.

What is Restricted Material?
Materials that are of monetary value, negotiable instruments, or that can be used for identification purposes are considered restricted materials. It is R. D. Wing Co., Inc.’s policy to uphold the law against counterfeiting materials that are negotiable instruments or used for identification purposes. Under no circumstance will we reproduce restricted material.

Reproducing Professional Photographs
According to the current Federal Copyright Laws, it is illegal for anyone to reproduce or assist in reproducing, in any manner of media, a professional photograph without the express written permission of the photographer or studio that took the photograph.

The law has clearly equipped photographers and studios with a form of protection, called copyright ownership. Under this protection, they have the exclusive right on how and who can reproduce or use their copyrighted photographs. Please note that mere ownership of a copy or print of a professional photograph does not give you the right to copy or modify it. You have simply purchased the photograph, not ownership of the copyright. Because of the law, R. D. Wing Co., Inc. is required to enforce copyright ownership rights and will require that all customers receive and provide R. D. Wing Co., Inc. with written permission from photographers or studios before reproducing any professional photographs.

Examples of what might be professional photographs include:
	Those depicting a standard copyright notice (such as, © 2007 Backlight Images, Inc. )
	Those displaying a “Do Not Copy” notice
	Photographs with a studio backdrop, background such as mock scenery or an individual posed
	Headshots or photographs from a model’s portfolio or an actor’s bio sheet
	School events (such as, yearbook, prom, graduation, club/group or similar)
	Wedding pictures by a professional photographer
	Celebrity photographs (unless it is obvious that the photograph is an amateur photograph)
	Sport team or athlete photographs by a professional photographer
	Historic or famous monuments or events (such as, the Lone Cypress at Pebble Beach, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Kennedy assassination, the World Trade Center tragedy)
	Photographs that appear professional due to style or media (such as, glossy prints, canvas, etc.)

Therefore, R. D. Wing Co., Inc. will not reproduce a photograph that contains any of the above characteristics, unless you can provide written permission from the photographer or studio that took the photograph. This includes manipulating or reproducing the photograph in or on any media or by any means.

For more information regarding copyrights, please see the following websites:

United States Copyright Office
(202) 707-3000 or visit http://www.copyright.gov/

Copyright Clearance Center (CCC):
(978) 750-8400 or visit http://www.copyright.com/ccc/home.do

Professional Photographers of America (PPA):
(800) 786-6277 or visit http://www.ppa.com/splash.cfm

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