Every August 19, the world marks World Photography Day. The date goes back to 1839, when the French government acquired and publicly released the rights to the daguerreotype, one of the first real photo processes, so the whole world could use it freely. Not a bad birthday for the art form. So this feels like a good time to clear up something a lot of people around here get wrong: who actually owns a photo, and what your rights are, whether you're holding the camera or standing in front of it. Quick note first. This is a plain-language rundown, not legal advice. Everything here follows the Philippine IP Code and guidance from IPOPHL, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. That's the government agency that handles copyrights, trademarks, and patents in the country, and they're the ones who register and help protect creative work like photos. If you ever have a real dispute, talk to a lawyer or IPOPHL directly. You own it the...
News, events and photography from the City of Bogo and Northern Cebu.