Businesses often have a need to make use of photographs as
decorative art, for illustration, in connection with programs,
events, or seminars, or for other purposes. For photographs not
created by the respective business, the question arises whether
photos from other sources can be used without first obtaining a
license. The general answer is no. United States copyright law
provides certain rights to the owner of the work of authorship that
include the exclusive rights to reproduce, publicly distribute, and
publicly display directly or through others. Before using a
copyrightable work, it's therefore important to evaluate its
respective copyright rights. This should happen regardless of where
the work was found or how the work will be used.
