a picture of the lighthouse is the “idea” and is not protectable; the particular painting of the lighthouse is an “expression” of the idea, and is protectable. A copyright automatically attaches to a work at the time it is written down or otherwise fixed or recorded. There is no need to sell a copy of the work (as in the case of trademarks). Nor is it necessary that the work be registered with the federal government (as in the case of patents). In order to best preserve the copyright in a work, all publicly distributed copies of the work should have a copyright notice affixed to them. The notice should include the familiar © symbol (or the word “copyright” or “corp”), the year of first publication, and the name of the owner of the copyright. Thus, a sufficient copyright notice might be: © 2009 Norman Smith. The copyright notice is no longer a legal requirement, but it is still recommended. Within three months after publication, two copies of the best edition of a work should be deposited in the Copyright Office. In addition, the copyright in a work can be registered with the Federal Government at any point during the life of the copyright. One copy (if the work is unpublished) or two copies (if the work is published) of the work, along with a completed registration form and a $35 - $65 fee are submitted to the Copyright Office. Typically, the Copyright Office will process the registration within a few months after receiving the application. The copy or copies which are submitted with the registration application fulfill the deposit requirement mentioned above. Since registration with the copyright office is not required, failure to register will not invalidate a copyright. However, registration is highly recommended for a variety of reasons, including a presumption of
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