Copyright laws are designed to protect the intellectual property rights of creators. They grant creators exclusive rights to use, reproduce, distribute, perform, display or license their work and prohibit others from doing so without permission. Copyright automatically occurs when an original work is created, fixed on a physical medium of expression.

Within the context of wildatlanticprints.com, owned by West Coast Photography, copyright play a role in several ways:

1. Ownership of Website Content:

The photographs and images featured on the website are the intellectual property of West Coast Photography. This means that all rights are reserved, and these images cannot be used or reproduced without permission from the copyright owner.

2. Product Copyright:

When customers purchase a print, they are buying a physical copy of the photograph. However, the underlying copyright remains with the original creator. This means the customers cannot reproduce, copy, distribute or create derivative works, for commercial purposes, from the print without permission.

3. Licensing:

West Coast Photography may license images to others, allowing use under certain conditions. This should be described in detail in the license agreement, indicating the scope of use, duration and any financial mechanisms.