Photo copyright question

[goalmouth]

I saw an original slide for sale on eBay with a description that stated, "copyright retained by original photographer". For those of you with insight, is this even a thing? Absent a specific agreement, how can an original work be sold and the creator retain republishing rights to it?

 

[The Big Ragu]

Started to answer, but didn't see you were talking about a slide.

Legally, owning the original slide doesn't confer you the copyright. The copyright isn't linked to possession of the original.

You need an agreement transferring the copyright, otherwise, the photographer retains it.

 

[ondeadline]

"a thing"

 

[goalmouth]

Started to answer, but didn't see you were talking about a slide.

Legally, owning the original slide doesn't confer you the copyright. The copyright isn't linked to possession of the original.

You need an agreement transferring the copyright, otherwise, the photographer retains it.

True. So I can only enjoy it for myself and not post online, republish for money, etc.?

I'll add that recently a friend was given 60-year old engineering drawings from a defunct customer of the company that produced them. But when he asked about publishing them, the descendant of the original producer refused permission.

Chapter 2 - Circular 92 | U.S. Copyright Office