# Is it legal to photocopy professional photos?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-photocopy-professional-photos/345561>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 22, 2006, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-photocopy-professional-photos/345561 "2006-02-22T01:14:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-photocopy-professional-photos/345561/21 "2006-02-23T19:35:01Z")

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> [@Max Torque](#):
>
> If it was taken before 1923, you’re in the clear. Under U.S. law, works published before 1923 are in the public domain. For 1923 and after, it gets a whole lot murkier.

How does one prove the date though? There isn’t one printed on the photo (it’s probably a reproduction of the original anyway).

**Bongmaster** my WAG is that my post was talking about a photo that was not under copyright any more, and didn’t give details on the “who” printed. But I’ll let the mods answer that question.

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**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-to-photocopy-professional-photos/345561/22 "2006-02-24T22:55:41Z")

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> [@butler1850](#):
>
> How does one prove the date though? There isn’t one printed on the photo (it’s probably a reproduction of the original anyway).
> 
> **Bongmaster** my WAG is that my post was talking about a photo that was not under copyright any more, and didn’t give details on the “who” printed. But I’ll let the mods answer that question.

I was just going by the “about 100 years old” that you mentioned in your post. As for proof…um…is one of them holding a “MCKINLEY VICTORIOUS” newspaper or anything?

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