ASMP remains committed to journalistic freedom and is very concerned with the violence against media and journalists that occurred during the January 6 Capitol insurrection. Below, please see a message from the U.S. District Attorney’s office for the District of Columbia. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, along with its law enforcement partners, is aware of reports of violence, including assaults, threats, and property damage, against members of the press while…

On Sunday, December 27, 2020, the President signed into law a bill that includes the Copyright Alternative in Small Claims Enforcement Act (the “CASE Act”). This enactment marks the culmination of a decade-long effort by ASMP and others in the creative community to create a venue where photographers and other creators can protect their rights. Read on to learn about the CASE Act, and know that ASMP will be leading the way in helping this…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 28, 2020 Contact:Thomas Maddrey, ASMP General Counselmaddrey@asmp.org The CASE Act Is Now Law; ASMP Thanks Supporters New Forum for Small Copyright Disputes Helps All Photographers and Creators The multi-year quest by the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) and its allies in the creative community to create a small claims tribunal has reached a successful conclusion. Yesterday, the President signed into law the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2020…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 21, 2020 Contact:Thomas Maddrey, ASMP General Counselmaddrey@asmp.org ASMP Celebrates the Congressional Passage of the CASE Act New Forum for Small Copyright Disputes Helps All Photographers and Creators Washington, D.C., December 21, 2020 – The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) is delighted that the CASE Act has passed both the House and Senate chambers and is on its way to the President’s desk for signature into law. The Copyright Alternative in…
Today, the Librarian of Congress, Director Carla Hayden, named Shira Perlmutter the next Register of Copyrights and Director of the Copyright Office. ASMP congratulates Register Perlmutter on her new position and applauds Dr. Hayden for choosing such a widely respected and renowned expert in both domestic and international copyright law. Register Perlmutter becomes the 14th Register of Copyrights and will assume her new post in late October. She brings to the position a wealth of experience in copyright…

The American Society of Media Photographers strongly condemns the July 23rd ruling by a King County, Washington Superior Court that attempts to force the Seattle Times and four other news outlets to turn over to law enforcement unpublished photographs and video of the racial justice protests on May 30th. The state court found that these organizations were not protected by “shield” laws that were designed to prevent such compelled delivery of reporters’ unpublished materials. This is flatly unacceptable. As…
(Author’s Note: For a summary version of this matter, and action steps you can take right now, please read this post, recently updated.) On April 13, 2020, an opinion and order in a copyright infringement case was published by a court in the Southern District of New York that has rocked the photography industry and reignited the debate of social platforms such as Instagram as an outlet for photographers to showcase their work. Let’s take…

There are lots of new things happening and we would love our members’ help in spreading the word to those in your photography community who haven’t caught on to the benefits of ASMP! Refer any photographers, professional assistants, digital techs, retouchers, CGI artists or any other imaging-associated professionals who haven’t yet joined ASMP, and get a $20 Visa gift card for EACH member who decides to join! It’s a nice way to subsidize your own…

ASMP has introduced a new podcast and live broadcast event called ASMP Experts and Masters where we will bring candid conversations about the craft, business and the culture of photography between legendary photographers, creatives, thought leaders under the guidance of our rotating hosts. The program uses a casual discussion format that includes looking at a series of the guest’s images and hearing about the stories behind them. Host Tom Kennedy is ASMP Executive Director and…