**Originality is key**: Creating original work is the best way to avoid copyright infringement, as getting permission to use someone else's work can be challenging.
**Checking for watermarks**: Look for watermarks or copyright notices on an image to determine if it's copyrighted.
**Contact the creator**: Reaching out to the image creator is a direct way to determine if an image is copyrighted and obtain permission to edit or use it.
**Metadata reveals all**: Checking an image's metadata can provide information about the creator, copyright status, and editing history.
**Reverse image search**: Using a reverse image search tool, like Google Images, can help identify the original source of an image and determine its copyright status.
**Editing doesn't mean ownership**: Editing a copyrighted image doesn't transfer ownership or copyright to the editor; the original creator still retains rights to the work.
**Substantial part**: Copyright infringement only occurs when a "substantial part" of someone else's work is used without permission.
**Independent original work**: Two similar images can be independent original works, each with their own copyright.
**Default copyright**: Works on the internet are copyrighted by default, and "I found it on the Internet" is not a defense against copyright infringement.
**Verify the source**: Verifying the source of an image through metadata, reverse image search, or contacting the creator is crucial in determining copyright status.
**Image manipulation**: Manipulating an image doesn't necessarily mean it's no longer copyrighted; the original creator still retains rights to the work.
**Getting permission**: Obtaining permission to use or edit a copyrighted image is essential to avoid copyright infringement.
**Copyright status**: Determining the copyright status of an image involves searching the United States Copyright Office website, checking for watermarks or copyright notices, and contacting the image creator.
**Image checking tools**: Using tools like Google Reverse Image Search or copyright image checker tools can help determine the copyright status of an image.
**Creating original content**: Creating original content is the easiest way to avoid copyright infringement, especially when creating videos or images for online use.