But copyright infringement, though tempting, is still illegal, and anyone who creates or uses images should be aware of the facts. When an artist or photographer creates an image, he or she owns the copyright thereto. Copyright protection exists whether the work is registered with the Copyright Office or not, although if a work is not registered, the copyright may be difficult or impossible to enforce. If you create an original artistic work, no one may reproduce it without your permission. There are only a few exceptions.
Fair use covers such situations as a parody of a work, or an excerpt from a work used in a review.
There are certain legal guidelines for what does or does not constitute fair use, but there are some gray areas that are the preserve of lawyers. The preceding quote is an example of fair use of Ms. Carter's copyrighted text, because I have used it in a critical review of her work. Copyright protection does not last forever. If you want to know exactly how many years, buy the book, because the laws have changed over time. There are a few other specific instances in which copying is okay, but it is a dodgy business.