The Short Title of this Act is “The Photographic Copyright Act, 1896.”

The protection of the copyright law shall, in respect of photographs other than portraits of persons or of groups of persons, or photographs of any subject for the taking of which valuable consideration has been given, apply in all respects as if such photographs had been duly registered and protected under such law in favour of the person or firm taking and producing such photographs, for a period of five years from the date of the first taking the same, if the word “Protected,” followed by the name of the person or firm taking such photographs, and the true date of such taking, are made part of the original plate, and clearly appear in each reproduction thereof.

Any person publishing any copy of such photograph without the authority of the person or firm protected under this Act shall be liable on conviction to a penalty in respect of each copy so published without authority not exceeding twenty shillings; and all copies so published without authority may be ordered to be destroyed. Proceedings under this section may be by way of summary procedure before any two Justices of the Peace.

Any person who shall inscribe on the original plate, or publish on any reproduction thereof, the particulars intended to confer protection under the second section of this Act in respect of any portrait or photograph excepted from the protection conferred by that section, and also any person who shall in any way reproduce or publish the portrait of an individual or individuals, or a photograph for the taking of which valuable consideration has been given, without the authority in writing of the individual or individuals whose portrait or portraits have been taken, or from whom valuable consideration for photographs has been received, shall, on conviction, be liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds for each offence.