Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"Peter McCormick" wrote in message

In short, if you did not take the photograph and are not certain, to the
point of being able to proove it, that the photographer has been dead for
at
least 75 years -- There is a very good chance that making that copy will
be
actionable.

OK, the law is the law and I'm not going to dispute it, but what do you do
as a practical matter?

You have an old family photo take by a professional about 55 years ago.
There is a good probability the photographer is dead as he would be 75+
years old, maybe over 100. His business has been long gone, closed up
probably 40+ years ago. No one can recall his name as we were only kids and
our parents and grandparents are also long gone. The copyright would still
be in effect if any of the unknown heirs are alive.

How do you go about getting the photo copied?

Regardless of how you do it, you will be doing it in violation of the
copyright unless the photographer died intesttate, or shiel alive or
in his will expressly (not implicitely, but expressly) put his work
into the public domain, or his heirs have done so, or you actually
can find his heirs to get their permission.

Just because you want to do something does not mean that it will be
legal for you to do that thing. Regrettably, this is true for
many 'things' where the prohibition is truly insensible.

--

FF