Copyrighting anything you have created costs you nothing. You simply put ‘Your Name 2005’ (2006, etc.) on it, beside it, or wherever the public can read it, and the act of copyright is done. It's free -- a gift from your government.

You've probably heard that registering your copyright costs you $30. Yes, that's true, there is a $30 dollar fee if you choose to formally register your song, short story, photograph, painting, or whatever. You fill out Form TX for the written word, or form VA for graphic creations, such as photographs. Send in two copies of the 'work', plus your $30 dollars, to the Register of Copyright, Library of Congress, and your work will be entered into the archives and you will be in a better position to collect compensation in case of copyright infringement.

However, your work is still protected when you simply place a (c), plus your name or the name of your publication, on your masthead of your periodical, or over one of your thumbnails on the web.

Many people confuse registering a trademark, or patenting an invention, with copyright. The first two consist of long and drawn-out processes, and usually require an attorney. Not so with registering a copyright.

If you haven't taken advantage of the free copyright privilege provided to you by our Copyright Law, begin to do so today. A (c) on everything you've produced, wards off would-be infringers. It carries the aura of a federal offense like the label on a mattress: Do Not Destroy Under Penalty Of Law. The (c) sign also adds an air of professionality to your photograph
The basis for copyright law in the USA is found in the United States Constitution in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8 as follows:

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.

The first copyright law was the Copyright Act of 1790. We are currently operating under the Copyright of 1976 as amended.

Copyrights have a term of the life of the author plus 70 years. We Boomers can thank Sonny Bono (Sonny and Cher) for this. The Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998—alternatively known as the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act set the current term of copyrights.

When you write original content, it is copyrighted even if you do not specify “Copyright” or use the “circle C” © copyright symbol.

However, it is best to declare your works are copyrighted. The proper way to do this is “Copyright © (Date of first Creation) ( Name of author).

The best way to approach using any information that you have not created yourself is to consider that it is copyrighted.