If I take a photo of a building, do I own the copyright to that photo?

In Plain English

Generally, yes, if you take a photo of a building, you own the copyright to that photo. The Copyright Act 1968 states that the photographer usually owns the copyright to a photograph they take. However, there are exceptions. For example, if you were employed to take the photograph, your employer may own the copyright. Also, there are some situations where the author of an artistic work (like a building) may need to be notified if the building is changed.

Detailed Explanation

According to the Copyright Act 1968, the photographer is generally the owner of the copyright in a photograph. Specifically, Chunk 39 states that where a person makes an agreement with another person for the taking of a photograph for a private or domestic purpose, the first-mentioned person is the owner of any copyright subsisting in the work. However, if the photographer is employed by someone else to take the photograph, subsection (6) states that the employer owns the copyright.

The Copyright Regulations 2017 also outlines some requirements for notices to authors of artistic works, such as buildings, if there are changes to the building. Regulation 45 states that the notice must include information such as the date of the notice, the name and address of the building, the name and address of the owner of the building, the owner's contact details, a brief description of the change, and the extent to which the building is likely to be affected.