Copyright in photos you provide
DISCLAIMER - this is not a definitive statement of copyright law (which varies from country to country and from time to time). You should check your own case with a professional lawyer; I am not qualified to advise you and won't bear any risk.
That said, the following should give you a rough idea of how copyright law works in the UK
- The law for photographs is derived from that for paintings
- Usually, the copyright is retained by the artist (ie. the person who took the picture) even if the picture is sold, unless the copyright is sold specifically
- In the case of a "commissioned portrait" the copyright is held by the commissioner unless there is a different contract. A professional photographer's standard contract typically retains copyright.
- Copyright lasts for the artist's lifetime plus seventy years; it may be held by a company instead to get round this. In the case of photos of unknown authorship, seventy years from when it was taken or if made public within seventy years, seventy years from the end of the year in which it was made public.
- A last point that's not copyright but may be relevant: you may need the permission of the people in the picture if you want to publish it, sell it or use it differently (called a model release)
The upshot of this is that if you want me to work with photos taken by someone else who is still alive and whom you didn't pay to take them, it's best to ask their permission; if they were taken by a professional we must get their clearance and they may decline or charge a fee.
Copyright in personal montages
I retain copyright in a montage I make for you; I send you an electronic copy at resolution suitable for display on a computer or printing small - you can print onto paper as many copies of this as you like for personal use, you may display it on a website if you include a visible link to my site somewhere suitable nearby. For any other use you must obtain my permission in writing before proceeding - especially commercial use; I may think a fee is appropriate. If you require larger prints and gift items, order them from me. Discounts are available for quantity orders.