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- Name
- Carl
- Edit My Images
- Yes
In my opinion the photographer owns the copyright, regardless of the circumstances in which it was taken.
If the photographer took the time to set up the camera up on a tripod and ready it for a monkey to press a button then he is the creator and owns the copyright.
If the monkey took it's own selfie and no one owns the copyright, then the photographer has taken this non-copyright image and processed it to create a new image, which he surely now owns the copyright to.
Actually, I would argue that simply pressing a button on an already set up camera is more akin to a trigger than a shutter button, the only difference being the triggers physical location on the camera body rather than a few metres away on the floor.
If the photographer took the time to set up the camera up on a tripod and ready it for a monkey to press a button then he is the creator and owns the copyright.
If the monkey took it's own selfie and no one owns the copyright, then the photographer has taken this non-copyright image and processed it to create a new image, which he surely now owns the copyright to.
Actually, I would argue that simply pressing a button on an already set up camera is more akin to a trigger than a shutter button, the only difference being the triggers physical location on the camera body rather than a few metres away on the floor.