A copyright notice isn't what creates the copyright. In Berne Convention countries (including Japan and the U.S.), copyright arises the moment a work is created. Notices still matter because they make authorship explicit and deter misuse.
Rule 1: Use the © symbol
The internationally recognized © is more common and more compact than spelling out 'Copyright'.
Rule 2: Always include year and name
The canonical form is '© YEAR Name' (e.g. '© 2026 Your Name'). Use the year of first publication; ranges like '© 2020-2026' are fine for works updated over time.
Rule 3: Keep the name consistent
Legal name, pen name, handle — any is fine, but pick one and stick with it. Inconsistent credits weaken recognition.
Rule 4: 'All Rights Reserved' is optional
'All Rights Reserved' is a historical relic of the Buenos Aires Convention and is now redundant. Not wrong to include, just unnecessary — '© 2026 Your Name' is plenty.
Rule 5: Burn it into the image
If credit lives only in the caption, it disappears the moment the image is reshared. Baking text or a logo directly into the image keeps it visible wherever the image goes. That's exactly what CRED was built for.
Note: credit ≠ licensing
A credit alone doesn't restrict how others may use your image. If you want to limit use, pair it with an explicit license (e.g. CC BY-NC) or a terms-of-use page.