Copyright law protects both unpublished and published original works. The author has immediate copyright protection as soon as a work is created. Under copyright, the photographer owns the copyright to wedding photos they take, not the wedding couple. The first sale doctrine allows the owner of a copyrighted work to display, sell, or dispose of that work, but not reproduce it without permission. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright, including expired copyrights and works where the owner has dedicated the work to the public domain. For works created after 1978, copyright lasts until 70 years after the author's death. Fair use and the TEACH Act allow limited use of copyrighted works for purposes like research, commentary, news reporting, and education.