Perhaps you’ve had enough of American politics this week, so we bring you some news out of Canada, as well as some notable events and killer photo series for everyone to enjoy.

Canadian photographers now officially own the copyrights to their photos

On Wednesday morning, Canada passed a major copyright reform bill to give photographers the same rights as other creators. Previously, the person or company who commissioned the work was the principal owner – not the photographer. Those who wanted to gain full copyrights to their work had to get a transfer approved via contract. Many groups have been working to get this law passed for over 20 years, so the victory was very heartfelt. (via PetaPixel)

Outdoor safety for nature photographers

Adam Schallau knows a thing or two about photographing in the great outdoors – he’s been shooting the great American West for the past decade, and his images have appeared in calendars, magazines, websites, and travel publications & guides. Plus, he was an aircrew member on a volunteer Search and Rescue team for 14 years.

In his post “Safety for Nature Photographers” Adam shares how to prepare for the unexpected: let someone know what your plans are and pack a “survival kit” as if you’re going to spend 24 hours alone. Check out what specific gear and equipment Adam recommends.

Chris Crisman to speak at Fotoweek D.C.

Join APA|DC for a very special event during Fotoweek in Washington D.C. next week! Philadelphia-based photographer Chris Crisman, who’s known for his word in the advertising and editorial fields, will highlight the key instances where risk taking and decision making resulted in pivotal moments in his career.

2012 has certainly been a non-stop year of work and travel for Chris. He’ll be rolling into DC for this rare speaking appearance during Fotoweek on November 15th from 6-9:30pm. The event will be followed by a silent auction, with products from LowePro and Think Tank bags, Blinkbid and Nik software, Photoshelter websites, Red River Paper, Lensbaby, and O’Reilly Media. Check out the full list and register for the event here.

Photographs taken along the Thames River

Architectural photographer Quintin Lake has released a completed personal photo project made walking the 170 mile length of the Thames River from its source in Gloucestershire to the center of London. His images give us a unique perspective of how one connected formation can appear so drastically different at various points along the way.

Lost in Concert features photographers’ best live music photos

Photographer Brendan Shanley and his friends have spent the past three years documenting live music the best it can be. The result is Lost in Concert, and what Brendan describes as “something that fans of music everywhere could leave on their coffee tables to show off their love of live music.”

The team now has the project on Kickstarter to help raise funds for the book’s publication. Check out their Kickstarter page to see more images and consider donating – if the project reaches its goal, you’ll get a book of your own.

Dazzling photos of “smeared” skies

When we think of stacking multiple nature photos, we usually think of star trails. But what about sunlight skies? Canada-based photographer Matt Molloy recently created a dazzling series of sky images with this stacking technique – check out a few favorites below:

(via My Modern Met)