What's the best way in your opinion to ensure that the image you want to send to a gallery will remain yours legally?

I'd scour through some intellectual property law until I was positive which moves to take and,

as importantly, to not.

An' that's just for starters.

Also, probably place your question (via your Edit bubble) over in the Law & Ethics section.

OR over in the Arts & Humanities somewhere. But always always, be supplied with grains of salt.

It would really suck if something similar happened like that Taylor Swift thing, I haven't posted this image anywhere online, haven't even shown people via email--I would like to get something to eat aside from **** out of a deal like this, any suggestions?