So you are a small business person or web designer and you want to purchase some stock photography for your website. Great. Photography is a wonderful way to improve the emotional impact of your site. But there are a few terms unique to the stock photography business that you should know.
Royalty Free - you'll see this term often. What it means is that you pay a one time fee for an image and you can use it for as many times as you want for as long as you wish. It is a great way to get inexpensive photos. Now if you are concerned that your competitor would or could use the same image as you, photographers and agencies can continue to sell the image after you purchase it, then you need:
Rights Managed - this one is next term you'll see. This means that you pay a fee for the image based on how, where, how long, and how many people will see the image. This one will cost you a lot more in most cases. This is worth it if you do not want your competitor using the same image for the same purpose. Usually the stock agency or photographer also agree not to sell the image to others in your field for the time that you are using the image. So you can see why this option protects your use of the image but you'll also pay much more for this protection. Remember too that, at some point, you decided to discontinue using/paying for the image the agency or photographer can then sell the image to someone else, even someone in your field.
Flat Rate - this term isn't quite at common but it is similar to royalty free. Usually this means that you pay a one time fee for an image, but it can only be used for one purpose by one person. Pricing will be higher than royalty free but less than rights managed.
Copyright - even with royalty free you are still only purchasing the right to use an image not the image itself. All images are property of the agency or photographer who owns them. How do you know who owns them, there is usually a ? symbol with date and name of the person or agency who owns the image. No matter what you paid for the image you are NOT the owner of the image. This means you cannot remove the copyright information, alter the photo, use it as part of a logo that you own a copyright, or resale the image as your own.
These terms will get you started but remember there can be differences in these definitions from agency to agency and photographer to photographer. Every agency and photographer selling stock images should have a legal or license page to explain these terms and any others that they use, if they don't you may want to move onto another site. Be aware, read all the information, and know what you are buying.
About The Author
Copyright 2004 Kelly Paal
Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography (www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.
post construction cleaning Deerfield ..One technology that hasn't kept up with the rapid pace... Read More
About Personalized Photo Calendars:Photo Calendars are 12-month, wall-hanging calendars that... Read More
The world of photography is an amazing one. It's been... Read More
Think about Laurel and Hardy for a moment, or Charlie... Read More
Children are naturally photogenic. Ive worked in studios and children... Read More
Before you are able to take the kind of photos... Read More
Photography 101 Part One Equipment: camera, meter, flash, tripod This... Read More
Looking at the digital camera, a person can visualize it... Read More
Anyone with the right camera equipment, and the necessary skills... Read More
Pre-Production:It's all got to start somewhere, so before you even... Read More
A few years ago I became interested in digital photography,... Read More
Elephants in the Sky[1980s, Lee Evens in Mali, Timbuktu/Africa]Advance: Lee... Read More
There is one simple technique any body can do to... Read More
If you're like me, you have hundreds of photographs sitting... Read More
Early cameras of the 16th and 17th century were able... Read More
So, you have taken lots of pictures with your new... Read More
Photos are a great way to share your travel experiences... Read More
Digital Photo Diary - memories that last a life timeThe... Read More
Imagine being able to frame all your own photographs just... Read More
Purchasing any gift item for your child is a mind-numbing... Read More
We all want to make the most of our wedding... Read More
Several years ago, I met a fellow photographer - albeit,... Read More
Choosing the right digital camera for general use can be... Read More
In a traditional camera, the lens was king. If the... Read More
That's right, you go through all the trouble of making... Read More
Airbnb cleaning service Bannockburn ..The photos you took of the party are really great... Read More
If you are buying a new underwater camera or video... Read More
Probably one of the most common problems you will be... Read More
Why Pinhole Photography?It's fun. It's creative. It's educative about the... Read More
The business of stock photography has drastically changed over the... Read More
Once in while I receive e-mails or phone calls from... Read More
There are a few very important tasks associated with using... Read More
So, you want to become a digital artist but paying... Read More
Your wedding day is without a doubt one of the... Read More
Before you are able to take the kind of photos... Read More
1. Pet photos - advertise a Pet Photography business where... Read More
Wholesale disposable cameras are disposable cameras bought in quantity. Bulk... Read More
Love is in the air at the Venice Rookery. The... Read More
So your picture came out less then perfect. Blemishes or... Read More
Using a tripod is essential when taking photos - and... Read More
One technology that hasn't kept up with the rapid pace... Read More
A digital camera accessory you should purchase is a spare... Read More
Portrait is defined as, "A likeness of a person, especially... Read More
While digital photography offers you the ability to review photograph... Read More
Almost all of us will have seen this particular photographic... Read More
Reality TV is experiencing an upsurge in popularity and its... Read More
Nature is all around us, and its beauties are unlimited.... Read More
Photography with the aid of a digital camera is beyond... Read More
Started in a single-room by three Japanese men in the... Read More
A picture is worth a thousand words, so goes a... Read More
Photography |