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STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

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Stock photos frequently asked questions

What are stock photos? 

Stock photography (or stock photos) refers to images that are licensed to buyers based on the intended usage. They’re usually uploaded to a stock library-such as Alamy-where users can search for images based on keywords.

Are stock photos copyrighted? 

Yes, the photographer still owns the copyright to the image. The purchased licence simply serves as formal permission to use an image for the specified use.

Why do people use stock photos? 

Stock photos are used because they’re cheaper and faster than booking a bespoke photoshoot. Furthermore, stock libraries can provide an abundance of choice to ensure you can find the perfect picture.

In summary, these are just some of the reasons why you’d use stock photos:

  • Cheaper than a bespoke photoshoot

  • Faster than doing it yourself

  • High-resolution quality suitable for printing

  • Seemingly unlimited choice

  • Peace of mind regarding any legal concerns

  • Easier to get the right licence

  • Constantly updated

  • Useful for mock-ups to check if the picture you chose works for you or your client

  • Some libraries have additional services like picture research

What does royalty-free mean? 

RF image licences are broad and don’t have any restrictions besides the size of the image. They offer great flexibility as they can be used multiple times across different projects without incurring any extra costs.

You simply choose the image size you need and away you go! You can now use that image anywhere you want, however many times you want. This versatility is what makes RF images so popular today.

Furthermore, if you think you’ll be using the image in multiple places but not sure where or when, then RF images give you freedom as you don’t have to commit to any licensing decisions besides the image size.

What does rights-managed mean?

Rights-managed image licences require you to specify exactly how, where, and for how long you’ll be using any particular image. So the licence agreement is much more specific and if you discover that you need to use it in another way that isn’t specified in the licence, then you’ll need to get a new one. RM images are efficiently priced due to how specific the licence is.