Terms Used The In The Stock Photography Business

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.

---

Digital Cameras vs. Film Cameras- the debate goes on

One of the biggest debates in the photography world is... Read More

Easy Tips for Digital Photo Touchups

Using a digital camera to take pictures is great. It's... Read More

9 Tips For Taking Great Digital Photos

IntroductionModern cameras are highly automatic in operation. They have auto... Read More

Using a Camcorder to Record Family Events Quickly and Easily

Let's start there (but not spend too much time on... Read More

Home Run Baseball Photography Tips

Strike one! Strike two! Strike three!Baseball! America's Pastime, and a... Read More

How to Photograph Your Baby

Babies make the best and the worst subjects to photograph.... Read More

How To Avoid Or Reduce Red-Eye

Photography with the aid of a digital camera is beyond... Read More

Picture Framing for Photographers - Part 2

There are two sources for obtaining the moulding for making... Read More

What Should You Look for in a New Camera?

These parameters are discussed at 2 levels: -Based on... Read More

Black & White Photography

Photography is a diversified field of creating a spectral variety... Read More

Light and Depth of Field

With such a fantastic device as the digital camera for... Read More

How to Buy the Right Digital Camera

When buying a digital camera there are many things you... Read More

Creating Personalized Photo Calendars

About Personalized Photo Calendars:Photo Calendars are 12-month, wall-hanging calendars that... Read More

A New Way to Use Old Snapshots

If you're like me, you have hundreds of photographs sitting... Read More

Photography 101 Part 3

ContentEven if you feel that you already know what kind... Read More

Tips for Taking Better Vacation Photos

Photos are a great way to share your travel experiences... Read More

Birthday Party Photo Tips ? How to Make Yours Truly Stand Out

How many of the birthday party pictures you've seen are... Read More

Infrared Photography and the Car Thief ? Successful Digital Imaging

Infrared photography is sometimes placed on the outside edge of... Read More

The Venice Rookery

Love is in the air at the Venice Rookery. The... Read More

How to Create a Family History Video Memoir with Photos and Interviews of Your Loved Ones

Here are examples of two basic videos you can create... Read More

Terms Used The In The Stock Photography Business

So you are a small business person or web designer... Read More

Taking Professional Quality Pictures

By now I'm sure you've used Either a digital or... Read More

Sepia Toned Prints from Your Colour or Black and White Photos ? 5 Minute Digital Fix

Quite often I will have clients bring in old photographs... Read More

Tiny Cameras, Big Pictures and Make Your Photos Great!

The path to picking a digital camera usually leads to... Read More

The Best Wildlife Camera To Take On Safari

Good wildlife camera equipment on safari can make the difference... Read More

Portrait Photography: Tips and Methods

Portrait is defined as, "A likeness of a person, especially... Read More

Light Meter Readings for Film and Digital

Reflected Light Readings for Film and Digital ImagesIn order to... Read More

Digital Cameras and Digital Photography

Before you rush into buying your digital camera this holiday... Read More

Hyperfocal Focusing: What Is It And Why Should You Use It?

When should you use hyperfocal focusing? Well, sometimes when shooting... Read More

How Can I Preserve My Lifetime of Memories in Photographs?

Like most folks you have probably have organized and sorted... Read More

To Camcorder Enthusiasts: What Does Reality TV Really Mean? - Great News for the Camcorder User!

Reality TV is experiencing an upsurge in popularity and its... Read More

Proper Handling and Storage of Paper Photos

Youv'e taken that perfect photo in the perfect light at... Read More

The Benefits of Disposable Cameras

Disposable cameras are cheap and easy to use. If you... Read More