Photographs, or How to Safely Use Stock Photos?

Not your own, because it was created by someone other than you.

Although the internet offers us a whole range of image banks (stock libraries), we often feel hesitant about using "stock" photography.

If you want to enjoy a greater sense of security when using stock photos, this article is for you.

It will help you better understand how stock libraries work and how to safely use the resources they offer.

How do stock libraries work?

More and more stock libraries appear every year, although most of them operate on a licensing model.

A license is an agreement that allows you to use a work, which may be the photograph mentioned earlier.

Although a license is an agreement, keep in mind that your consent expressed by checking a checkbox, or simply downloading the photo, may be enough to conclude it, as it can be equivalent to accepting the license terms.

Importantly, a license is an agreement that allows you to use a photograph.

In other words, by accepting the license terms, the photograph does not become your property.

In legal terms: a license is not an agreement transferring economic copyright.

You may only use the photograph in a specific way, but this does not mean that you alone may do so on an exclusive basis.

What to keep in mind when using stock photos?

First, when using stock photos, the most important thing is to carefully read the license terms, which can often save you from unwanted costs.

Remember that there are as many different types of licenses as there are stock libraries.

Each stock library may formulate its licensing rules differently and, even more importantly, each work, each photograph, may be subject to different licensing terms.

What to look out for when reading a license?

Whether the terms are "favorable" depends largely on the purpose for which you want to use the photograph.

If you want to use the photos for non-commercial purposes, the situation is relatively simple.

However, if you use the photos to create posts as part of your professional activity, or use photography to create visual communications, remember that the license must expressly permit such use.

Such use of a photograph may be subject to an additional fee or to meeting additional conditions, for example crediting the author.

License terms regarding the ability to modify a photograph may be shaped in a similar way.

That is why it is crucial not only to choose an aesthetically suitable photograph, but one whose license allows us to use the image to the extent that satisfies our needs.

In summary: most stock libraries operate on the basis of licenses.

By accepting a license, you may only use the photograph in a specific way.

When looking for the perfect photo, consider what purposes it is meant to serve.

When deciding to accept a license, keep in mind the purposes for which you want to use the photo.

Remember that accepting a license may (but does not have to) involve additional costs or requirements to meet.

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