Stock images can be seen everywhere both in print and online. These are photographed or professionally designed images that are sold or licensed for use to the buyer or licensee. As a small business owner, stock images can be a cost effective way to include photos in your marketing collateral, saving you the cost of hiring a photographer.
There are plenty of appealing photos out there that could be perfect for your brand. Your graphic designer will have access to online databases filled with images from stock photograph distribution companies such as iStockPhoto, Shutterstock and Thinkstock as well as non-photographic vector images (scalable graphics available for license).
To make sure your business isn’t unwittingly using someone else’s copyrighted material, the stock images you use in your print and online collateral should only be used if:
- You have purchased the right to use the image
- The image is under a creative common license which gives people the right to use the image
- You have written approval from the owner
- The image is in the public domain
Licenses for Stock Images
Licenses are usually divided into 2 types:
1. Rights-managed
These are images that are generally restricted in terms of use. The types of restrictions that may apply include the length of time an image can be used for, the industry it’s used in – even the geographic location.
2. Royalty-free
Once someone has purchased a license to an image they can use that image multiple times without paying any additional fees.
Quick Tips
- It’s always important to review the terms of conditions of any stock image license so that you are fully across any limitations that may be in place.
- If you have any uncertainty about the type of license you need for an image, get advice from your graphic designer and/or the company who owns the image to make sure you’re covered.
For help getting the right images for your brand, speak to the talented design team at your local Kwik Kopy today.
