When you’re writing up a user agreement and setting your price, it’s crucial you consider the end use of the image and the visibility of the brand using it. Instead, I submit non-similar rejects from the shoot and even shoot specifically for my stock portfolio.
#Portrait photography contract template license#
Since most of my commissioned clients want exclusive usage, I don’t submit the images I license to them to stock also.
I make a decent side income from being a contributor with them, without having the thousands of images required by other agencies to make stock photography worthwhile. They offer high-quality stock photography for a much higher price point than microstock agencies. When you give exclusivity to a client, it prohibits you from earning more income from your images by licensing it to other third parties, or through stock photography.įor example, I license my images through Offset, a division of Shutterstock. This is why usage rates can go very high, depending on the client and their visibility in the marketplace. However, be aware that they should be required to pay a premium for this exclusivity. In some cases, so they don’t end up being used by their competitors. There are two types of licenses: exclusive and non-exclusive.Īn exclusive license does not allow the photographer to license the image or images to other third parties during the duration of the agreement.Ī non-exclusive license allows the photographer to license the same image to other third parties under separate agreements during the same time frame.Ĭlients often want an exclusive license to ensure the images created for their brand don’t appear elsewhere. In effect, you’re the “lender,” and they are the “borrower.” This is basically what happens when someone purchases stock photography. You’re giving someone a license to use the images for a specific purpose and time frame.
Under most copyright laws, photography is as protected as any other artwork. In photography, you’re not “selling” your image or giving up your copyright. They may only use the image within the bounds of this agreement. So what exactly is a user agreement and why do you need one?Ī user agreement is a type of contract in which you as the photographer grant specific usage rights to a client or collaborator. You also need a user agreement if a brand or organization comes across one of your images on the Internet and wants to use it in some way. When you shoot for a client, you not only need a contract outlining the deliverables, but you also need a user or licensing agreement. Copyright and image usage can be a complex and confusing arena even for experienced photographers.