This may end up being a document in progress, because I intend to add to it as needed over time. Hopefully it will help you have a quick glance resource to understand some of the most common terms used when referring to stock photos.

Commercial Use: In stock photography, commercial use licenses allow you to use the photos for business and commercial purposes. Most commonly, commercial use stock photos are used to create advertisements such as sales flyers, billboards, direct mail pieces, and other print advertisements for use in places such as a newspaper or magazine.

Editorial Use: An editorial use license cannot be used for commercial purposes. Generally an editorial use license allows you to use a stock photo for editorial purposes only. These are often used for illustrating magazine, news, or blog articles, and they’re also often used for educational purposes as well. Laws can be a bit complicated in this area so it’s always best to consult with an intellectual property attorney for more specific advice and restrictions.

Exclusive Use: Exclusive use licenses mean you will be the only person using a specific stock photo for a given period of time.

Extended Use License: An extended use license allows you to use the stock photography for more purposes. These types of licenses are not available from all stock photo agencies, and restrictions will vary amongst those that do offer them. Generally an extended use license will allow you to use a stock photo for larger reach ad campaigns, and sometimes they will allow you to create print products such as calendars and greeting cards that you intend to sell.

General or Standard Use License: A general or standard use license for stock photography will vary from one agency to another but there are usually some commonalities. Most general stock licenses allow the photos to be used for commercial and business purposes, and editorial or educational purposes, but not for creating products which will be resold. Some general use licenses also have a cap on how large the ad campaign is that the photo will be used in. For example, a general use license may state that the photos can be used in ad campaigns which will not exceed a distribution of 250,000.

License: A stock photo license allows you to use the stock photos in specific ways. Like software, stock photos are not actually sold. Instead they are licensed to one or more people while the copyrights and actual ownership are retained by the photographer.

Model Released: A model released stock photo contains one or more recognizable people, and those people have signed a legal document which grants permission for the photographer to sell the photos for commercial purposes. Photos which contain people in them but do not have a model release on file cannot legally be used for commercial purposes, and violators can be sued for up to $250,000 by the person(s) in the photo, the photographer, and the agency from which the photo was obtained.

Non-Exclusive Use: Non-exclusive use licenses mean many people can license and use the stock photo at the same time.

Royalty Free: Royalty free stock photography is stock photography that you pay a one time license fee for. Usually you can use the photo multiple times and in multiple projects, without having to pay additional fees.

Note: A common mistake made by small business owners is to assume royalty free means copyright free - aka public domain - or “free” as in there is no cost. In reality these are three entirely different things. If you treat a royalty free stock photo as if it were copyright free or no cost material, you could end up being sued for up to $250,000.

Rights Managed: Rights managed stock photography restricts you to use of a stock photo for one specific project and/or time period. If you want to use the same photo for another project, or even an extension of the current project, you have to pay additional fees.

Have questions, comments, or suggested terms you’d like to see added to this glossary? Please leave them in the commenting area below and I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

©2008, Kathy Burns-Millyard