Find just the right graphic image for your web, presentation, and print
projects! Royalty free photos and images are popular with graphic
designers, web developers, and digital artists because they can be used
more freely than rights-managed or rights-protected images. They
are available online through stock photography websites, often at fairly
reasonable prices, and their use can often preclude the need to hire an
expensive commercial photographer.
Essentially, stock photographs are existing photos that their owners
license for use by other organizations or individuals. Today, via
the Internet, it is easy to find and use stock photos. Many stock
photographers upload their photos, along with relevant descriptions and
keywords, to searchable image databases where digital image users can
easily find them. Potential buyers can search these databases, using
keywords as well as image-type and image-orientation parameters.
Once a buyer has found a suitable photograph and paid for an appropriate
license, the photograph can be downloaded and used.
The term royalty free refers to a widely-used method of licensing
copyrighted photographs. In most cases, a photograph's copyright
belongs to the photographer. In order to use a copyrighted photo,
the buyer must get permission from its photographer and pay a license fee.
A royalty free license is one way to acquire stock photograph usage
rights. Royalty free licensing is usually priced according to a
photograph's size rather than its intended use. There are few, if
any, limitations regarding where and how you use the photograph, or how
many times you use it. Of course, royalty free photographs aren't
actually free. A licensing fee must be paid to use them.
However, that fee is usually minimal in comparison to other types of
photo licensing fees. Below, to the right, is a sampling of royalty
free photographs that are available on the World Wide Web.
Royalty free photo services are easy to use, and they have thousands of
photos available on just about every topic imaginable. Whether you
want to enhance a website, magazine article, or brochure with relevant
photos or illustrations, you can simply visit one of these online services
and search for graphic images about particular topics. Some of these
websites will even allow you to try certain images, to ensure they fit
your needs, before you actually buy them. "Try before you buy"
images, or comp images, usually have a watermark on them to prevent
you from using them for production purposes. Royalty free photo
licenses are often priced at between $1 and $250 per image, depending on
the image's source, quality, and resolution. Yearly subscriptions to
royalty free image galleries typically range from $150 to $2,000, but if
you need several stock photos or illustrations for a project, you can
often obtain them less expensively via a low-cost monthly subscription.
RoyaltyFreePhotos.us features a directory of stock photography suppliers
who offer royalty free photographs for commercial and personal use.
You can freely search their galleries of watermarked images. If you
find a photo or gallery you like, you can purchase a royalty free license
or subscription.
This imagery, film, and digital services provider features contemporary photography, illustrations, and archival images for creative use. www.GettyImages.com
This digital media firm provides digital image licensing options and rights services for digital arts professionals and their clients. www.CorbisImages.com
Search millions of rights-managed and royalty-free images
from brands such as Photodisc, Digital Vision, Stockbyte, Bananastock, and many more. www.MediaBakery.com
This image search engine enables you to search stock photography, illustration, and video footage from multiple publishers.
Find an extensive selection of royalty free and rights managed images. www.Fotosearch.com
The American Society of Picture Professionals is a community of image experts that are committed to sharing
their experience and knowledge throughout the industry. ASPP provides professional networking and educational opportunities
for persons and organizations who create, edit, research, license, manage and publish pictures. www.ASPP.com
The Digital Media Licensing Association is a North American trade organization that represents the interests of stock agencies
and others who license images and other forms of digital media for commercial reproduction. www.DigitalMediaLicensing.org