The Licensing Process of Cheap Stock Photos

Cheap stock photos is the most important arsenal of creative professionals in creating fantastic designs and marketing campaigns. You will see them all over the place – from online ads to print. Remember that office photo in an advertisement where everybody seems to be happy? That is probably stock. Stock photos impact the creative industry. That’s why it is necessary that you have basic understanding of it, especially if you are working with them temporarily or regularly.

cheap-stock-images

Sample Cheap Stock Photos with Standard License

Usually, the licenses of cheap stock photos are divided into two:

  • Royalty-free which allows the buyer to use the image multiple times for a long period of time without paying for additional fees. If you purchase an image with royalty-free license, you do not have to pay for royalties every time you use the image, thus the name. Although this type of license gives you a lot of freedom to use the cheap stock photos, they also come with certain restrictions. That’s why we always recommend reading and understanding the terms and conditions stipulated in the agreement.
  • Rights Managed is another type of license commonly purchased by creative professionals with their cheap stock photos. RM are generally restricted. Some of the limitations include location, industry, and duration of the images. Before purchasing photos with this license, you need to determine where you intend to use the images, in what way, and for how long. These key factors will determine the price of the images.

What type of license should you get for your creative projects?

The type of license you should purchase depends on how you intend to use the images and for how long. Typically, royalty-free is the cheaper option. You do not have to worry about additional fees every time you use the image. However, rights managed can also be a cheaper option depending on your creative needs. It is best to ask the team from your preferred stock photo site to determine which license best suits your needs and budget.

Another type of license is Editorial Use Only. As the name suggests, this type of license can only be used for editorial purposes. Not all stock photo agencies offer Editorial Use Only images, check them here. Those that do price the images at a much higher rate than their royalty-free and rights managed counterparts. These images can only be used on projects related to the subject. Common Editorial images include photos of celebrities at different events and historical events.

As part of the creative industry, bloggers, web designers and businesses alike should have better understanding of this licenses in order to purchase the right license for their projects. Knowledge of this matters will prevent them from making mistakes that may endanger their reputation and finances in the long run.