How to License Your Images for Commercial Use

Selling your images is one thing, but leasing them is a whole different ball game. There are many parameters that can be put into place and it can become complicated. First things first: you need some sort of written and drafted agreement. This is best negotiated but having something pre-made is great for presentation.

We’ve got a sample image photo license along with extra advice after the jump for an idea on how you can license your images.

Cost

You’re all wondering this big one: how much should you charge. The answer depends on a bunch of various factors:

– Size of the company (it could be a small business or a big corporate company)

– Work done for the image (how much work did you actually do for it)

– How and for what it will be used (are they using it internally or for promotions that can expand beyond internal use?)

– How long it will be used for (forever? Only a certain amount of time?)

The sales and licensing yourself you’re going to have to handle with your own business sense.

Either way, you’re going to need to nail down all of the specifics; and part of that has to do with the language. It’s a great idea to make certain words bold to indicate their importance.

Sample

You can download this in PDF format here.

Agreement to License Image from The Phoblographer

Name of Artist: The Phoblographer LLC
(Hereinafter referred to as “the artist”)

Mailing address:
Postal Code:
Phone number(s):
E-mail(s): admins@thephoblographer.com
Fax: [Insert fax]

Name of Client: Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation
(Hereinafter referred to as “the licensee”)

Mailing address:  633 17^th Street, Suite 2600
Denver, CO 80202
Postal Code: 80202
Phone number(s): 1-800-877-0155
E-mail(s): amber.renard@us.ricoh-imaging.com
Fax: [Insert fax]

Title of Image: Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Pentax K3 Product photo 1

Date created: November 27^th 2013

Artist: The Phoblographer

Name of person who owns the copyright to this image: Chris Gampat

Identifying information: 300dpi processed Hi-Res TIFF image

Agreement:

The artist grants the licensee the [non-exclusive], non-transferable and non-assignable use of [Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Pentax K3 photo 1] (the image described above) for the period of [life] for the purpose of [usage in the client’s billboards, advertising, marketing and promotional materials].

Payment:

The amount of amount of $500.00 is to be paid immediately upon receipt of the image.

Provisions:

The artist retains all copyright and moral rights attached to this image as well as any other rights which may not be detailed in this agreement.

Credit/Acknowledgement of the artist’s name and website URL must be given when the image is published, either with a picture credit, caption or a link/acknowledgement in the publication if the image is used for commercial purposes (newspapers, magazines, newsletters, web or print publications, etc…).

Selling and/or redistribution of this image is forbidden.

Licensee [is] allowed to crop and/or electronically alter the image to suit their purposes for the usage stated above.

Indemnity:

The Licensee indemnifies and holds harmless [Chris Gampat and the Phoblographer] against all claims, liability, damages, costs and expenses stemming from a breach of this agreement, the use of the image, your failure to abide by any restriction regarding the use of an image, or any claim by a third party related to the use of the image.

Warranty and Liability:

This image is provided “as is” with no warranty regarding the suitability of the image for any purpose. The artist is not liable to the client or any person or entity for damages, costs or losses stemming from any usage of this image.

 

Signature: ________________________________