Royalty-Free versus Rights Managed Photography

It may seem like comparing apples to apples, but there are some significant differences in how each kind measures up.

Royalty free stock photography is purchased out-right offers a wide range of options at relatively cheap prices and are instantly available online.

Rights managed stock photography is essentially rented from the company that owns the photo. You also have to pay a fee again if you want to reprint your project.

When it comes to your budget and timeline, choosing royalty free photography may seem like the perfect choice. However, some royalty free photography has over saturated the market and it’s possible that your next marketing scheme could look nearly identical to another. Trust us, it’s happened, and it leads to costly last minute changes to update the design. Using rights manage photography generally assures that the image will be less saturated, but usually there are many strings attached to the usage statement in the contract.

A few questions to answer before choosing stock or professional photography:

• What is the scale of the project?
  Smaller projects and stock photography go hand-in-hand. Usually a smaller project has a smaller budget and since the projects lifespan is likely short, stock photography may be the right choice. Larger projects with a bigger marketing range will likely be better off using the skills of a professional photographer.
• What is your budget?
  If you have decided to embark on a large-scale project with a very low budget there are alternatives to look at that may be a better choice over stock photography.
• How long do you plan to use the design?
  Long-term projects, projects that will be used for longer than one month, will have a better impact with professional photography. Short-term projects, ones with a lifespan of a day up to a few weeks, will fair well with stock photography.
• What is the subject matter?
  You cannot use a royalty free photo with a recognizable model in it for a use that is defamatory, libelous or humiliating, ever.

A professional design firm will help you make the right decision when it comes to royalty free and rights manages photography, but it’s a good idea to know the difference in photography options when planning for your next project.

One alternative to rights managed photography is hiring a professional photographer in your area, but this also requires alloting time for a photo shoot. However, the results are one of a kind which makes for stunning results.