Editorial on iStockPhoto

If you’re a regular visitor to iStockPhoto, then you probably know that iStock is now offering files under an Editorial Only license.  A few people have asked me what that means.  Currently, all files on iStockPhoto must include model releases for any people visible in the image.  There must be no copyrighted materials in the image, such as logos or works of art.   This allows the images to be used for commercial purposes.  For example, this generic photo of a couple in a limo can be used to advertise a dating website:

Since the iStock license allows all commercial images to be used for editorial purposes too, you could use the same photo in an article about things to do on Valentine’s Day.  However, for editorial uses, you don’t need model or property releases because you’re only using the image for illustrative purposes.  So maybe you’d rather have a candid image of a real-life couple holding hands on the street for your Valentine’s Day article.  That’s where the Editorial Only license comes in.

The Editorial Only license allows us to upload images we weren’t able to upload before, because they won’t be used for advertising.  For example, a photo of the copyrighted London Eye to accompany a piece in a travel magazine about things to do in London, or a photo of a crowd on Canada day to accompany an article about Canada Day activities for families.

This is pretty exciting!  I have just over 50 Editorial Images in the collection already, with many more on the way.  Here are a few from my portfolio:

Toronto, Canada – June 26, 2010: Two Toronto city fire fighters walk in front of a burning police car. Taken during the G20 riots in Toronto, Canada on June 26th, 2010. Several police cars were lit on fire in the city’s downtown core in protest of the G20/G8 summits.

Toronto, Canada – October 23, 2010: A couple dressed as zombies walking in the annual Toronto Zombie Walk in October 2010.

Toronto, Canada – June 2, 2009: Close up of a music fan at an outdoor concert at Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto in June 2009.

You can browse more here!

This entry was posted on Friday, February 18th, 2011 at 1:14 pm. It is filed under Blog, Featured, Stock Photography, Street Photography and tagged with Editorial, iStockPhoto. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.