What Is Editorial License or Editorial Usage of Stock Images?
Most of the images at microstocks can be used for commercial purposes. It means that you can use these pictures for advertising, for printing on t-shirts or package of your product, for decorating, etc.
In fact there are no restrictions for usage of such images. Of course except mental and ethical reasons (see "Are there any restrictions on microstock's image using?").
At the same time you can see another type of images at microstocks. This type of pictures is intented for editorial use only and commercial use of it is prohibited.
What Are Images For Editorial Use Only?
These are images that can be used only for illustrating non-advertising materials in press or electronic editions. Usually such pictures are used in news.
Also "editorial use only" of image means that microstock doesn't have rights to license this image for commercial use. To do so microstock has to have special documents.
If there is a recognizable person on the image then author of this image has to supply microstock with model release — a document allowing commercial use of the picture. And model release must be signed by person on the image.
If there is some object on the image and rights to this object belong to somebody else (for example, Ferrari vehicle with its unique design and logo) then author of this image has to supply microstock with property release — a document allowing commercial use of the picture. And property release must be signed by person who has the rights to object on the image.
So to license images with Ferrari car for commercial use microstock has to have property release signed by Ferrari.
That's why if microstock has model or property release then it can license such image for commercial use. If microstock doesn't possess such documents then this image is marked "for editorial use only".
So Every Image At Microstock Has To Have Model or Property Release?
Not exactly. Every image with recognizable persons on it has to have model release. Otherwise such images must be sold only as editorial or not be sold at all.
At the same time most of the images with various common objects on them don't require any approval documents to be licensed for commercial use. It's automatic for such images cause the main subjects of these pictures are typical and non-unique. And that's why no one will accuse microstock if it sells such images without property release.
For example, no release is needed for a photograph of an apple. Just because apple or apple tree can not sign any release. And of course no tree can accuse somebody if its photograph is licensed for commercial use. Furthermore the farmer who have grown this very apple tree and this very apple can not accuse microstock because he have no proofs that this apple on the photograph belongs to him. Such idea has no future at all.
In the same way no release is needed for a thousands of other typical objects: pens, cups, phones, books, etc. But if the pen is of unique design then image with it will definitely require property release to be licensed for commercial use.
But in fact the border between objects requiring release and those that aren't is not established strictly. Every microstock has its own rules. For example, one microstock can approve image licensing for commercial use without any release and at the same time the other one can say "no" to the same image and require model or property release.
Anyway presence of model or property release is the headache of microstock, not yours. You need this information just to understand why images are differently licensed: for commercial or editorial use.
Is It All the Difference?
No, not all. The other side of "editorial image" is that not all images without model or property release are considered as "editorial". Well, if image is a photograph of unknown person then microstock won't even approve it for sale.
The mainstream of "editorial images" is reportage photography from interesting events: sports competitions, concerts, important politic or social meetings.
For example, shots from FIFA World Cup in South Africa are exactly "editorial images".
And also you can find photographs of various celebrities at microstocks in "editorial" category.
But if your neighbor decides to sell her portrait at microstock as "editorial" then she'll be rejected by inspectors. Unless her name is Madonna or Hillary Clinton — in that case we take back our words.
Understanding Is Image For Editorial Use Only or Not?
Usually every microstock places special mark "editorial use only" for such images. You'll certainly notice that.
If you don't see such restriction anywhere then it means that you have rights for commercial use of this image.
Anyhow number of images for editorial use only is very small compared to the number of commercial use images. So the possibility to find such image is very small too, unless you're searching for it intentionally.
Are Only "Editorial Use" Images Suitable For Using Them in Newspapers And Magazines?
No. For this you can buy any image available for commercial use. On the contrary you can not use "editorial use only" images for commercial purposes.
Where To Buy Editorial Images?
Images for editorial use are not very popular at the market, so you can find these pictures only at several large microstocks.
Among microstocks presented at PhotoBuyerGuide.com you can find editorial images only at Shutterstock, Dreamstime, 123rf and Bigstock.
Photo Credits
"F1 VALENCIA STREET CIRCUIT 2010" by Digitalsport at Dreamstime.com.
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