Copyright in photographs belongs to the photographer and passes to a company only to the extent of the agreed licence. Using an image found on the internet without a licence is an infringement that is now detected automatically, and claims can arrive even years later. For commissioned photography, therefore, define the scope of the licence in the contract – where, for how long and in which channels you may use the photographs, whether you may edit them, and whether your partners may also use them. With stock photo libraries, read the terms of the specific licence, which differ, for example, for use in advertising or on products. Treat photographs of people as a separate matter: alongside copyright, the consent of the person depicted also comes into play. Keep licence documents archived together with the photographs.
See also: Ownership of the website and source code, Collaboration with an influencer, Brand guidelines for partners.
