Architectural and Interiors Photography – Guide to photography copyright

The field of photographic copyright can be confusing to those commissioning a photographer for the first time so here is a quick guide for how it works at Place Photography.

Photography Copyright

Photographers often set very different terms so there is no simple answer, however, a general rule followed by pretty much everyone is that ultimate copyright of an image rests with the photographer. It is for the photographer to license the use of that images. They may license it to specific people or organisations for specific purposes in a particular geographic territory and for a specific time period. They may also dictate how and whether an image may be cropped or otherwise adapted. It can become quite complex with different uses by different parties triggering different levels of payment.

At Place Photography

At Place Photography we like to keep things simple. If you commission a shoot we extend a usage license to you to reproduce or publish the images however you like for any purpose and this license has no time limit. We will provide you with high resolution images so that you can do this. What you can’t do is to transfer or sub-let the license to a third party or to use the images in a manner that departs from the original purpose for which they were made. (i.e. using your architectural photographs to promote another product such as building equipment, ice cream sales, etc)

At the time of commissioning, we will often explore the opportunity to spread costs so that contractors, architects, interior designers and property owners have shared rights to the images.

We normally retain the right to further let the license to other parties but we undertake not to do this where you feel this could impede you interests and you can exclude this altogether if we know from the outset. We also always retain the right to use the images for the promotion of our own practice.

If you have any questions about copyright please do use the Contact Form to get in touch.

There is a useful guide to photography copywrite at the Association of Photographers of which I am a member.

Place provides photographic services in the fields of architecture, landscape design, construction, environment and property management, interior design, property sales, estate management, building surveying and urban planning, etc. We cover Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex and London including Ipswich, Cambridge, Norwich, Colchester, Chelmsford,  Bury St Edmunds, Southend-0n-Sea. FOLLOW US to receive a very occasional newsletter. You can unfollow at anytime.