Discover why you should make the effort of obtaining model releases before every photo shoot. And don’t worry—here’s how to make the process easy and painless.
Image by Katerina Klio
“You never know who will need your picture,” Shutterstock Contributor Katerina Klio says. As an in-demand fine art photographer with tens of thousands of Instagram followers, she’s had her fair share of offers from potential clients. And over the course of her career, she’s learned an important lesson: no matter how stunning a photograph might be, and no matter how many people want to buy it, you’ll need a model release in order to license the image for commercial use. Always.
Releases are contractual, legally-binding agreements that protect photographers and image-buyers alike. By signing a release, a model (or property owner) gives you permission to sell the image commercially. Model releases are necessary whenever you submit a photo with an identifiable person, and this includes recognizable individuals whose faces might be partially obscured or in shadow. If you’re photographing anyone under the age of eighteen, you’ll need a signature from a parent or guardian. You’ll need property releases for submitting photos you’ve shot on location at any privately-owned site.
Image by Emily Mitchell
If you’re shooting photos specifically for stock, the process is pretty straightforward. You’ve downloaded a release straight from your Shutterstock profile, and the model or property owner is already on board. But what if you’ve arranged an impromptu lifestyle shoot with a model you’ve just met? Or what if an acquaintance has invited you to see their exquisitely designed penthouse, and you can’t help but take a few pictures? Are releases still important in fleeting moments like these?
Image by AnnaTamila
The answer is a resounding “yes.”
Even if you don’t initially intend to license images from a specific shoot, get the models to sign releases anyway. The photos might even sit on your hard drive for a while, but eventually, somewhere down the road, you could realize they have tremendous value. That casual session you did ages ago with a model you met over social media could be your next bestseller, provided you remembered to ask him to sign a release. And as Shutterstock Contributor AnnaTamila attests, it’s not always easy to track someone down after a shoot, so remembering it in the first place saves time and energy.
Image by Lipik Stock Media
Luckily, getting your releases all squared away has never been easier. Shutterstock Contributor Svyatoslav Lypynsky of Lipik Stock Media recommends downloading an app to help streamline the process. You can find software like Easy Release or Snapwire in the app store on your phone. “[I get model and location releases] every time, but to save time and hesitation, I make an offer such as free prints to people who participate,” Offset Artist Emily Mitchell explains. Your collaborators will be able to use your prints or high-resolution files for their own purposes, whether they’re promoting their hotel or building their modeling portfolio.
Image by Katerina Klio
Both Mitchell and fellow Offset Artist Yuya Parker stress the importance of taking a moment to explain releases to people who might not be familiar with them. “It’s always good to clarify what the photos are for and what rights each party has so that everybody understands,” Parker says. Mitchell has spotted images by some of her colleagues all over the place, including on billboards and in leading magazines. “You want to be crystal clear with people that this is a possibility,” she tells us.
Image by AnnaTamila
Once they understand the process, the majority of people will be happy to take part; as AnnaTamila explains, most people are excited and glad to be published. Occasionally, Lypynsky says, someone might choose against it, and that’s okay too. The important thing is that you have everything clarified, decided, and organized upfront so that no one loses time or money. This way you don’t have any regrets down the line.
Missing or incomplete model releases are one of the top five reasons why images get rejected. So, make it a regular habit to get those done as soon as possible. Then double-check your work to make sure you’ve crossed your T’s and dotted your I’s. It’s a simple and painless step towards monetizing your hard work, whether you decide to submit it now or in the future.
Have more questions about model and property releases? Check out Shutterstock’s newly updated Contributor Success Guide, a one-stop resource for all your needs.
Top Image by Lipik Stock Media
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