Entrepreneurship Month: How to Use Website Images Legally

What you’ll discover:

Why can’t I copy and paste photos from Google image searches onto my website?
What are the safest places to get photos for my small company website?
What if I wish to utilize a picture that isn’t available on a stock photo website?
Are there any legal considerations I should keep in mind while making my own photographs or photos?

All you have to do to get the picture or image you need for a website is make a simple Google search for it and download whatever comes up, right? After all, the internet is all about providing free information, so why not provide free images? Moreover, Google image search enables you to search simply by picture, making it much simpler to get what you need for any digital project.

Although this fast and simple answer to your picture source problem may entice you, there are drawbacks to doing so. Just because you discover a picture you like on the internet doesn’t imply it’s yours to use. In this section, we address the risks of copying and utilizing photographs from the internet for your website, as well as strategies to find images that you may use without breaking copyright laws. We shall use the word “images” generically to refer to any visual output, including drawings, charts, pictures, infographics, and so on.

Why can’t I copy and paste photos from Google image searches onto my website?

The use rights to photos found using image search are almost always held by a person or a company. If you wish to utilize them, you must first contact the proprietors and get their permission. This permission may be contingent on payment of use fees or other restrictions. For example, an image copyright holder may provide permission for its usage on a website or in a newspaper but not in an advertising. Additional constraints may include requesting correct acknowledgment or recognition to the picture owner or photographer.

Using a picture without permission may be a violation of someone’s copyright, which may result in large penalties as well as requests to delete the image from your website or magazine. Failure to discontinue using it on many occasions may result in higher penalties and legal responsibility.

Following these principles is also for aesthetic reasons. Images found by image search are often low-quality files that will not appear as nice as the original higher-quality versions. Some of these photographs may additionally have a watermark to prevent unauthorized copying and use of the image. When you properly purchase a photograph and get permission, you will frequently be able to view the higher-resolution version with the watermark removed.

What are the safest places to get photos for my small company website?

There are many stock picture websites that will enable you to lawfully utilize photographs from their site for free or for a fee. Wikipedia Commons hosts a collection of public domain pictures, images, and audio recordings in which the original copyright holder has relinquished its claims, sometimes in return for attribution or acknowledgment merely, and sometimes for free. The photographs you discover here may or may not be appropriate for your project, but if you can find anything at Wikimedia, you may use the images there without credit as long as you follow the requirements.

Several sites provide a mix of paid and free photos. If you can’t find what you’re looking for on Pixabay, you may check iStock (owned by Getty Images) and use a Pixabay coupon to get a discount. Getty Images and iStock are both paid platforms. Adobe Stock and ShutterStock are two more premium marketplaces. The paid platforms include a range of payment choices, ranging from a one-time purchase to monthly memberships that provide access to a certain amount of photographs each month. When you pay for a picture on these sites, you get the right to use it for the reasons specified in the licensing agreements available on the platform. In other words, you don’t own the photographs after you make your money. You are paying for the right to use the photographs, and either the platform owner or the original producers of the images retain ownership of the images themselves.

If you use contractors to develop your website, you may be held legally liable for any fines or penalties if they use a picture without authorization. Consider putting wording in your Website Design Agreement that specifies what photos are permitted, that the relevant rights must be obtained with the photographs, and that the preferred stock image platform, if any, is specified.

What if I wish to utilize a picture that isn’t available on a stock photo website?

If you have your heart set on a picture that is not available on any stock photo or other media website, you must prepare ahead of time and allow time for essential back-and-forth contact with the image owner. Good-faith communication is the best approach to prevent any complications with your picture use.

Contact the image’s owner to find out whether they have any use conditions in place, including costs and credits. You may be required to sign a licensing agreement with the owner. If not, you should have them sign a Copyright License Agreement, which will outline what you intend to do with the photographs and any payments you are ready to pay.

Are there any legal considerations I should keep in mind while making my own photographs or photos?

If you’re conducting your own photo session and want to include individuals in your images, you need have them sign a Photo Release, also known as a Model Release. When the model signs this form, they agree to let you utilize their picture and likeness for your specific requirements. It will contain payment conditions, if any, and may prevent them from returning later and demanding further money or having their picture removed from your website or landing pages. Picture releases are appropriate for anybody involved in a photo session, whether they are professional agency models or members of the general public.

When you’ve made your own shot, you should think about copyright registration to further safeguard your ownership rights. The United States Copyright Office accepts petitions for copyright registration over published and unpublished pictures.