There are critical differences between what is known as “traditional” stock photography (“rights managed”) and "royalty-free" stock photography -- and those differences go way beyond simple cost issues.

As a graphics professional, making adroit, informed use of photography is as crucial to you as is the use of a scalpel by a surgeon, and one of the most significant developments in the graphic design world has been the relatively recent emergence of the availability of “royalty-free” stock photography. These are stock photos you can buy outright-- and use any way you want, as much as you want. This is a significant departure from the more traditional way of doing business with photo agencies -- where you lease the use of a picture for a specific purpose at a negotiated price.

The key is knowing when to opt for royalty-free -- and when not to.

There are times when “royalty free” is your best solution. But there are times when not knowing the pitfalls of royalty-free can lead you to disaster.

And there are times when traditional “rights managed” stock photography is the only avenue a true professional would consider, despite additional cost and complexity.

Which is which, and when is when?

Getting clear, unbiased information can be difficult:

Traditional stock agencies have nothing good to say about “royalty free” (they see it as a threat to their revenue-stream). Royalty-free purveyors would like to convince you there’s never a good reason to pay extra money or endure the “hassle” of “rights managed” stock (and they're not going to point out the dangers and downside of royalty-free).

They’re both wrong.

At JupiterImages we sell both rights managed images and royalty-free images, so that puts us in a unique position to be completely candid about the advantages and disadvantages of each -- and that’s what this document is all about.

However, even though, sure, we’d like you to consider JupiterImages when it comes time to find a great picture, the information in this document will keep self-promotion to a minimum, with a view towards providing you with solid, helpful information whether you are buying from us or anyone else.