Can I use stock photos for a short film?

I’m planning to make a short film that needs some photos. Can I use those in sites like sxc.hu?

It depends on the license agreement for the stock photo website. Most are royalty free and would allow you to publish in a film.

Legally you cannot use a photo you find on the web with out the photographer’s permission.

Stock photography websites contain thousands of existing photographs that can be licensed for specific uses. A customer who uses stock photography instead of hiring a photographer can save time, effort and money. Typically publishers can either purchase exclusive rights to a single image or they can purchase a subscription of sorts. The subscriptions allow publishers to download a limited number of photos over a specified period of time.

Stock photo websites allow webmasters, marketers and publishers to locate pictures for their marketing and promotional materials without the hassle of organizing a photo shoot. With copyright laws businesses must be very careful in using unlicensed photos.

There are also risks to using "free" photographs. Many of the free websites contain collaborative works from multiple photographers and artists. While the websites attempt to monitor the images in their collections in violation of copyright laws, there are no guarantees. If you opt to use photographs or images from a free portal, it is important to keep this in mind.

If you are looking for sources for stock photos with different and flexible license agreements give some of these a try.

My favorite stock photo website is http://www.photo-wizard.net

Here is where you can find some other inexpensive stock photo directories:

http://www.small-business-software.net/stock-photography.htm

Another site list can be found here:
http://www.webmaster-elements.com/webmaster-graphics/photos.htm

Goodluck

4 Responses to “Can I use stock photos for a short film?”

  1. οίνου Says:

    if you negotiate usage and fees that suit you and the vendor then of course
    References :

  2. Mia Says:

    It depends on the license agreement for the stock photo website. Most are royalty free and would allow you to publish in a film.

    Legally you cannot use a photo you find on the web with out the photographer’s permission.

    Stock photography websites contain thousands of existing photographs that can be licensed for specific uses. A customer who uses stock photography instead of hiring a photographer can save time, effort and money. Typically publishers can either purchase exclusive rights to a single image or they can purchase a subscription of sorts. The subscriptions allow publishers to download a limited number of photos over a specified period of time.

    Stock photo websites allow webmasters, marketers and publishers to locate pictures for their marketing and promotional materials without the hassle of organizing a photo shoot. With copyright laws businesses must be very careful in using unlicensed photos.

    There are also risks to using "free" photographs. Many of the free websites contain collaborative works from multiple photographers and artists. While the websites attempt to monitor the images in their collections in violation of copyright laws, there are no guarantees. If you opt to use photographs or images from a free portal, it is important to keep this in mind.

    If you are looking for sources for stock photos with different and flexible license agreements give some of these a try.

    My favorite stock photo website is http://www.photo-wizard.net

    Here is where you can find some other inexpensive stock photo directories:

    http://www.small-business-software.net/stock-photography.htm

    Another site list can be found here:
    http://www.webmaster-elements.com/webmaster-graphics/photos.htm

    Goodluck
    References :

  3. photog Says:

    If you pay for the correct license for the specific usage then yes you can.
    References :

  4. Fraud Says:

    Certainly Not. Even though the photos might be freely available on the internet, somone, somewhere holds their Copyrights. Permission will have to be taken from the Photographer/ Model/ Copyright holder concerned. If your short film is not for commercal purposes, mostly getting permision/No objection is a mere frmality – but essential formaility
    References :

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