What are Rights Managed Images?

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If you are part of the creative community, you may have worked with several royalty-free images to jump-start and complete your creative projects. The royalty-free license allows you to use the images you download in many ways for as long as you like. But, what about rights managed? Have you encountered this type of license in one of your image needs? Let us find out what it means and how you can use it to your advantage.

Rights managed (RM) is a type of copyright license that allows you to use your purchased image one-time for a specific purpose. This means you need to purchase an additional license if you wish to use the image in other ways. For instance, you wish to use the image for a website. If you buy a photo with an RM license, you can only use that photo with that website. You cannot use it in with other websites, articles, or merchandise for sale. If you wish to do so, you should purchase an additional license.

How do Rights Managed work?
To buy an image with this license, you need to specify some things to the stock photo agency you are buying them from. These include:

  • The size and resolution of the image
  • Geographical area where it will be distributed or used
  • Medium in which it will be distributed or used
  • Length of time it will be used
  • Volume of copies or reach of the its distribution
  • Purpose of the photo
  • Exclusivity rights

Most of all, you need to specify if you are going to use the image for commercial and editorial purposes. If you are going to use the image commercially, you need to buy one with the necessary documents that will absolve you from any copyright violations. You will need a model or property release of the people and private property depicted in the image. If you are going to use it for editorial purposes, model and property release are not required but there are some restrictions that apply.

Based on these details, rights managed is customized to grant you with the required rights to use the image any way you want. Your purpose will also determine the price you have to pay for. This license is usually more expensive than royalty-free license, depending on the rights you include. Exclusivity rights usually cost higher. This type of license allows you to use the image in a consigned way, and this way only. Any modifications on the intended use requires a new license, which means you need to pay for other fees.

Rights managed allows you to use the image one time at a specific purpose. It allows you to get exclusivity rights for a higher cost, but you can be sure that you will not find the same image in your competitors’ website. Abide with the restrictions and rights granted, and you do not have to worry about the copyright police chasing you.