This week’s installment of Ask Shutterstock examines two different types of stock images. The explanation may seem simple, but the distinction is quite important.
As always, please remember to refer to our Terms of Service, where you’ll find our most up-to-date, official source of Shutterstock image usage terms. This post is merely an overview. On to the questions!
Q: What’s the difference between Editorial and Commercial stock photography?
A: Images labeled “Editorial Use Only” cannot be used for commercial purposes. An editorial image can only be used to illustrate a news-related story – not to sell or promote a product, service or idea. This rules out most websites (with the exception of news sites).
Since the purpose of most (commercial) stock photography is to help sell or promote a product or concept, this essentially puts editorial images in their own category.
Editorial images are most popular with journalists and news outlets. These photos are normally taken in public places, and usually contain recognizable people and places without model or property releases in place.
Q: So when would I use an Editorial Image?
A typical scenario would be when you’d like to source a photo of a celebrity, and you’re reporting something newsworthy, such as a live performance or film premiere. The purpose of usage is generally to report or provide commentary on the subject in the image.
Editorial photos can also be used for educational purposes, so long as the information presented is educational or factual in nature, such as in a textbook or encyclopedia.
Shutterstock offers a variety of Editorial photography choices depending on your organization’s needs and budget.
1. Shutterstock Editorial – for Enterprise buyers
If you are a publisher, broadcaster, photo editor or news editor from a media organization, please visit Shutterstock Editorial, our full-service global editorial offering for media professionals, providing photographs of breaking news and live events from a network of photo agencies around the world.
2. Images marked “For Editorial Use Only” in our standard stock photo library
Shutterstock images marked ‘for editorial use only’ are intended for bloggers and journalists who need single-use editorial images, for use on a single platform or social media, but cannot be used in print covers or on broadcast media. These images can only be used in editorial context, and cannot be used for advertising or promotional purposes.
For more information, here’s the FAQ from our site. See also our Terms of Service.
Have a question about stock imagery for Ask Shutterstock? Please e-mail blog@shutterstock.com. (As always, if you need help with your Shutterstock account, you should contact our knowledgeable support team. You can also consult our Customer FAQ.)
Image: © Artenot/Shutterstock
