A Brief Guide to Professional Photo Restrictions  And The Difference Between Portrait and Personal Branding Photography

The photos that a photographer hands over to you are part of their life’s work. It has their name or branding so there are a few important restrictions to note when it comes to the professional digital images that you receive.   Now there are 2 types of photography with different restrictions; portrait (family, children, pets etc.) and personal branding (business combined with personal interests).  

1) Copyright. The digital images that your photographer provides you with have a copyright, which means the photographer has the option to use those photos to market their work and services anytime in the future. We are however also respectful of our clients so if there are any images that you would prefer to keep private, it’s best to let us know about it ahead of time so that we can honor your wishes.  

2) Image type. We aren’t able to provide you with the original files or raw images. All images given to the client have been cropped and have been edited. If you do require further touch ups we would need to provide you with a quote.  Portrait and personal branding photos both are given as .JPG files.   

3) Image altering. Now this is where there is a big difference between portrait and personal branding photography. 

Portrait Photos: While we appreciate your business and welcome the sharing of our photos on social media platforms, for portraits, we ask that the images not be altered in any way as this is against our copyright policies and it shows our style.   

What constitutes image altering? 

•        Adding filters or editing photos in Photoshop
•        Removing our logo or studio name
•        Color correcting or including transitions from color to black and white
•        Clipping people or objects out of the original shot

So why do we have this as a restriction? Our photos are a representation of our work so when a customer alters an image it directly impacts our name and brand in the industry. When we present you with final images, they have already been through our editing process and don’t require further alterations.  When images are altered, the results are not always reflective of our original work and can then be mistaken for someone elses. We greatly appreciate your cooperation in this matter. 

Personal Branding Photos: Now for personal branding photography, you can alter the photos any way you like!  This is called unlimited commercial license usage rights.  You can change colors,  filters, add words, clip art or anything else!  We understand that you have special needs when using photos for  promotional, advertising, commercial, or merchandising purposes.  If you want to print that cool photo on promotional pens, calendars, notebooks, or coffee mugs? Perhaps you want to use it on your website or in your ad campaigns? In this case, you need a commercial license. This is a big advantage for the client over regular portrait photography. 

Thanks for reading about the difference between portrait and commercial use licenses. I hope you found this useful and it helps when deciding on what type of photography you need.