Property and Model Releases

Property and/or model releases are required whenever an image depicting a model, member of the public, property, home or brand is intended for commercial use. This is the case even when the person or property or logo appears as a background or small element of the image.  The release form effectively grants permission for the image to be used.

Commercial use

Commercial use includes advertising, promotional, advertorial or marketing material – all of which aim to sell products or make money in one form or another.

Editorial use

Editorial use, on the other hand, implies that the image will be used to illustrate a topic of general interest, for which releases are not generally required.

May Not Be Required

If a release has not been obtained for an image that is to be used commercially, the individual may exercise his or her discretion to assess how necessary it is to acquire a release. It may be that there is nothing to identify the property, home or person that appears, in which case there would be very little risk associated with using the image. This requires a judgment call on the part of the individual, who must accept the consequences of choosing not to get a release. Alternatively, the relevant portion of the image could be removed.

If in doubt about the appropriate course of action, contact us at infomimages.co.za

DOWNLOADS

Here you can download Property and Model Release Forms for use when submitting images to the library.

Select the required release form below.