LICENSING
Licensing 101: How Commercial Photography Image Rights Work
When you hire a professional photographer, you aren’t buying the images themselves — you’re buying a license to use them under specific terms. This page explains how image licensing works for real estate photography, what you can and can’t do with your photos, and how to handle requests from third parties like designers, media outlets, or brokerages.
What Is Image Licensing?
Image licensing is a legal agreement that grants you permission to use photos in specific ways. Although you paid for the photo session, the photographer retains the copyright unless ownership is transferred in writing. What you receive is a license — similar to renting a file for defined purposes.
Who Owns the Images?
Under U.S. copyright law, the creator (the photographer) automatically owns the images the moment they’re taken. Unless a separate agreement is signed transferring ownership, the photographer maintains these rights.