Stock Photo Agency Key Terms

Understanding common terms used by stock image agencies

Like any industry, businesses selling photographs and other images have their own set of stock photo agency key terms. Some are exclusive to stock photography, while others are broader graphic design or general photography terms. But whatever the case, understanding all the terms your stock photo agency uses is vital to making the most of your business' money and time.

As you browse your stock photo agency's website or catalog, be sure you understand what you are paying for. In particular, pay special attention to:

1. Terms detailing stock photo services' image rights,

2. Words describing images sold by a stock image agency,

3. And any miscellaneous stock photography terms that are unfamiliar to you.

 

Understand stock photo rights

The two most commonly used stock photography terms related to rights are "rights-managed" and "royalty-free." The first refers to any image with terms defined by type of use and exclusivity. The latter refers to images with a one-time usage fee. Other important terms include "buy-out" (meaning the copyright holder sells all an image's rights to an individual or business), "comp" (a low-resolution image that's free or reduced in price) and "rights protected" (where you can buy assurance that a rights-managed image will not appear anywhere else in the future).
Try: Stock Asylum offers a useful, free stock photo glossary that includes many terms related to rights. Connect 2 the Net Web Talk features a good article on understanding the differences between rights-managed and royalty-free images.

Use stock photography image terms

There are a vast number of industry-specific terms used to describe stock photos. Among the most commonly used are "DPI" ("dots per inch," which speaks to the resolution or quality of the image), "lo-res" (short for "low resolution"), "PICT" (a low-resolution format developed by Apple Computer, used on Macintoshes) and "pixelated" (meaning a low-quality image where the many small dots that make up the image are obvious to the naked eye).
Try: Alamy provides a free glossary of terms, including many words used to describe digital and analog stock images. Grantastic Designs also has a comprehensive glossary of terms related to graphic design and stock images.

Learn miscellaneous stock image terms

Among the more common stock photography agency terms you may run across are "digital watermark" (a drawing, word or phrase imprinted onto an image to protect it from being stolen), "interpolation" (improving the resolution of an image), "model release" (a contract signed by any person shown in an image, giving consent to use his or her image for commercial purposes) and "property release" (like a model release, but for inanimate objects).
Try: Buying Pictures Online offers a short but useful glossary with miscellaneous terms for those using stock images. Diving in Fiji also provides a good stock photography glossary.

 

• Some stock photo agencies use alternative or less-well-known definitions, so it's wise to always carefully read all agreements, FAQ pages, and glossaries or dictionaries that your stock photography agencies provide.

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