Usage & Licensing
Clear usage terms for every commercial shoot
When you commission MRoyPhoto, you're paying for two things: the work of making the images, and a license to use them. The license sets where your images can appear, for how long, in which regions, and whether anyone else may use them. Every project we deliver comes with those terms in writing, so your marketing team, your agency and your designers always know what's covered.
Most organizations start with our standard license, which covers your website, organic social, PR and press, proposals and recruiting pages. When your needs grow into paid advertising, print campaigns or out-of-home placements, you extend the license for those uses. There's no reshoot and no new creative fee. Your license begins once the invoice is paid in full.
Download the Usage & Licensing Guide (PDF)
What the guide covers
- The two parts of every estimate: creative and production, and the usage license
- The four questions that set every license: media, duration, territory and exclusivity
- License tiers: standard organic use, paid and advertising, large-format and broadcast, exclusivity and buyouts
- Common questions: headshots after an employee leaves, agency use, renewals, editing, AI and model releases
A few things worth knowing
MRoyPhoto keeps the copyright. You hold the license described in your estimate and agreement.
Your people can use their own headshots. Each person photographed can use their own portrait on LinkedIn, speaker bios and other professional profiles, including after they move on from your organization.
Your agency can work with the images. Your agency or PR firm may use them on your behalf, within your license. Sponsors, vendors and other companies need a license of their own.
Renewing is simple. We contact you before your term ends. Renewal extends the same license, with no new shoot and no new creative fee.
Our images are not for AI training. Using MRoyPhoto images to train, fine-tune or prompt AI systems requires separate written permission.
Plan usage before the camera comes out
Usage is part of pre-production at MRoyPhoto, not an afterthought. Tell us where the images will run, including paid ads and any partners who will need them, and we'll recommend the simplest license that covers it. Pricing a use up front always costs less than adding it later.
See the full production process on our How We Work page, or read more in the MRoyPhoto Journal.
This page and guide explain how we license images. The terms in your signed estimate or agreement take precedence.