Image Copyright
Stock photo licensing, image copyright claims, and how to protect your business.
Image copyright is one of the most expensive issues for small businesses. Agencies like Getty Images, CopyTrack, and PicRights use automated crawlers to find unlicensed images on websites. When they find a match, they send a demand letter — typically for €500 to €5,000 per image. Many businesses use images they believe are free, only to discover they were taken from a photographer's portfolio or a stock agency's catalogue.
Key facts
- •CopyTrack and PicRights send over 100,000 demand letters per year across Europe
- •The average settlement for an unlicensed stock photo is €800–€1,500
- •Even images from 'free' websites can carry hidden licensing restrictions
- •German courts have awarded damages of €2,000+ per image in copyright infringement cases
- •Using a photographer's image without permission violates their rights under EU Directive 2001/29/EC
What we check
- ✓Reverse image search against known stock photo databases
- ✓EXIF metadata analysis for copyright ownership tags
- ✓Detection of watermark removal artifacts
- ✓License verification for common stock photo providers
Image licensing: good vs. bad examples
Images from Google Image Search
Downloading photos from Google Images and uploading them to your website. Google Image Search is not a stock photo library. Most images found there are copyrighted. Agencies like CopyTrack use reverse image search to find these and send demand letters of €500 to €5,000 per image.
Licensed stock photos with receipts
Images purchased from reputable stock photo agencies (Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, iStock) with download receipts saved. Keep a spreadsheet linking each image on your website to its license receipt and source.
"Free" images from unverified sources
Using images from websites that claim to offer free photos but don't clearly specify the license. Some sites scrape images from photographers' portfolios and re-upload them without permission. Using these images makes you liable for the infringement.
Creative Commons with proper attribution
Images from Unsplash, Pexels or Pixabay used under their respective licenses. For Creative Commons licensed images, attribution is displayed as required: photographer name, source and license type.
Stock photos with an expired license
Using images from a stock photo subscription that has been cancelled. Most stock photo licenses are valid only while the subscription is active. Once it lapses, continued use of the images is technically unlicensed.
Own photography
Photos taken by you or your staff, or commissioned from a photographer with a written agreement transferring usage rights. Keep the contract on file. This is the safest option as you control the rights.
Removing watermarks from preview images
Downloading watermarked preview images and editing out the watermark. This is copyright infringement and potentially a criminal offence in several EU countries. Agencies specifically look for artifacts left by watermark removal.
Regular image check
A periodic check of all images on your website against their license records. Remove any images where the license has expired or the source cannot be verified. Replace with properly licensed alternatives.
Images from Google Image Search
Downloading photos from Google Images and uploading them to your website. Google Image Search is not a stock photo library. Most images found there are copyrighted. Agencies like CopyTrack use reverse image search to find these and send demand letters of €500 to €5,000 per image.
"Free" images from unverified sources
Using images from websites that claim to offer free photos but don't clearly specify the license. Some sites scrape images from photographers' portfolios and re-upload them without permission. Using these images makes you liable for the infringement.
Stock photos with an expired license
Using images from a stock photo subscription that has been cancelled. Most stock photo licenses are valid only while the subscription is active. Once it lapses, continued use of the images is technically unlicensed.
Removing watermarks from preview images
Downloading watermarked preview images and editing out the watermark. This is copyright infringement and potentially a criminal offence in several EU countries. Agencies specifically look for artifacts left by watermark removal.
Licensed stock photos with receipts
Images purchased from reputable stock photo agencies (Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, iStock) with download receipts saved. Keep a spreadsheet linking each image on your website to its license receipt and source.
Creative Commons with proper attribution
Images from Unsplash, Pexels or Pixabay used under their respective licenses. For Creative Commons licensed images, attribution is displayed as required: photographer name, source and license type.
Own photography
Photos taken by you or your staff, or commissioned from a photographer with a written agreement transferring usage rights. Keep the contract on file. This is the safest option as you control the rights.
Regular image check
A periodic check of all images on your website against their license records. Remove any images where the license has expired or the source cannot be verified. Replace with properly licensed alternatives.
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