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Special Licensing at BigStockPhoto
  • Need reprinting rights for posters, postcards, art prints?
  • Need to use a photo in online software or other software applications?
  • Need to print photos on shirts, hats, mugs, etc.?

BigStockPhoto offers Special Licensing options for buyers with special needs that fall outside of the scope of our regular Image Usage Agreement. Not every image we have is available under every Special License - this is because the image photographer or artist decides which licensing agreements they wish to participate in.

Our standard royalty-free agreement allows a broad variety of uses where the image is a supporting part of your advertisement, website, direct mail, brochure, book, magazine article, art project, etc... but if you need the image to be a core, main, definitive part of your product, (such as reprinting the images as posters or cards, on apparel,or using within screensavers, calendars or electronic greeting cards, or phtoo asset libraries, etc.) then you will probably need a Special License.


How To Get Started:

  • Important to know: Images are NOT all available under any license. The photographers decide which ones they wish to participate in, so we give you a search filter for locating images that ARE available under your particular license.
  • Follow the 3 simple steps below. You can be using your Special License right away.
  • Contact our Support Team if needed with questions. We realize some licensing needs are complicated and you may need assistance.

Step 1 - Choose License Step 2 - Find Images Step 3 - Download
Decide which license is right for you from the list below.    Try our Browse/search images >> using Special License filter in green search box. Proceed to download image, and agree to your special license. Then download the image using that license.
Single use? Limited (up to 1000) use? Unlimited use? Printing? Software? Other uses? Choose the license that best meets your needs and contact us if you are unsure.
When searching for images, open the 'Advanced Search Options' and choose your Special License from the pull down menu there. This way, your search results will only contain images available within your chosen Special License.
The first time you download an image under a Special License, you will need to subscribe to that license. Follow the prompts and you'll be able to download the image with your desired license.


License #
License Details and Description:
Please contact our Support Team with any questions!
Single Use = 15 credits Limited Use = 40 creditsUnlimited Use = 120 credits

Apparel - Shirts, Hats, Mugs, etc.
BSP-100S
Single Use - Shirts, Hats, Mugs, Etc. (cost: 15 credits per image license)
Single use reproduction on shirts, hats, mugs, calendars, and other small items ala CafePress. Buyer re-purchases a new license for EACH individual product sold. This is not a mass reprinting license, a license is purchased on EACH individual item sold.
[detailed description]
BSP-101L
Limited Use - Shirts, Hats, Mugs, Etc. (cost: 40 credits per image license)
Limited reproduction on shirts, hats, mugs, calendars, and other small items ala CafePress. Buyer pays for right to print up to 5000 products containing the image.
[detailed description]
BSP-102U
Unlimited Use - T-Shirts, Mugs, Hats, Etc. (cost: 120 credits per image license)
Unlimited reproduction rights for one image on shirts, hats, mugs, calendars, cards and other small items ala CafePress for one product. Buyer pays for right to print UNLIMITED number of one product with licensed image.
[detailed description]
Art Prints or Copies
BSP-120S
Single Use - Art Prints or Copies (cost: 15 credits per image license)
Buyer wishes to print, paint, copy or render licensed image on canvas, paper or other mediums. Buyer agrees to license/purchase image for EACH individual copy of the product sold.
[detailed description]
BSP-121L
Limited Use - Art Prints or Copies (cost: 40 credits per image license)
Buyer wishes to print, paint, copy or render licensed image on canvas, paper or other mediums. Buyer purchases right to create up to 5000 copies of his product containing the licensed image.
[detailed description]
BSP-122U
Unlimited Use - Art Prints or Copies (cost: 120 credits per image license)
Buyer wishes to print, paint, copy or render licensed image on canvas, paper or other mediums for distribution. Buyer purchases right to create unlimited copies of one product containing the image. Must repurchase new license for any additional products.
[detailed description]
Offline Software
BSP-110S
Single Use - Within Software (cost: 15 credits per image license)
Buyer wishes to incorporate images larger than 800 pixels or use more than 10 images (the maximum currently allowed within the Photo Usage Agreement) within a distributed software program. Buyer agrees to pay for each BigStockPhoto image, EACH time an individual copy of software is sold or distributed.
[detailed description]
BSP-111L
Limited Use - Within Software (cost: 40 credits per image license)
Buyer wishes to incorporate images larger than 800 pixels or use more than 10 images (the maximum currently allowed within the Photo Usage Agreement) within one distributed software program. Up to 5000 copies of the software will be sold or distributed.
[detailed description]
BSP-112U
Unlimited Use - Within Software (cost: 120 credits per image license)
Buyer wishes to incorporate images larger than 800 pixels or use more than 10 images (the maximum currently allowed within the Photo Usage Agreement) within a distributed software program. Buyer purchases right to sell or distribute unlimited quantities of one software program and to re-purchase new rights for any separate products.
[detailed description]
Online Software, Image Libraries, Etc.
BSP-500L
Limited Use - Online Software (cost: 40 credits per image license)
Buyer wishes to incorporate images into online software such as electronic greeting cards, content management software, web page builders, etc. typically in a size of 800 pixels or less for up to 100,000 users.
[detailed description]
BSP-501U
Unlimited Use - Online Software (cost: 120 credits per image license)
Buyer wishes to incorporate images into online software such as electronic greeting cards, content management software, web page builders, etc. typically in a size of 800 pixels or less for unlimited number of users.
[detailed description]
Other Usages
BSP-130S
Single Use - Other (cost: 15 credits per image license)
Buyer wishes to use BigStockPhoto image for a purpose not described by any of our other BigStockPhoto Special Licenses. Buyer agrees to pay commission for EACH individual copy of his product sold or distributed.
[detailed description]
BSP-131L
Limited Use - Other (cost: 40 credits per image license)
Buyer wishes to use image for a purpose not described by any of our other BigStockPhoto Special Licenses. Buyer purchases right to create up to 5000 copies of his product containing licensed image.
[detailed description]
BSP-132U
Unlimited Use - Other (cost: 120 credits per image license)
Buyer wishes to use licensed image for a purpose not described by any of our other BigStockPhoto Special Licenses. Buyer purchases right to create unlimited copies of one product containing the image. Must repurchase new license for any additional products.
[detailed description]

 

Special Licensing: Some ground rules and how it works

  1. Special Licensing is generally broken into 3 tiers: Single use, limited use (up to 1000 uses) and unlimited use.

  2. Buyer is responsible for re-licensing image online if needed.
    Example 1: You purchase the single use license for a painting you're doing, and then a year later, you have an opportunity to create and sell another painting of that same photo. Since that is two uses, you need to come back and purchase the license again for each use not covered by your earlier license.
    Example 2: You purchase the limited use license for creating 1000 t-shirts. You decide to print and sell a total of 1002 t-shirts. You should come back and purchase 2 single use licenses, or another 1000 use limited license for the image you're using.

  3. Not all images are available under all licenses. The photographers/artists who supply the images decide the licenses they wish to make available.

  4. Editorial-only released images are not suitable for Special Licensing uses, since by definition, editorial images are intended for editorial purposes only, not commercial uses.

  5. A special license does not mean you own the image. There are always limitations since the image is owned by the photographer. Please contact us with any questions.


Who needs a Special License?

Generally permitted without a special license:     Generally NOT permitted without a special license:
•advertisements
•presentations
•book covers
•set designs
•trade show signage
•film or video
•product packaging
•business cards
•scholastic materials
•newsletter, brochure
•invitations
•flyers
•webpage designs
•web templates
•PowerPoint template
•personal use of any kind

 
•posters
•art prints
•paintings
•postcards
•e-cards
•greeting cards
•calendars
•t-shirts
•mugs, hats
•mouse pads
•online galleries
•screensavers

What rules apply to Special Licensing?
Except where otherwise specified within the Special Licensing Terms, our standard Photo Usage Agreement also applies to Special Licensing image purchases.

Are all photos available under the license I need?
No - the photographers decide which licenses they wish to participate in, but MOST images are available under most licenses... so there is a huge selection with any license - but you will want to check to make sure the image YOU need is available. The Photo Details page for each image (see this example of a Photo Details page)has a link in the right side column labeled "View Special Licenses" that will tell you which licenses are available for every photo.


If you have questions: Special Licensing Contact Form

Special Licensing Questions:
Your name:
(same name as in your account if you have a BigStockPhoto account)
Your email:
(same as your account email if you have a BigStockPhoto account)
Your phone:
Some information about your special licensing questions/needs:
Reason for inquiry:
How many copies of your product containing the BigStockPhoto image might you distribute?
(please guess if needed)
Is this a software product?

Please tell us exactly how you plan to use the images in your product. Please describe your poroduct or use as best you can.

Answer as many of these as are applicable:
Are you printing them? One at a time? Large quantities?
Will others have access to the image files at all?
Posting them online? How many users will you have?
What is the price range of your product?
Will they be in a password protected area?
How big do you need to display the images?
Are there other parts to the product you are selling besides the image?

   


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