Stock Photography

About Rights Managed Stock Photos (RM)

A rights managed stock photo is a high-quality photograph that is licensed for a specific use. The license fee is calculated according to several factors, including size, placement, press run, duration of use, exclusivity requirements and geographic distribution. Rights managed images on this site can be identified by the "Rights Managed" notation located below respective photos.

Why Clients Choose RM Stock Photography

Clients choose RM stock photography for quality and conflict control. Image quality is typically superior to that of royalty free images, which are traditionally photographer outtakes or images made by amateurs supporting an expensive hobby. Our rights managed image collection is comprised of photos that have been carefully selected based on our criteria for quality visual content and technical perfection, and although our royalty free images are better than most, they generally do not meet these strict criteria. Usage conflicts are also reduced or eliminated when using RM photos, because we carefully track all usage and offer various levels of exclusive rights for an additional fee.

Requesting a Price Quote

You can request a price quote by using our stock photography quote form or by contacting us. In order to receive an accurate quote, you will need to provide information specifying your usage requirements. This information will determine both the rights to be granted and your licensing fee.

If you don't know the exact details, please make a rough estimate, being as specific as possible. This will allow us to provide a ballpark estimate. Once you have all of the details required, we can provide a final quote and write your license.

Please Note: Your license agreement will be written according to the information that you provide. Please be sure this information is accurate before a license is issued, because any usage beyond the terms of the license agreement will require additional licensing and fees.

Information Required for a Quote

You will be asked for the following information before we can issue a quote, and in some cases, we might suggest that you provide a layout or mockup showing how the image will be used.

• Usage Type: brochure, print ad, web ad, website design, billboard, etc.
• Image Placement: front cover, back cover, inside cover, gatefold, inside page, etc.
• Relative Size: wrap, double-page, full-page, 3/4-page, 1/2-page, 1/4-page or 1/8-page
• Press Run or Circulation: 10,000 brochures, 20,000 calendars, ad in magazine w/a circulation of 250,000 copies, etc.
• Usage Start Date: start date for image licensing period
• Duration of Use: one time, 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, etc. Also see Unlimited Usage below.
• Geographic Distribution: local, regional, country or international
• Layout Dimensions: dimensions of entire layout measured in pixels or inches at a specified dpi
• Image Dimensions: image dimensions measured in pixels or inches at a specified dpi
• Additional Use: web, other electronic, reprints, copyright updates, additional languages, etc.
• Exclusivity: spot, industry, use or total
• Industry Type: required to control usage conflicts - does not influence price
• Image Delivery Deadline: date that you need the image

We recommend using our stock photography quote form, but you can also contact us by phone or email. Please be prepared to provide all of the information that we require. Otherwise, we cannot provide a quote.

About Exclusivity

In addition to standard RM licensing, you can purchase exclusive rights to prevent or limit others from using the same image for the duration of your license period. We offer four levels of exclusivity to meet your needs and your budget:

• Spot Exclusivity - This is the narrowest most inexpensive form of exclusivity, which prohibits re-licensing of the same image for the same use to the same industry during the same timeframe.
  

  Example: You are in the travel industry and license a photo for use on a billboard for a given month. If you purchase spot exclusivity, we cannot re-license the same image to others in the same industry for billboard use during the same timeframe.

• Industry Exclusivity - This form of exclusivity prohibits re-licensing of the same image for any use to the same industry during the same timeframe.
  

  Example: You are in the travel industry and license a photo for use on a billboard for a given month. If you purchase industry exclusivity, we cannot re-license the same image to others in the same industry for any use during the same month.

• Use Exclusivity - This form of exclusivity prohibits re-licensing of the same image for the same use across all industries during the same timeframe.
  

  Example: You are in the travel industry and license a photo for use on a billboard for a given month. If you purchase use exclusivity, we cannot re-license the same image across all industries for the same use (billboards) during the same month.

• Total Exclusivity - This is the most comprehensive form of exclusivity that we offer. It prohibits re-licensing of the same image for any use across all industries in the same territory during the same timeframe.
  

  Example: You are in the travel industry and license a photo for international use on a billboard for a given month. If you purchase total exclusivity, we cannot re-license the same image across all industries, internationally, for any use during the same month.

About Additional Usage

Rights managed images are licensed for a specific use and cannot be used beyond the terms of the license agreement. Another license and additional fees are required for any additional use or re-use of the image.

Examples of common additional uses are website graphics, Internet advertisements, reprints, copyright updates and publications printed in additional languages.

An additional usage license is not required when the image is used within the context of your product. For example, if you purchase an image for a product label, you can use a picture of your product label for promotional purposes.

Unlimited Usage of RM Stock Photos

While one-time usage for a rights managed photo may cost very little, an unlimited license might seem expensive, especially if for an unlimited period of time. One-time usage rates typically range between $125 and $1,200. Therefore, one should expect to pay more for usage without limitation and even more for usage without limitation over extended period of time.

Although we offer large discounts for unlimited usage, our quote will be in the thousands. If you would like unlimited usage of an image but cannot afford a rights managed photo, we suggest searching our royalty free images for a suitable alternative. Royalty free photos have few usage restrictions and are licensed for a flat rate for an unlimited period of time.

Discounts on Stock Photography

We offer discounts for multi-year, multi-use and multi-image licensing, because time is saved by writing broad contracts. We also offer discounts to frequent customers, because we value repeat clients and the benefits associated with an established working relationship.

We must be paid appropriately for or services, so we do not discount based on exposure, prestige or the promise of future business. We also cannot discount based on your inability to pay for professional photography.

Our Goal in RM Stock Photography Pricing

Our goal in RM stock photography pricing is to provide images at affordable rates relative to your project investment. Simply stated, we charge less for small projects and more for large projects. Our rate for an inexpensive brochure will be considerably less than our rate for an image used in a $50,000 ad campaign. We realize that the image you choose will be a major component of your campaign, and we hope that you realize our rates are an absolute bargain in respect to your project investment.

If you feel we haven't met this goal, please let us know.

About Royalty Free Stock Photos (RF)

With royalty free stock photos, you pay only once for an image that can be used for multiple projects over an unlimited period of time, and the license fee is based solely on image size. Royalty free images on this site can be identified by the "Royalty Free" notation located below respective photos.

Why Clients Choose Royalty Free Stock Photography

Clients choose our royalty free stock photography as a flexible and inexpensive alternative to rights managed photos. Practically everyone can afford royalty free photos, and they are sold on a non-exclusive basis. We do not record industry data when licensing, so there is always a potential for conflict with your competitor using the same image. Therefore, royalty free images are typically suitable for smaller, complimentary uses, while right-managed images are more suitable for the primary focus of your project.

How to Buy Royalty Free Stock Photography

All of our royalty free photos can be purchased online using our shopping cart. Upon receiving your order, we will contact you regarding license and image download details. Downloads will be delivered in a .ZIP file containing your JPEG image(s), royalty free license agreement and invoice.

Purchase Options for Royalty Free Images

Purchase options and respective prices for royalty free images are located below each large image.

Summary of Our Royalty Free License

The term "royalty free" means that no additional fees are charged if the image is used within the terms of our Royalty Free License Agreement. Briefly summarized, this license will grant you the non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sub-licensable right to use the image an unlimited number of times in any and all media for:

• advertising and promotional materials;
• print publications and physical products;
• broadcast and theatrical exhibitions;
• electronic publications including website design (up to a maximum 1,200 pixels on the longest dimension); and
• any other usage approved in writing by tobinphoto.com.

You may use our royalty free images on a computer or a network that can be viewed by your employees, partners and clients, but images may not be distributed or placed on a network or in any location that allows authorized distribution or use.

Our images or any rights granted by our license agreement may not be:

• sublicensed, re-licensed, sold, assigned, conveyed or transferred;
• distributed on Photo CD, website, electronic template or by any other means intended to be reproduced by third parties on electronic or printed products;
• licensed or distributed in any derivative work in any manner that would allow a third party to download, extract or access the image(s) as a standalone file or entity;
• incorporated into a logo, trademark or service mark;
• posted online in a downloadable format or in a manner that enables it to be distributed via mobile telephone devices;
• used in a pornographic, defamatory or otherwise illegal manner, whether directly or in context or juxtaposition with other materials; and
• used in an editorial manner without including the following credit adjacent to the image: “John Tobin/tobinphoto.com".

Please note that the “Summary of Our Royalty Free License” above, is only a brief summarization of our Royalty Free License Agreement, and in no way, in part or in its entirety, should this summarization be considered a component of our final license agreement with you. Image usage is restricted to the terms and conditions agreed upon before or at the time of delivery of the image(s).

Copyright is NOT transferred upon licensing of any image.

Exclusivity

Exclusive rights are not available under a royalty free license. However, you may contact us regarding the possibility of acquiring exclusive rights to one of our royalty free photos. If the image is not widely distributed, it may be possible to discontinue offering it as royalty free photo and license it under an exclusive rights managed license.

Discounts on Stock Photography

We do not offer discounts on royalty free photos.

Our goal is to provide technically excellent images to our clients. In addition to practicing good field technique, the best possible equipment is used.

Our Digital Workflow

In order to provide consistent and predictable results, we adhere to a strict digital workflow. All image corrections are made using high quality graphics monitors, which are frequently calibrated using a colorimeter. Our digital imaging workflow is as follows:

• Transparencies are scanned as TIFFs at a native resolution of 4,000 dpi, or camera RAW files are converted to PhotoShop format.
• Image density is adjusted, color corrections are made and any dust that may have been on the transparency during scanning or digital camera sensor is removed.
• IPTC information, including caption and location, is imbedded and a camera-native-resolution master file is saved.
• Masters are resized according to delivery specifications using PhotoShop bicubic interpolation and are saved as a high quality JPEG file.
• Other than with 500x750-pixel images, which are sharpened for electronic display and small print jobs, we either do not sharpen or apply only a mild amount of unsharp mask to our digital images. We never over sharpen images and suggest that you apply the appropriate amount of unsharp mask for your output device.

Digital Stock Photography Sizes

A large number of our digital photos are 35mm equivalent, so we generally offer a maximum native size of about 12x18 inches at 300 dpi. However, the maximum printable size for our photos is typically much greater than 12x18 inches. As with ours, most images on the market today are 35mm equivalent, and maximum printable size is largely determined by technical quality, interpolation method and output media. We take great care in bringing you some of the best photos available, and you will find that most of our images are appropriate for both small brochures and large billboards.

Stock Image Formats

Our stock photography is typically available in JPEG or camera RAW format. Please note that royalty free images are not available in RAW format. In special cases, an original 35mm transparency may be available for an additional fee (rights-managed photos only).

Prepress Suggestions

We attempt to err toward conservative in regards to color saturation, contrast and unsharp mask. Therefore, you should consider increasing color saturation and contrast during prepress. We also suggest adjusting density and applying unsharp mask as required for your output device.

Fulfillment

If no special requirements are requested, digital stock photos are typically prepared and delivered within one or two working days. Our standard delivery methods are as follows:

• Internet Download or FTP: Upon purchasing a usage license, you will receive an email notice from us, which includes passwords and instructions for accessing the restricted download area of our website. Your license agreement, image(s), and receipt will be combined in a single Zip file, which can be downloaded using any Internet browser.
• CD by Mail: You can also request JPEG, TIFF and RAW image delivery via CD. There is a $25 charge for CD burning and USPS Priority Mail shipping (USA and Canada only). We will also ship the CD via carrier of your choice if you provide us with your courier account number.
• Email: Unless you specify otherwise, images up to 10 megabytes in size may be delivered by email.