Image licensing
Licensethe work.
Photographs from the Observed Presence archive are available to license for editorial, commercial and educational use — wildlife from Kruger National Park and Hawaiʻi, street and architecture from Barcelona, Paris, Istanbul, New York and Los Angeles, and a deep archive of South Pasadena.
Most licenses are quoted for the specific use — starting prices are below, and a quote typically comes back within 48 hours. For classroom use, presentations and business websites there are fixed-price licenses you can buy today.
Uses
Three kinds of license.
Fees reflect where the image appears, how large, for how long and to how many people. Starting prices are for a single image and a modest use; tell me those four things and the quote is quick.
i.
Editorial
Publication in a news, documentary or informational context.
- Magazines & newspapers
- Books & book covers
- Online articles
From $150 Covers from $450
ii.
Commercial
Advertising, print and products that promote a business, quoted for the specific use.
- Advertising & brand
- Hospitality & interiors
- Packaging & merchandise
From $450 Just your website or a deck? See fixed prices
iii.
Educational & nonprofit
Published educational, museum and nonprofit work, at reduced rates. Classroom and student use is free.
- Textbooks & courseware
- Museums & exhibitions
- Nonprofit campaigns
From $100 Classroom use? Free download
Two tiers. Archive images are licensed at the rates above. Collection images — the signature series, also offered as limited-edition prints — are licensed at twice these rates. Every image page shows its tier.
Fixed price
Standard licenses.
For the most common uses there’s no quote and no back-and-forth: pick the license on any image’s page and pay online. Prices depend on the use and the tier, never on the individual photograph.
Classroom & student
- Teaching, coursework and school presentations
- 1600px file with a small credit in the corner
- Non-commercial use only; keep the credit
Download from the image’s page. Classroom terms.
Find an image →Presentation
- Business decks, talks and internal documents
- High-resolution file on payment
- Collection images $79
Not for ads, websites, print or video distribution. Terms.
Buy license →Website & social
- One business’s website, blog and newsletter
- Its organic social posts and profiles
- Renews yearly; cancel anytime online
- Collection images $395
Not for paid ads, print or resale. Terms.
Buy license →Choose an image first: open its page and use “Use this image”, or browse the archive. Photographs of identifiable people are licensed for editorial and educational use only.
What’s available
The full archive.
Any image on this site can be licensed. Browse by subject, or start with the collections.
Photographs of identifiable people are licensed for editorial use. Commercial use of those images requires a model release, which may not be available — ask and I’ll confirm before quoting. Images released as limited-edition prints remain available for editorial and commercial licensing, but not for reproduction as prints or wall art.
Process
How it works.
1
Choose the image
Send its title, collection, or a link to the page it appears on.
2
Describe the use
Medium, size or placement, territory, duration, and print run or audience.
3
Receive a quote
Fee and terms, typically within 48 hours, with a written license agreement. Fixed-price licenses skip this step.
4
Pay & get the file
Pay by card or invoice. The high-resolution file follows within one business day.
Questions
Before you ask.
What file will I receive?
The full-resolution file, prepared for your output (web, print or screen). If you need a specific size for a large print use, say so in your request and I’ll confirm before you pay.
How do I pay?
By card or by invoice. The fixed-price website license is paid by card at checkout. Quoted licenses are invoiced, and the invoice can be paid by card or bank transfer.
Is the license exclusive?
No — licenses are non-exclusive by default. Exclusive use for a period, an industry or a territory can be quoted.
Can I use a photograph of a person commercially?
Only with a model release, which may not exist for street and documentary work. Those images are licensed for editorial use. Ask and I’ll confirm before quoting.
What if my use grows?
Extend the term or add uses at any time; you pay the difference, not a new fee.
Do I need to credit the photographer?
Editorial uses carry the credit “© Stephen E. Rossi / Observed Presence”. For commercial and website uses, credit is appreciated but optional.
Why do some images cost more?
Collection images are the signature series, also offered as limited-edition prints, and are licensed at twice the archive rates. Each image page shows its tier.
Can students and teachers use the photographs?
Yes — archive images are free for non-commercial classroom and student use. Download a credited 1600px file from the image’s page.
How quickly will I hear back?
Quotes typically within 48 hours. Files within one business day of payment. If you have a hard deadline, put it in the form.
Request a quote
Tell me about the project.
The more specific the use, the faster and more precise the quote. Not sure which image? Describe what you need and I’ll suggest options from the archive.
All images © Stephen E. Rossi. Use without a license is not permitted.
Request received.
Thank you. You’ll have a quote,
typically within 48 hours.