If your image features a private building or private place you may need written permission from the owner of the property or place, before you can sell that image commercially. This written permission is called a property release and it represents the owner's consent to have the property or place photographed and an agreement that they have no say in how the image is used by you.
It is not always obvious when you need to have a property release for an image. The information below contains some general rules but is no way a definitive guide.
- You need a property release for any images you upload that feature recognisable interiors of buildings or private homes, including your own. Usually, out of focus walls as a background, for example, wouldn't require a release however.
- Exterior images of most public buildings will not require a property release.
- Exterior shots of privately owned buildings will require a property release if they are the main subject of your image.
- If a private building is not the main subject of your image, if say it's part of a skyline, you will not need a release.
- Most commercial property including shops and shopping centres will require a property release.
- As a rule, if you have to pay an entrance fee to get in somewhere, you will need a property release.
- Always get a signed property release before you start shooting.
- Make sure that the owner of the property fully understands the release before signing it.
- The photographer also needs to sign the property release.
- Make sure that you have the relevant property releases, before you submit your images to Pocketstock.
- Before an image can be accepted for sale as a Creative Rights Managed or Creative Royalty Free image it will need a release for any identifiable property in the photograph. Images uploaded without a release may only be selected for the Street (Editorial) Rights Managed collection.
- Each release needs to have an image of the property attached.
- The easiest property releases to submit are via a number of property release apps approved by RooM. You can use the links in the Property Release app section at the bottom of this page to download the apps. Only the RooM approved apps listed in this section may be used.
- Release scans need to be uploaded as a JPG, PDF, DOC, DOCX or an ODT file.
See Releases for Properties:
Easy Release version 3.0.130926
Top Model Release version 1.0.5
AndroidEasy Release version 1.8.130516
Currently we are unable to accept property releases generated via any app in China. However, we may be able to accept a Chinese language property release generated via an approved app and signed outside of China. Images associated with this release may still be licensed in China.
RooM will continue to review new property release apps as they are launched. However, contributors are responsible for ensuring they are using the correct version of our approved property release apps at the time of image upload to RooM.
