PhotoShelter allows photographers of all sorts to upload, publicize, and sell images online. All images found on our site are property of the photographers who have uploaded them, which means that if you wish to purchase an image, you would need to do so from the photographer directly. Not all images that appear on the site may be priced for online sale-- we leave it up the photographers who use our service to decide whether or not images should be available for immediate purchase. If you’d like to purchase an image that does not appear to be available for purchase, please contact the photographer.
Filling Your Cart
1. You’ll know an image is for sale on a photographer’s site if you see an "Add to Cart," "Buy," or cart button (depending on the particular design that photographer has chosen for their site) next to the image.
Note: You may see a “Download” button, which will prompt you to login or enter a password when you click it. This button is for use only by clients to whom the photographer has granted free download access. If you are a client of the photographer and have been given free download access, visit this article for more info on how to download your images.
2. Upon clicking the "Add to Cart," "Buy," or cart button, you will see a box indicating the types of purchases the photographer has made available. If the photographer is selling downloads, you will either see the license options right away, or they will be found under a "Downloads" tab in the box. Any of the following licenses may be available:
- Personal-Use License
- Royalty-Free License (Commercial/Editorial Use)
- Rights-Managed License (Commercial/Editorial Use)
Personal-Use License
This is the appropriate choice if you wish to download an image for personal use only. If you plan on using the image in any way that may generate a profit, this is not the license type for you. A typical personal-use license may be purchased for at-home printing, screensavers, slideshows, invitations, personal online profiles, etc., according to the terms and conditions of the License Agreement.
Upon selecting the personal-use option when you add an image to your cart, you will be able to choose the size of the download you wish to receive. The sizes you see here are predetermined by the photographer, and may range from a small 500 pixel download all the way up an original size download. Just choose the option that is best for you, and click "Add to Cart.”
Once you've accessed your cart and are ready to checkout, click the "Checkout" button to proceed with the purchase. We'll first ask you whether you're a returning visitor (with a login) or if you'd like to proceed as a guest (doesn't require you to log in). Then, we'll ask you to provide your email address (only if you selected that "guest" option). Finally, you will be asked to review your order, then you can remit payment and call it a day!
A few minutes after you have purchased a personal-use download, you will receive an email containing a link at which the image can be downloaded. This link will be active for 10 days following purchase. If your link expires before you get a chance to download, contact PhotoShelter support and we’ll help you out!
Note: If you have any questions or concerns about your order after completing payment, please contact the photographer.
Royalty-Free License
The "Royalty-Free" option is a commercial license type which allows you to license the image from the photographer at a particular size, for one set price. You may then use the image however you want, whenever you want, according to the terms and conditions of the License Agreement.
You will know a photographer is offering Royalty-Free licensing if this immediately appears as an option when adding an image to your cart, or if upon selecting “Downloads” > “Commercial/Editorial Use” after adding an image to your cart, the dialog box indicates this option:
Here you will be able to choose the size of the image file you wish to license. The sizes you see here are predetermined by the photographer, and may range from a small 500 pixel download all the way up an original size download. Just choose the option that is best for you, and click "Add to Cart.”
Once you've accessed your cart and are ready to checkout, click the "Checkout" button to proceed with the purchase. We'll first ask you whether you're a returning visitor (with a login) or if you'd like to proceed as a guest (doesn't require you to log in). Then, we'll ask you to provide your email address (only if you selected that "guest" option). Finally, you will be asked to review your order, then you can remit payment and call it a day!
A few minutes after you have purchased a royalty-free license, you will receive an email containing a link at which the image can be downloaded. This link will be active for 10 days following purchase. If your link expires before you get a chance to download, contact PhotoShelter support and we’ll help you out!
Note: If you have any questions or concerns about your order after completing payment, please contact the photographer.
Rights-Managed License
A "Rights-Managed" license is a commercial license type that allows you to use an image for a specific usage and duration, according to the terms and conditions of the License Agreement. The cost of the license depends on the extent and prominence of the image's use.
You will know a photographer is offering Rights-Managed licensing if this immediately appears as an option when adding an image to your cart, or if upon selecting “Downloads” > “Commercial/Editorial Use” after adding an image to your cart, the dialog box indicates this option:
Here, you'll find the rights-managed pricing calculator. This calculator will require you to enter your specific usage information for the image in order to be quoted a price. For example, if you wanted to use the image for an advertisement on the back cover of a magazine with a US circulation of 500,000, the calculator you see here would allow you to choose those terms, and be presented with an immediate license price (you must make selections from all the available drop-down boxes provided in order for the price to generate).
If you're happy with the usage you've selected and the price you've been quoted, click the "Add to Cart" button to place the image and its associated licensing terms in your shopping cart.
Once you've accessed your cart and are ready to checkout, click the "Checkout" button to proceed with the purchase. We'll first ask you whether you're a returning visitor (with a login) or if you'd like to proceed as a guest (doesn't require you to log in). Then, we'll ask you to provide your email address (only if you selected that "guest" option). Last step is to review your order, and then you can remit payment and call it a day!
A few minutes after you have purchased a rights-managed license, you'll receive an email containing a link at which the image can be downloaded. This link will be active for 10 days following purchase. If your link expires before you get a chance to download, contact PhotoShelter's Technical Support and we’ll help you out!
Because your rights-managed license is associated with the specific terms you just chose, we will deliver it to you as a .zip file. You can simply double-click on the .zip file to open it, and it will contain all of the following:
- The image
- An XMP sidecar containing the specific usage rights
- A Text file containing the specific usage rights
The usage rights are also embedded in the image file. The usage rights will indicate what the license allows and who the licensee is. For example:
"Usage rights agreed upon for this image are: United States, Advertorial.Print.Magazine, Back cover, Up to 500,000 ** Licensed to Joe Smith / Joe's Ad Co. **"
Note: If you experience any technical difficulties while checking out, feel free to contact PhotoShelter’s Technical Support. If you have any questions or concerns about the contents of your order after completing payment, please contact the photographer.