Licensing terms & legal

1. You're licensing a copyright, not buying it. Copyright in a photograph arises automatically for its creator and stays with the photographer; a licence grants you specific usage rights only, never ownership. [US Copyright Office] [Berne Convention · WIPO]
2. Editorial vs. commercial use. Editorial licences cover news, commentary and education and may not be used to sell, promote or monetise a product, service or brand. Commercial licences (advertising, marketing) require the appropriate releases. [Shutterstock]
3. Buildings need extra care — property releases. Photos of recognisable buildings, modern architecture, landmarks, distinctive interiors and other copyrighted works can require a property release (and sometimes the architect's or owner's permission) for commercial use. People who are recognisable require a model release for commercial use. [iStock] [Getty Images]
4. "Freedom of panorama" varies by country. Photographing buildings from public places is generally allowed, but several countries — including France, Belgium and Italy — restrict the commercial use of images of certain buildings or public artworks. You are responsible for ensuring your use complies with the law in your jurisdiction. [Freedom of panorama] [Wikimedia Commons]
5. Photographer warranties. By opting in to license an image, the contributing photographer warrants that they own or control the rights to it and that licensing it does not knowingly infringe any third party's rights.
6. Buildings ID's role, and how the money splits. Buildings ID acts as a facilitator/agent connecting the photographer (licensor) and you (licensee); it is not the copyright owner. Buildings ID charges a 25% service fee on each licence for handling the transaction; the contributing photographer receives the remaining 75%. The licence price and the split are confirmed in writing before any payment is taken.
7. Your responsibility. You must choose a licence that matches your intended use and obtain any additional clearances (model or property releases) that your specific use requires.
8. Records, scope and misuse. Buildings ID keeps a record of every licence issued — image, licensee, licence tier, stated use, territory, duration, date and price. Using an image outside the scope you stated is a breach of licence: you will be asked to purchase the correct licence for the actual use, and Buildings ID may request reasonable evidence of how the image has been used. Licensed files carry embedded credit and licence metadata (IPTC/XMP) and are delivered individually, so any file can be traced back to the licence it was issued under.
9. Withdrawal & disputes. Photographers may withdraw images from licensing at any time; valid existing licences are unaffected. Suspected infringement is handled under our takedown/notice policy, and may be referred to a copyright-enforcement service acting on the photographer's behalf.