Photographs can be effective storytelling tools for nonprofit organizations. 

They illustrate your nonprofit’s mission, demonstrate how you are impacting people’s lives and, when used correctly, can help you raise the funds necessary to continue your mission.

When considering whether to use a photograph for these purposes, however, you need to evaluate two things:

• Copyright – Do I have the right to use the photograph?

• Publicity Rights –  Do I need a photo release for individuals or property depicted in the photograph?

  • We’ll cover publicity rights and photo releases in an upcoming article.

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Copyright

Copyright is a form of protection that was first established in 1790 by the United States Constitution and promotes intellectual creativity by allowing the author of a work to reap the fruits of that work.

Since then, this principal has been applied to photography as follows:

1. In most circumstances, the creator of the original work—the photographer—is the author and the original copyright owner.

2. A photographer can sell or give the copyright to another person, but most often merely grants a license (gives permission) to others to use the photograph for a particular purpose.

3. For photographs created since 1978, copyright protection lasts for the life of the photographer plus 70 years after the photographer’s death.

Common Myths

To learn more about copyright, see this helpful overview by the U.S. Copyright Office:  https://www.copyright.gov/what-is-copyright/

Still Unsure About Copyright?

If you are still unsure about copyright and whether you have the right to use a photograph for any purpose, seek independent legal advice to avoid any potential liabilities.

About Us

We are a New York-based photography services company specializing in crafting visual narratives for nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

Our expertise:

• Documentary-style photography

• Drone photography and videography

• Disaster response photography

• Visual campaigns for fundraising and advocacy

• Event photography

• Headshots and environmental portraits

Cover photo:  Sunrise solar eclipse, June 10, 2021. © Kevin Suttlehan

Contact us to learn more about what we can do for your organization.