Licensed Images Assignment

"" by latca is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 
Photo of a New York City crowd on the sidewalk.

Many people assume that if a photo is on the Internet, it's free to use and this is not the case at all. Copyright law states that if you did not create it, license it, or purchase it, you are likely violating artist copyright laws and this could land you in some serious trouble. If options 1 and 3 are out of your reach, option 2 (image licensing) can be a great way to access hundreds of quality photos.

Licensed images allow general users to find appropriate media to enhance their text, graphics, or any online project they are trying to execute. Image licensing ensures that people are being properly credited through this system of image sharing and it also allows for some minimal exposure to be received by the photographer. While the system is clear and direct, people continue to violate these rules thinking that the millions of daily Internet users will be able to cover their tracks. Well, many large firms have dedicated employees called "trolls" or "spiders" that seek out any people violating copyright laws and using photos without permission. These charges could cost from $750 all the way up to $150,000 depending on the level of copyright infringement.