A: If you are reading this answer, the chances are that you have several people in your organization who might want to make use of the images you have purchased from us. It is good that you are familiarizing yourself with this issue, because running afoul of it (with us or any photo agency) can cause you to engage in an "infringement of copyright" which is subject to severe penalties.

So let's talk about the concept underlying the "10 User Limit", and then we'll discuss what you can do if you think you need to exceed that limit.

The underlying concept
Royalty-free is intended to be purchased and used by one person. If you are a graphic designer, you might purchase one of our discs and then use images on it as you design projects for your clients. Or, if you own your own business and do your own design work, you would use the images on it, as you need them, for the various projects you do to promote your own business.

But the fact is that quite often an organization that purchases from us has SEVERAL designers on staff, and, since the firm itself has purchased, in fairness, we allow up to 10 designers to access and make use of the images purchased... But 10 is the limit, and you'll notice that our license is not a "simultaneous user" agreement, meaning it applies to 10 unique individuals accessing the images, whether simultaneously or not.

Implications
Suppose your firm has twelve designers on staff. You'll need to select ten of them who can have access to the images and can use them in projects they may be working on. But two of them cannot. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. And, if they do, you will be infringing the lawful copyright on the images.  Or, you can purchase additional seat licenses by contacting us.

How much do seat licenses cost?
It depends on a variety of factors, including how many people will be accessing the images, how many of our products you buy (the more you buy, the more attractive the price we can provide). To learn more, click here.

Bottom line?
If you are putting our images on a server, or if you have a central library of images that can be accessed by more than 10 people, you need to get a seat license or you will be infringing our photographers' lawful copyright. Penalties for doing so

And remember: the "10 User Limit" refers to 10 people in YOUR organization. No-one OUTSIDE your particular organization may use the images AT ALL unless they, themselves, ALSO purchase the images from us. This comes into play when you are selling projects to your clients that contain our images or, as another example, if you are doing such things as website templates or templated greeting cards, postcards or brochures.

Learn more about Seat Licenses

close window