Commercial Photography License & Usage Terms
These terms apply to commercial photography and digital image files licensed by Portrait South. Your invoice, estimate, proposal or agreement identifies the specific images, services and usage rights included with your project.
Your Portrait South invoice, estimate, proposal or agreement defines the specific services, usage rights and fees for your project and works together with these general Commercial Photography License & Usage Terms.
Copyright & Ownership
All photographs and digital image files created by Portrait South remain the copyrighted property of Portrait South unless copyright ownership is expressly transferred in a separate written agreement. Payment for photography services or delivery of digital files does not transfer copyright ownership.
The client receives permission to use the delivered images according to the commercial usage license specified for the project. Purchasing or receiving a digital image file is not the same as purchasing the copyright to that image.
Unless otherwise stated in the applicable invoice, proposal or agreement, commercially licensed images may be used by the licensed organization for its own marketing, advertising, promotional, informational and organizational purposes.
Authorized uses may include websites, social media, billboards, signs, banners, print advertisements, programs, publications, displays and other promotional materials produced for the licensed organization.
Any project-specific usage rights or limitations stated on the Portrait South invoice, estimate, proposal or agreement take precedence over these general terms.
What Commercial Use Is Permitted?
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Yes. The licensed organization may provide necessary image files to printers, sign companies, graphic designers, advertising agencies, web designers, publications or similar production vendors when needed to create authorized materials on behalf of the organization.
Providing files to a production vendor does not transfer copyright or grant that vendor independent rights to use, sell, distribute or license the photographs. Files should be used only for producing the materials authorized by the licensed organization.
Can Files Be Sent to Printers, Sign Companies or Designers?
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A commercial usage license is issued to the organization identified on the applicable invoice or agreement and does not automatically include personal-use digital files for employees, students, athletes, board members, parents, guardians, families or other individuals appearing in the photographs.
High-resolution or original digital files are not included for personal printing, personal distribution or independent use unless specifically stated in the project agreement. When personal-use photographs or digital files are available, they may be purchased separately through Portrait South.
Can Digital Files Be Shared With Employees, Students or Families?
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Image Cropping & Alterations
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Images may be reasonably resized, cropped or incorporated into layouts as necessary for their authorized use. This includes normal adjustments required for advertisements, websites, social media, signs, billboards and other approved formats.
Images should not be materially altered, heavily filtered, manipulated or edited in a way that changes the appearance or intent of the original photograph, misrepresents the individuals depicted, or misrepresents the work of Portrait South without prior permission.
Commercial usage rights are granted specifically to the organization identified in the applicable Portrait South invoice, proposal or agreement. The license may not be sold, sublicensed, assigned or transferred to an unrelated business, organization or individual without written permission from Portrait South.
If the licensed organization undergoes a merger, acquisition, reorganization or name change, continued use by a successor organization may be permitted when specifically included in the applicable project documents or otherwise authorized in writing by Portrait South.
Transfer & Sublicensing
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The duration, territory, exclusivity and scope of a commercial license are determined by the applicable Portrait South invoice, proposal, estimate or agreement.
When a project specifically includes perpetual commercial usage, the licensed organization may continue authorized use without an additional time-based licensing fee, subject to the terms and limitations of the original license. A perpetual license grants continuing authorized use of the photographs; it does not transfer copyright ownership.
License Duration & Territory
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Portrait South understands that marketing needs can change over time. If an organization would like to use an image in a way that is not clearly covered by its original license, please contact Portrait South before distributing or using the image for the new purpose.
Additional uses can often be accommodated through written permission or an expanded commercial license.
Questions about your commercial image license or additional usage?
Portrait-South.com/contact
Questions or Additional Usage
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Terms last updated September 2026