As a graphics professional, making adroit, informed use of photography is as crucial to you as is the use of a scalpel by a surgeon, and one of the most significant developments in the graphic design world has been the relatively recent emergence of the availability of "royalty-free" stock photography. These are stock photos you can buy outright-- and use any way you want, as much as you want. This is a significant departure from the more traditional way of doing business with photo agencies-- where you lease the use of a picture for a specific purpose at a negotiated price.

The key is knowing when to opt for royalty-free-- and when not to.

There are times when "royalty free" is your best solution. But there are times when not knowing the pitfalls of royalty-free can lead you to disaster.

And there are times when traditional "rights protected" stock photography is the only avenue a true professional would consider, despite additional cost and complexity

Which is which, and when is when?

Getting clear, unbiased information can be difficult:

Traditional stock agencies have nothing good to say about "royalty free" (they see it as a threat to their revenue-stream)
Royalty-free purveyors would like to convince you there’s never a good reason to pay extra money or endure the "hassle" of "rights protected" stock (and they're not going to point out the dangers and downside of royalty-free).

They’re both wrong. But no-one’s going to tell you about that-- except Comstock. Because we sell both.

 This puts us in a unique position to be completely candid about the advantages and disadvantages of each-- and that’s what this document is all about.

Sure, we’d like you to consider Comstock when it comes time to find a great picture, "rights protected", "royalty free", or a combination of both. But whether you're working with us or anyone else, the crucial, insider information you'll find here will help you do it.

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