Adding Images to Your PowerPoint: Public Domain, Royalty-Free and Rights-Managed Photography
The Internet makes it incredibly simple to reinforce a
slideshow with pictures on almost any topic. There
there are many stock photo websites that offer images,
illustrations and vector-based art for one price. other websites
display “free” photos for anyone to use, with or without
limitations. Here are three types of copyright restrictions
every presenter should know.
Public domain:
Artworks placed in the Public Domain simply signify the
person who created that image has decided not to enforce
any copyright protection. It could be an individual who simply
want to share the work with others, or it could be a work of art
created by a government agency with public funding. Year
An example of the latter would be the images of the Earth taken by
NASA astronauts. Because the financing of space
exploration came from the Federal Government, NASA
Post your images for public use.
One exception to the “freedom” of the Public Domain is that an image
featuring people or products still have limitations attached. HAS
the photo of a Coca-Cola bottle can be found in a public
domain collection, but the shape of that bottle is still a
trademark of Coca-Cola Company. Also, unless a
model release is on file with the photographer, images with
identifiable people must be used (close or clear faces)
carefully. Imagine how you would feel if your own image
appeared in a presentation on foot fungus or bad breath!
There is a big difference between something being public,
and Public Domain. It is not legal to use a photograph of
any website simply because it is visible to “the public”. Even
a photo of Granny’s 80th birthday is under the same copyright
like the works of Ansel Adams or Dorothea Lange. if you find
an image of an individual’s home page using a search
engine, it can be as simple as asking for permission to use
the file in your show. You will be surprised how many
people would be flattered to have taken a useful photo and
give you the go-ahead. Especially for a low profile
presentation in a classroom or at a small business meeting.
free kingdom:
RF images are generally released for use in any project:
presentations, print and multimedia works – and for
prolonged periods of time. They are usually priced for the size of
the image, as larger images cost more than smaller ones
one is. Restrictions may still apply, especially when it comes to
to how the images will be distributed to third parties.
Many websites offering royalty-free images combine the
portfolios of numerous artists to create a larger database of
Photographs. These artists accept royalty-free terms
in exchange for compensation, turning the website into a kind of
intermediary for the PowerPoint user. The copyright of a
the image is retained by the photographer, and is “lent” to
the end user for presentation.
Rights Managed or Rights Restricted:
Pricing for managed artwork is based on a variety of factors;
duration of use; the delivery method; how many people
see it (impressions); who will see it (public or private), etc.
A photo displayed in PowerPoint during a small town church
sermon would cost significantly less than a photo used in a
presentation during the press conference of a new
car.
As with royalty-free images, the copyright still belongs to
photographer in most cases. A photographer photographing a
specific assignment for a client, or on the payroll of a stock
company can assign those rights based on
agreements agreed with the end user or agency
involved.
Big and notable websites like Corbis and Getty Images
they built their businesses on rights-managed photography.
Both now also offer royalty-free options. A lot of
smaller royalty-free websites, known as “micro-stocks”,
prosper with low prices and high volume.
When using any image in a PowerPoint presentation, it is
It is important to understand the constraints involved. When in
Doubt, speak it. Contact the person or agency offering the
photos and know your rights!
