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Inspiring
May 5, 2023
Question

Do government buildings needs a release

  • May 5, 2023
  • 5 replies
  • 1126 views

Do photos of government buildings have to be listed as editorial? Or can they be listed as commercial, without a release? (Since they are "owned by the public").

If they can be listed as comerical, can video's of said building be listed as well? And if so, how does one go about it? The building is certainly "recognizeable," but as soon as "yes" is selected to that question, a release is required.

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5 replies

Nancy OShea
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 7, 2023

First off,  Editorial content is sourced from trusted partners & news agencies.  Adobe Stock does not accept Editorial content from regular contributors. 

 

Whatever you submit to Stock must be legally cleared for commercial use.  That goes for public or private property, national parks, landmarks and monuments. 

 

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
Jill_C
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 7, 2023

Illustrative Editorial does not require property releases,  it it does have to be related to newsworthy current events.

 

https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/illustrative-editorial-content.html

Jill C., Forum Volunteer
Abambo
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 6, 2023

Sure. You need a release, as soon as the building is identifiable, and it's the main focus of your picture. If you do not need a release, you will need to prove that. You should not ask the community, but the building owner, if a release is needed.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer
Jill_C
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 6, 2023

"Owned By The Public" is irrelevant in terms of establishing your right to take photographs or commercialize such photographs. You can take photographs of anything viewable from public property for your own use. For instance, you can peer through the very tall fence that surrounds the White House to take a picture. But that doesn't necessarily mean that you can sell such photographs. Photographing U.S. military / security installations is generally prohibited. Of course, I suppose you know that selling photographs of private property is not allowed without a release from the owner.


Determining exactly the public structures for which selling photos is allowed is challenging. and I've experienced inconsistencies on my submissions. Some images of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis were accepted, others rejected. Exteriors of some state Capitol buildings were accepted; some, but not all interiors of those capitols rejected. Some California Missions (though these aren't public property per se) accepted, some rejected. Some bridges accepted, some rejected. Some images from Bodie State Park (ghost town in California) were accepted, others rejected. I've sort of taken the position that if I have an image of a public structure or building that may or may not pass, if it requires minimal editing to remove logos and signs, I'll submit it and see what happens. 

Jill C., Forum Volunteer
Legend
May 6, 2023

Adobe don't have a list (and picture reference) of all the government buildings in the world, to apply special rules. So how could they know?

RALPH_L
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 6, 2023

"owned by the public" is not true. You cannot sell or alter your "owned portion" of the property. If not part of a cityscape photo you do need permission from the occupying agency to sell the photo commercially. If photographing is prohibited by law, you cannot photograph privately.