Using images in your logo

[Gav]

Hi

I have looked at istockimages and getty images and found some nice photos to use as part of my logo but when checking the terms of use etc i can't use them as part of an online logo. I think it was only gettyimages which allows you to declare this but it then prices it on its use and for one image it quoted over £1,000 which i am never going to pay.

Where can i get images from which won't cost a fortune for a logo?

 

[Claire Dymond]

Have you tried www.shutterstock.com

 

[Stewmoney]

bigstockphoto, dreamstime, fotolia.

 

[Gav]

Thanks for the replies,

Shutterstock and BigStockPhoto do not allow you to use their images as part of a logo, it's in the terms of use.

Dreamstime seem to allow it but the terms need some clarification. Websites are acceptable but website templates seem to be a different thing. I will already have a template, im just adding the image to the logo space so technically its not part of the template as nobody else could gain the same image by selecting the same template.

 

[Stewmoney]

Hi Gav,

You don't need to worry about templates - this is referring to people who make templates to be sold or deployed on (potentially) a large number of sites.

 

[Gav]

On Dreamstime FAQ section i found this....

May I use the images on business cards?

If the design of the business card is unique, meaning you don't sell the same design to different companies, you can use the images as long as the total number of cards (for all employees) doesn't exceed 500,000 copies. Note that the images cannot be used as part of a logo with any type of license that we provide, except for the SR-EL license (Sell the rights) which includes this usage.

 

[Stewmoney]

The sentence you've put in red type applies to logos on business cards imho, not to logos on websites. They're saying that if you want to use an image as a logo on a business card, then you need the SR-EL licence, but that's not what you want to do, is it?

If I were you, and wanted to abolutely sure about the situation, I'd contact Dreamstime. I think they'll tell you it's okay, as per http://www.dreamstime.com/terms

They say that if you've any doubt about your usage rights, then just to fire away and ask them: http://www.dreamstime.com/help.php

 

[Gav]

I have emailed them to clarify because this was found in the FAQ section and is not repeated in their T&C of using the images. Very confusing.

 

[Gav]

It may just be me but if i want to use it as the logo on my website then surely you will also have it on your business cards. :|

 

[Stewmoney]

It depends. Our business has several websites, but I only have one business card, so individual website logos don't necessarily appear on the card. When I think about website logos, I don't automatically think about tying them in with business card logos.

There are also plenty of purely virtual businesses out there where the owner doesn't have a business card at all.

 

[Gav]

Seems that the terms of use are a lot of rubbish.

Response from Dreamstime
Using an image to create a logo can only be done under the extended SR-EL license. It doesn't matter where the logo will be used and where will appear. The SR-EL license is the only one that allows a logo creation.

 

[Stewmoney]

Thanks Gav, that's interesting - a big outfit like Dreamstime messing up their terms. I presume they'll change them now, but I don't think they'll be able to change them retrospectively. It doesn't matter to me, because we haven't used their images in logos, but given their published terms, it wouldn't surprise me if there are more than a few sites out there that have.

 

[Gav]

You're right. I have asked them to quote the section of their terms and conditions that prevents me from using them as a logo under the royalty free licence. I await their response.

 

[Gav]

Here is their response for anyone who is following this. Again in the text used it would only exclude a trademark or service mark image. If your not going to do this then i can't see them or the artist having a leg to stand on.

Response
Here is the quote from Unauthorized Use part of our Terms and Conditions: "Without limitation, Images may not be used as a trademark or service mark (unless the appropriate extended license is being used)".

Besides, as you can see in your quote the list for RF license is not exhaustive and for any doubts about usage you should contact support. I can assure you that for a logo creation, the only license you can use it the extended SR-EL license. It is for your own protection for any possible future legal problems with the image owner that you will not use the image for a logo creation under the standard RF license.

Of course, in the end you are solely responsible about the rightful usage of the image but we strongly advise you not to use it under the standard license for this kind of project.