Editorial & Commercial Photo Licensing
DISCLAIMER
Commercial photos sell a branded product or service.
Post Surf Sesh: Young Al Merrick surfers rocking O’Neill wetsuits pause to savor an epic sunset kiss in Santa Monica, California
Editorial photos tell a story without promoting a specific brand.
SoCal locals enjoy a scenic stroll along the Santa Monica Mountains Sandstone Peak Trail in the heart of Malibu, California
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
I personally photographed every single image on this site.
According to U.S. Copyright Law, I am the creator/owner of these photos, but that doesn’t mean I have the right to distribute or license them…yet!
I DO NOT have the right to sell a print or license any image on this website without express written permission from the person(s) and/or brands or properties featured in the photo. To license or distribute any image, I must first acquire an Appearance Release and/or Property Release.
In the meantime, I am permitted to freely showcase these photos on my website because, by law, they belong to me. If you want to purchase a print or license any image on DanSmargPhotography.com you may do so by request. If I don’t already have signed releases, I can contact the subject(s) on your behalf. I can also “white-wash” the image of any recognizable brand logos so you can use it for commercial purposes even if we happened to catch a brand logo or design.
Until you license the images I create, you do not have the right to use them for commercial or promotional purposes. Doing so would violate U.S. Federal Copyright Law. Every single one has a proprietary ImageProtect tracking pixel embedded so if you download or copy any image and use it without legal authorization, you will be held responsible for copyright infringement and potentially face criminal penalties.
PLEASE NOTE: I am happy to chat more with you about image licensing practices in-person or over a brief call if you’d like to discuss details. It is not my intention to create any misunderstandings or a “hyper-litigious” experience for you - I am simply following industry-wide codes of conduct so that we can work together on the most professional basis possible.
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