The words and the term “print release” has made itself a rather permanent part of certain photography circles in the last decade or so.  Still, there’s some people out there who might not know what a print release is and what it is for.  Today, we’re going to discuss that very idea: a release for printing.

What is a Print Release?

In order to address that subject, we must mention and briefly discuss copyright ownership.

Copyright ownership is the legal concept of owning a particular piece of artistic endeavor, also called “work.”  This work can be a piece of poetry, a sculpture, a photograph, a song, a book, a digital drawing, a design for a piece of jewelry, etc.  There’s a wide range of artistic works which are covered.  Strangely, direct recipes with simple instructions aren’t covered under copyright protections.  However, recipe illustrations and explanations are covered.

Copyright gives you, the owner, the exclusive right to do what you want with your property.  You can protect it, license it, keep it to yourself, etc.  Notice that I mentioned licensing?  A print release is a use license from the copyright owner specifically to reproduce copies of an image.  That image can be a photo, drawing, painting, or more.  If you’d like a more in-depth explanation of copyright and use licenses, check out this article.

A release for printing is a particular kind of license which allows the licensee to take the image or licensed images and commission a print company to reproduce them.  Depending upon the terms of the license, the image owner may place a limit on the number of times you may reproduce the image or series of images.  You may find instructions on which print company(ies) the owner permits you to use.  Most print releases are for private use and display only.  The owner may place other kinds of conditions upon a print release.  If you have one, make sure that you present it when requested to verify permission granted.

What is a Print Release or Release for Printing Used For?

Have you ever been to a store like Walmart or Costco (which offers a photo printing service) and had to leave your order behind because they didn’t think you were the photographer?  I sure have and it was embarrassing along with being a waste of product and time.  A print release is a document which you can present to cover this very kind of situation.  It’s proof that you have the creator’s permission to reproduce copies of the image(s) which you are seeking to reproduce.

Anytime when you want to reproduce the image(s) you have permission to reproduce, all you have to do is produce the print release for the individual/business you are dealing with to prove you have permission for your actions.  It’s that simple.

Conclusion

A print release is something which has crept up in the the photography world to cover customers printing photos they have commissioned or otherwise purchased a license to.  One should come issued with any electronic copies of images delivered.

Not all photographers will issue such a release and not all genres of photography will require a print release.  Oftentimes, wedding photography, portraiture, and some kinds of event photography are the only kinds of photography which issue such releases.  However, not every photographer will do so.  If you feel you need a print release, please check with the artist/photographer who has produced the image(s) you want to reproduce and see if a print release is an option.