# Stock Agencies and Erotica/Erotic Romance Covers (Important)



## Ava Glass (Feb 28, 2011)

http://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/agenices-views-on-stock-photos-of-people-on-erotica-books/

I think authors and cover artists need to read this. Someone on Microstockgroup.com asked a bunch of agencies about stock images and erotic books.



> Shutterstock, Fotolia, Dreamstime, Envato, Canstockphoto and 123rf all replied that this was not an allowed usage according to their license terms.
> 
> Depositphotos, however said that it was totally ok with them, that they did not consider erotica books to be pornography.
> 
> ...


I think it's an important reminder that licensing an image comes with restrictions that vary among agencies and aren't always clear on the websites. It's frustrating, but it's always best to ask.

BTW, DepositPhotos is running another deal:
http://www.mightydeals.com/deal/depositphotos.html

ETA: I've heard of photographers and models going straight to Amazon claiming copyright violation. Amazon then removes the book from sale. It can be a headache for authors.

_ETA2 (IMPORTANT):Checked on the thread found an important edit. The OP of the Microstockgroup thread escalated his inquiry at DP.




Edit: After being in contact with Depositphotos again, we have received a different response. After reviewing some examples of covers that we sent them, the management/CEO has informed us that this is not an approved use according to their license terms. Photos from Depositphotos can not be used on erotica.
I am glad that all micro stock agencies share this view, they just need to be better informing the buyers about this now.

Click to expand...

_


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## Jo Clendening (Apr 9, 2011)

Good to know. Thanks for sharing!


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## Nessa Quill (Jul 16, 2011)

Content removed due to TOS Change of 2018. I do not agree to the terms.


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## NothingToSeeHere... (Jul 26, 2013)

I do not consent to the new TOS, and do not give my consent by posting and maintaining my membership here.


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## Speaker-To-Animals (Feb 21, 2012)

I have to wonder if this is actually a definitive statement or dialling for dollars among underpaid CSRs. Among other things, someone at 123rf said last year that book covers weren't an allowed use at all.


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## Ava Glass (Feb 28, 2011)

Katie Elle said:


> I have to wonder if this is actually a definitive statement or dialling for dollars among underpaid CSRs. Among other things, someone at 123rf said last year that book covers weren't an allowed use at all.


Well as far as the linked thread is concerned, it's just one person asking agencies questions. I myself did something similar last year about premade book covers. People should probably confirm for themselves.

As for 123rf, the book cover use is allowed under a more expensive Extended License instead of a Standard License.


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## [email protected] (Apr 8, 2012)

Ava Glass said:


> Well as far as the linked thread is concerned, *it's just one person asking agencies questions.* I myself did something similar last year about premade book covers. *People should probably confirm for themselves.*


This is exactly what I wanted to point out. Don't take someone else's word for it. I've seen some bad and horribly inaccurate advice thrown around when it comes to stock photography. Pick up the phone and do your own research. A good place to start is always the license agreement. These things are usually clearly covered. The erotica for cover art is definitely not a new topic.


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## Ava Glass (Feb 28, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> Don't take someone else's word for it.
> 
> do your own research.


Yup, when I asked a bunch of agencies about premades last year, it was after Damonza started a thread about his experience. I did my own research and found that the agencies he talked to said the same thing to me. Thankfully, one agency he didn't talk to said something else.

That leads to another thing, people should also talk to agencies not mentioned in Microstockgroup thread.


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## Ava Glass (Feb 28, 2011)

Checked on the thread found an important edit. The OP of the Microstockgroup thread escalated his inquiry at DP.



> Edit: After being in contact with Depositphotos again, we have received a different response. After reviewing some examples of covers that we sent them, the management/CEO has informed us that this is not an approved use according to their license terms. Photos from Depositphotos can not be used on erotica.
> I am glad that all micro stock agencies share this view, they just need to be better informing the buyers about this now.


Not surprising, considering this thread about DP and pre-made book covers:

http://www.kboards.com/index.php?topic=178658.0

It's all so confusing. Sigh.


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## NicoleSwan (Oct 2, 2011)

Time we started doing our own photos for covers


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## Ava Glass (Feb 28, 2011)

emilycantore said:


> Given the big business in covers for erotica I highly doubt they'll be cracking down on this anytime soon. If they did, they'd cause thousands of books to require changes and not a single one of those authors would use their service again.


I don't know about the agencies, but I've heard of authors changing their covers due to individual photographers and models.


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## Kalen ODonnell (Nov 24, 2011)

What also could be confusing the issue is the particular photos or covers used as examples when asking agencies about this particular usage.  For instance, if you provide them with a photo of a model engaged in a sporting activity or wearing beach wear, its easy to make a case that the photographer and/or model would not have expected the image to be manipulated in such a way as to sell a blatantly sexual or erotic product, and so the agencies will rule on the side of it being against their license terms.

However, provide them with a photo of two half dressed people engaged in some kind of fetish act like bondage, you're likely to get an entirely different answer.

Honestly, the only way to be 100% safe in this situation I think is to ask the agency you license from this question and provide the actual cover/design you intend to use so there's no room for doubt, and get the answer in writing.  Alternatively, contact the photographer/contributor directly if that avenue is available via the site you buy the stock from, and ask them.


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## Speaker-To-Animals (Feb 21, 2012)

Perhaps if they don't want photos used in erotica, they shouldn't accept covers of two nude people in coitus.

Just saying...


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## Speaker-To-Animals (Feb 21, 2012)

I wonder how you're supposed to use a photo accurately entitled "closeup of couple having sex" in a way that doesn't imply sexual activity?


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## Daizie (Mar 27, 2013)

Most of these sites allow nudes or couples hardly dressed. What do they think photos like that will end up on, if not erotica or other naughty purposes?


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## Carina Wilder (Nov 12, 2013)

> Perhaps if they don't want photos used in erotica, they shouldn't accept covers of two nude people in coitus.
> 
> Just saying...


I was just thinking this exact thing and wondering what exactly one is expected to use those photos for?


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## Speaker-To-Animals (Feb 21, 2012)

Being a little less snarktastic, I think the agencies probably are ok with erotic romance of the mainstream variety, they just weren't quite prepared for how deep the rabbit hole got in the last couple of years. I can understand that, it was a spiral downwards. People wrote more extreme titles, with more extreme topics, and more extreme blurbing, and if erotica writers wanted to actually sell, in order to compete they had to go down the same path. 

I think the reason you get different answers is some people are showing the stock agencies mainstream erotica and other people are showing them the most extreme Daddy stuff (which is mostly banned anyway).


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## Speaker-To-Animals (Feb 21, 2012)

If you read the other threads on stock, it seems that you dial for dollars enough asking if something is forbidden, it's forbidden and you're not allowed to do anything with a stock image.


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## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

When Amazon began enforcing their rules for cover images last fall, I, like many others, backed away from the more explicit images and went with cover models that weren't showing much skin.  But that raised the question in my mind of putting models on covers who never thought their images would be used for erotica.

If a model is wearing a skimpy bra and a G-string, it should come as no surprise to her if her picture shows up on an erotica book.  However, a model wearing jeans and a sweater would probably be shocked to find her picture there.  And probably unhappy.

Leaving all the legalese aside, and whether or not the model in signing the contract loses their right to decide which books they appear on, I've decided to change my covers and remove the 'innocent' pictures.  Also, from now on, I'm not going to choose an image for an erotica book that shows the model's face.  It's the right thing to do, and I just don't need any more headaches associated with publishing erotica.


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## Lia Cooper (Jan 28, 2014)

Daizie said:


> Most of these sites allow nudes or couples hardly dressed. What do they think photos like that will end up on, if not erotica or other naughty purposes?


this should be the next email round of emails sent to customer service--"Please give me specific examples of legal uses for this stock photo of two mostly naked entwined models."  I think it's a valid question.


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## Jo Clendening (Apr 9, 2011)

swolf said:


> Also, from now on, I'm not going to choose an image for an erotica book that shows the model's face. It's the right thing to do, and I just don't need any more headaches associated with publishing erotica.


I think this is a good idea too.


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## Guest (Mar 10, 2014)

Just package the books in a plain brown wrapper.
Folks will guess what's inside.


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## GearPress Steve (Feb 4, 2012)

Maybe all the erotica authors should pool their money to spring for a couple of models and my daughter can do an all-day photo shoot and give the erotica authors the full model releases an several thousand images.


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## Speaker-To-Animals (Feb 21, 2012)

There's already a couple of small agencies doing that. The stock is limited though and because of fewer clients, it tends to be more expensive.


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## REED (Mar 11, 2014)

i allow my images to be used on erotica/erotic covers as well as premade covers. http://thereedfiles.com


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## CindyJo (Mar 10, 2014)

REED said:


> i allow my images to be used on erotica/erotic covers as well as premade covers. http://thereedfiles.com


Excellent to know


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## Jo Clendening (Apr 9, 2011)

Just found a small website selling royalty free erotica images for $5.00 for 1000 pixels wide (which isn't huge, but fine for ebooks).

http://www.royaltyfreeeroticimages.com

And no, I do not know them. Just came across a tweet.


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