Identifying Photographer and Licensing — Identifying Photographer and Licensing

When evaluating images for an editorial story, editors should identify the creator and respect copyright protections. A photographer's copyright protects artistic choices such as subject positioning, lens selection, camera placement, lighting, and timing.

Generally, the person who takes the photograph is its author and initial copyright owner, unless it is a work made for hire. Verifying proper licensing and creator credits is a standard practice in visual journalism.