Find out about the permissions you need to depict people in your stock assets.
Whether your images show professional models, friends and family, or any other identifiable people, you need their permission before you submit the images to Adobe Stock. Your photo subjects give you their permission by signing a model release.
A model release is a written agreement between you and a person depicted in your image. By signing a model release, that person gives you (and other authorized users, like Adobe Stock customers) permission to publish the image or use it for commercial purposes.
Still not sure if you need a model release? Ask yourself: “Would the people in my photo recognize themselves?” If your answer is “Yes,” then you need one. Keep in mind that recognition can be based on just about anything, including personal characteristics like tattoos and birthmarks as well as external factors in the photo like other recognizable people, unique clothing, equipment, or location. That’s why it’s always safer to get a model release, even for a close-up shot of a body part.
Here are a few examples of submissions that need model releases:
Here are images that need model releases:
And here are images that don’t need model releases:
You can get a model release template from Adobe Stock, but we also accept release forms from other sources as long as they’re filled out correctly and are substantially similar to our release form.
You can download the release form directly from this user guide or on the Contributor portal, or you can use Adobe Acrobat Sign to route it for electronic signature on the portal — no need to download software to make it work. Learn more
Here’s what you’ll see in the Contributor portal:
Before you upload your release, you can download our detailed checklist to confirm that you've included all the information we need. Here are the key requirements for model releases:
Optional, but recommended:
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