This policy describes how photographs and related media published through Corvin may be viewed, downloaded, referenced, licensed, and delivered. Unless a separate written contract says otherwise, the photographer retains copyright and all rights not explicitly granted remain reserved.

1. Open access

Many images on this site may be viewed publicly for inspiration, research, and editorial context. Open access to view an image online does not, by itself, grant permission to reproduce, redistribute, or commercially exploit that image. Where the site offers a watermarked or reduced-resolution preview, that file is intended for evaluation — not as a substitute for a licensed deliverable.

2. Permitted without a custom license

You may use published media without a separate written agreement only when all of the following apply:

• Personal, private, and non-public use — study, mood boards, classroom preparation, or private reference that does not publish the image as a standalone asset.
• Research and education — citation in academic or non-commercial research notes, provided the use is not republished as stock, clip art, or a reusable media product.
• Social sharing with attribution — sharing a link back to the original Corvin page or story, with visible credit to the photographer and a clear link to the source page. Do not upload the file to social platforms as if it were your own work when a license is required for that channel or audience size.

3. Editorial and informational use

Editorial use in news, documentary, criticism, commentary, or informational publication is permitted only under an approved editorial license or written confirmation. Editorial use requires:

• Accurate attribution to the photographer and, where applicable, the Corvin page or story context;
• No implication of endorsement, sponsorship, or partnership unless agreed in writing;
• No cropping or manipulation that misrepresents the subject or context without approval;
• Compliance with any embargo, sensitivity, or privacy notes attached to the image record.

4. Commercial, campaign, and institutional use

Commercial advertising, brand campaigns, product packaging, paid placement, institutional reports, exhibitions, print runs, broadcast, merchandise, and any use tied to revenue, fundraising, or organisational reputation require a commercial or institutional license. Obligations scale with distribution, audience, territory, duration, and exclusivity — not merely with whether a file was downloaded.

Institutional clients (museums, archives, NGOs, publishers, agencies acting for a client) must identify the end use, territory, term, and media channels before delivery of high-resolution files.

5. Uses that always require explicit agreement

The following are never permitted under default open terms and require a bespoke contract or approved template:

• Agency, aggregator, syndication, or bulk redistribution of Corvin media;
• Scraping, dataset building, or machine-learning / AI training on Corvin images or metadata;
• Exclusive buy-out, unlimited multi-territory, or perpetual all-media rights unless explicitly sold;
• Use in defamation, unlawful surveillance, or contexts that violate the dignity or privacy of identifiable persons;
• Removal of copyright, credit, or watermark metadata where required;
• Sub-licensing to third parties without written permission.

6. Attribution

Unless a signed contract specifies otherwise, credit must read: © [Photographer name] / [Site or agency name] and include a link to the canonical Corvin page when published online. Failure to provide agreed attribution is a material breach and may require takedown or additional fees.

7. Files, watermarks, and delivery

Delivered files may be watermarked or resolution-limited until payment and contract acceptance are complete. Entitlements record which file version you may download, how many times, and until when. Expired or revoked entitlements must be deleted from your systems unless archival retention is expressly allowed in writing.

8. Contracts, templates, and precedence

Standard license templates on this site summarise common editorial, commercial, and institutional uses. A completed checkout, paid invoice, or signed contract creates a record binding the requester to the selected template terms plus this policy. If a custom contract conflicts with a template, the signed custom contract controls for that client and project only.

9. Reservation of rights

Nothing in this policy transfers ownership of copyright. Moral rights and personality rights remain with the creator and depicted persons where applicable. All rights not expressly granted in an approved license or contract are reserved.

10. Questions and custom requests

For uses not covered above, submit a license request from the stock library or contact page. Describe intended use, media, territory, duration, audience size, and exclusivity requirements. Requests are reviewed against this policy before approval, pricing, or delivery.