ShutterStock Photo Submitter Terms & Conditions
By clicking the “ACCEPT” button on the bottom of this document, you are acknowledging that you have read, understand and accept the terms and conditions set forth herein and agree to be bound by the following.
As a photo contributor, you agree to provide valid accurate model releases for every photo you upload that contains an identifiable face or identifiable human. If you do not have a model release for an image with an identifiable person, you agree not to submit that image. You are solely responsible for maintaining complete and accurate model release records and providing those model releases to us with submitted photos. Submitters who submit false or incorrect model releases risk their account being terminated.
We reserve the right to refuse to accept any photographs for any reason. We also reserve the right to deny any account for any reason including fraud, artificially inflating downloads, material that is obscene in nature, material that is violent, material that depicts any person in an unfavorable light
We reserve the right to remove a photo for any reason whatsoever. This includes, but is not limited to, photos that we decide are not appropriate to ShutterStock, photos that we believe aren't properly released, and content that we decide isn't suitable for ShutterStock.
Shutterstock pays its submitters per unique download. The current royalty rate per download is 20 cents per unique photo downloaded by each paid Shutterstock subscriber. Subscribers may download as many photos as they desire. - Your royalty account will be credited for each of your photos downloaded by a paid subscriber. However, if a subscriber downloads the same photo more than once, the submitter of the photo will only be paid once. For co-branded sites that sell our images at a per-image price point, royalties paid to submitter will be 20% of the purchase price.
Royalty payments and accompanying statement will be sent out monthly, on the 15th day of each month for the previous months downloads. Payments are automatic and do not need to be requested.
There is a minimum payout rate of $75. If during a pay period, you haven't accumulated $75 worth of downloads, your earnings will be brought forward into the next pay period. If you cancel your account before you reach $75 in earnings, you will be forfeiting those earnings.
You may not sign up for a ShutterStock subscription and download your own photos. You - or anybody in your immediate or extended family - may not download your photos for your profit. Submitter will forfeit all earnings if user inflates downloads by subscription by themself, or family member. If you, or a family member signs up for a ShutterStock subscription, you must notify ShutterStock immediately by email or phone.
Downloads resulting from credit card chargebacks and customer refunds will be removed from submitter earnings. Refunds are only given after signed document is returned to ShutterStock by the subscriber indicating that they will destroy any downloaded photos from ShutterStock and will not use the photos. They must also indicate that they haven't used the photos yet.
If any submitter residing in the United States reaches $600 in payment for any given year - a W9 form will need to be submitted by fax in order to continue payments to that submitter. An email will be automatically generated with instructions on how to download and fax this IRS form. Submitters who do not reside in the United States do not need to fax over a W9. A W9 is a required document by the IRS to retrieve a social security number for tax reporting purposes.
Photos are submitted on a non-exclusive basis - you may submit your photos to other websites and stock photo houses.
Referred ShutterStock submitters results in a payment of .03 (3 cents) for each .20 (20 cents) your referred photographer submitter makes. Any sales resulting in chargeback or refund will be removed from earnings at time of chargeback or refund notice.
Referred ShutterStock subscriptions results in a payment of 20% of the subscription price. If you refer somebody and they pay $100 for a ShutterStock subscription, you will make 20% of $100 - or $20. Any sales resulting in chargeback or refunds will be removed from submitter earnings at time of chargeback or refund notice.
Shutterstock reserves the right to modify these terms at any time and to notify you by email of the modifications.
Shutterstock may modify the royalty rate and/or payment schedule at any time and notify you by email of the change. If we do need to modify the royalty rate, royalties earned before the effective change in rates will be credited at the rate in effect at the time such royalties were earned.
You agree to follow our strict Photo Submission Guidelines (details inside members area). Excessive submission of photos that do not follow our guidelines may result in account termination.
We will not be liable for any damages, including actual, indirect, special, or consequential damages arising from the submission or use of your photographs.
The copyrights to the photos belong to the photographer - we are merely selling them for you. You can remove the photos at any time for any reason at all.