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moderator · Moderator Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 272

Hello:

We are currently taking steps to enforce presumed rights that tattoo artists have over their art. What does this mean to you as a submitter?

Even though there is conflicting information about who owns the rights to a tattooed image (the person, the tattoo designer, or the tattoo technician) we have decided to err on the side of caution. Therefore images will require a property release if the tattoo is displayed prominently in the photo.

If the tattoo is secondary to the entire image as a whole & it is not the main focus, it is acceptable without a release. You may upload a property release as a jpeg file in the same manner as you upload a model release.

Henna tattoos (Mehandi) are considered acceptable because they are typically applied during special occasions like weddings, and they are religious in nature.

In addition, we will not accept images of tattoos featuring well known characters. (i.e.: Disney, Warner Brothers, Pixar, etc...)

We will be conducting a rolling audit on our current collection to remove any images that do not adhere to this policy. Any questionable images will be removed in the near future. It is our intention that this will make things clearer for all.

Sincerely,

Anthony Correia
Shutterstock