Many photographers ardently attempt to prevent others from using their images. That is not my philosophy towards photography. I began taking photos with the purpose of sharing them with others, and my goal always has been to make as many people happy through my Disney photos as possible.
This is precisely why I stopped watermarking my photos. While the unfortunate result of that is that it means a lot of unscrupulous websites steal them and try to pass them off as their own, on the plus side, at least more people are seeing them, right?! (Silver linings and all that!)
In any case, I welcome and encourage others to download my photos for their personal use, to share my photos on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram, or on their non-commercial blogs or websites. There is no charge for such usage and you do not need prior approval from me. In fact, I would like to thank you if you share my photos!
With that said, I do have a couple of requirements and limitations:
Non-Commercial Usage
Free use of these photos is limited to non-commercial usage. Non-commercial can be a somewhat vague term online, but generally, if you’re not using the images to further a business purpose, I view your use as non-commercial. Having a personal blog with an ad or two to cover the costs of hosting is not commercial.
Requirements for non-commercial usage:
- Hyperlink to www.DisneyTouristBlog.com
- Give credit to Tom Bricker as photographer
In some cases, following these “requirements” isn’t practicable or possible. If not possible to fulfill these requirements (such as when sharing on social media sites), just do your best to comply with the spirit of the requirements. No one is going to “come after” you for sharing photos of mine with your friends.
If you’re a staff writer for a major blog, newspaper, or internet publication that has significant revenue, you’re commercial. If you’re a travel agency, you’re commercial. In which case, see below.
Commercial Usage
Photography equipment is expensive. Photography knowledge and skills similarly require significant time and dedication to acquire and master. Given this, it only seems appropriate that if you’d like to use my images to promote your business or commercial endeavor, you will incur a licensing fee for such use.
Licensing prices are determined by a myriad of factors, including type of media, distribution size, length of use, intended use, and prominence. Licensing fees are competitive and are used only as a way to offset some of the significant costs associated with creating the photos.
Along these same lines, if you have a subject you’d like photographed, I am available for commissioned shoots. Sorry, but I don’t do weddings.
For a price quote as to licensing fees or commissioned shoots, please contact me via email (tom@ this website’s URL).
Thanks!
Tom Bricker
Hi Tom! I have been using your blog for years to plan my trips, including our first trip to Disneyland and always refer anyone with questions about Disney to your site. It is so nice to be able to get an honest perspective and review of the various resort options available. I have recently launched my travel agent business that I have dreamed of for years and am currently developing different literature and templates to share with clients. I would love to use some of your amazing photos and would be interested in your licensing fees. My email address is: [email protected]
Thank you!
Hi Tom,
First, I love your blog. You are my #1 resource for all things Disney and really helped me get through the pandemic. Thank you for all the time and energy you put into it.
I have the exact same 2 questions as Victoria below.
1) I am starting a personal blog (not up yet!) that I hope to one day monetize. Is it ok for me to use your photos? If it’s ok to use them for free now, I would love an idea of how much it would cost if/when I can monetize it.
2) Do I need to get permission from Disney to use your pictures for a commercial site? Or my own pictures of Disney?
Thank you!
Diane
[email protected]