A Guide to Image Usage & Licensing in Commercial Photography

Stuart Bailey
Dec 1, 2025
5 min read

OOH Photographer London - Stuart Bailey Photography — Above the Line (ATL) OOH (Out of Home) Example

A simple resource for clients and anyone wanting to understand how photographic usage works.

When you hire a commercial photographer, you’re paying for the creation of the images — the time, skill, equipment, preparation, shoot day(s), crew, lighting, editing and everything involved in producing strong visuals.

What you’re not automatically paying for is the right to use the images however you like.

That long-term, commercial “right to use” is called licensing and sits under the wider term usage.

Understanding usage helps keep pricing fair for both photographers and clients. This guide breaks things down in a simple, friendly and transparent way.

What “usage” actually means

Usage refers to how, where and for how long you can use a photograph.A usage licence is essentially the permission granting those rights.

Usage is based on four main elements:

1. Media (HOW the images will be used)

Examples include:

Website
Organic social media
Paid social ads
OOH (billboards, posters, transport ads)
POS (point of sale)
Print ads
E-commerce
Packaging
Press and PR
Internal communications
Email newsletters

2. Territories (WHERE they will be used)

Examples:

UK
UK & Ireland
Europe
Worldwide

The larger the territory, the wider the reach — so the licence carries more value.

3. Duration (HOW LONG they will be used)

Common durations include:

3 months
6 months
1 year
2 years
3 years
Perpetuity (unlimited time — explained later)

Longer durations mean more value to the client, so they cost more.

4. Company Size (HOW BIG the audience is)

A global brand receives far more commercial benefit from an image than a local business.Usage scales accordingly.

ATL & BTL — two key categories of usage

These are widely used advertising terms that help classify the scale of your planned use.

ATL – Above the Line

ATL is broad, high-impact advertising aimed at very large audiences.This type of usage usually carries higher fees because the exposure is significant.

Examples include:

Billboards
Tube and train posters
Bus shelters
Magazine and newspaper adverts
TV and cinema stills
Major paid social ad campaigns
National or global product launches
Outdoor digital screens
Large brand campaigns with wide reach

Think: mass visibility = higher commercial value = higher usage fee.

BTL – Below the Line

BTL is more targeted and often used in direct communication or brand maintenance.It typically carries lower licensing fees.

Examples include:

Website use
Organic (non-paid) social media
Email newsletters
Brochures and catalogues
POS
Internal documents
Small print materials
Direct mail campaigns
Packaging
E-commerce platforms

Think: more focused visibility = lower commercial value = lower usage fee.

Do commercial photographers include any usage in their day rate?

Many photographers include basic BTL usage within their day rate — for example:

1 year of BTL usage, covering things like:
- Website
- Organic social media
- Internal use
- Non-advertising materials

However:

Not all photographers include usage in their rate.
Some include very limited usage.
Some separate the shoot fee and all usage completely.

It’s important to clarify what’s included in your specific quote.

This blog post helps clients understand how usage works so everything is clear from the start.

What is B.U.R. and why is it essential?

B.U.R. stands for Base Usage Rate in Commercial Photography.

It’s the starting point for pricing usage — a baseline figure used to calculate the value of a licence.Think of it as the “foundation” for usage calculations.

You can imagine it like rent for a house:

B.U.R. = the standard rent for basic use
If you want a bigger house, a better area or more rooms → the cost increases
If you want to stay longer → the cost increases
If you want more features → the cost increases

The same applies to licensing images.

What does a B.U.R. usually cover?

This varies between photographers, but a typical B.U.R. might cover:

1 year
UK territory
1–2 BTL media types (e.g. website + organic social)
Non-advertising use

This gives a fair foundation upon which additional usage can be calculated.

How usage builds on the B.U.R.

Usage is often calculated as a percentage or multiple of the B.U.R.

Examples:

Adding more media might increase usage to 150%
Adding paid social might push it to 250%
Adding ATL advertising might rise to 400–800%
Global usage might take it higher
Perpetuity can push it beyond 500–1000%+

This system ensures a fair, logical structure that scales with value.

A simple B.U.R. example

Let’s say the B.U.R. is £300 per image.

A company wants:

Website
POS
UK territory
2 years

This is broader than the B.U.R., so the usage might be:

200% of B.U.R.£300 × 200% = £600 per image

If they want 5 images licensed:£600 × 5 = £3,000

This sits on top of the shoot fee unless otherwise agreed.

If they then wanted:

Paid social ads
European territory
3 years

The usage multiple could rise to 500% or more, depending on the value.

Retail Photographer London - Stuart Bailey Photography

Understanding Perpetuity — unlimited time

What does “perpetuity” mean?

Perpetuity means the client wants to use the image forever, without any end date.

It’s extremely valuable because:

The photographer loses future licensing income
The client gains unlimited flexibility
The company can reuse the images for decades if they wish
The imagery may become more valuable as the brand grows

For that reason, perpetual licensing is always more expensive.

Typical perpetual pricing ranges

These vary, but commonly:

BTL perpetuity: £800–£2,000+ per image (start-ups)
BTL perpetuity: £2,000–£5,000+ per image (larger companies)
ATL perpetuity: £10,000–£20,000+ per image (large brands)
Full global perpetual advertising: £20,000–£40,000+ per image

Perpetuity sounds like the simplest option, but it often isn’t necessary.Most clients refresh branding after a few years, so shorter licences are more cost-effective.