Model and Property Releases
Legally speaking, Model Releases are required for all images that contain "recognizable" people.
Practically speaking, lots of clients won't touch an image with a person in it, recognizable or not, unless it's released. Your goal should be to have releases for any people in your shot.
Property Releases are needed for all images that contain recognizable private property. Generic, unrecognizable interiors are fine without a property release. Private properties in the distance or properties that are not singled out in the composition are ok un-released. For ex; Images of a suburban block that include multiple dwellings are ok without. Images of a family in front of a single house would require model releases and a property release.
All artwork, AI generative works, tattoos and graffiti require Property Releases or need to be removed before submitting final imagery.
For additional information on unique requirements for AI generative works check out our guidelines here.
More in Submitting
Technical Requirements for Motion
Filmmakers should deliver final clips with simple, good-looking color correction. This would mostly be contrast and basic color. Clients usually want to add their own look.
No Audio
Format
Our preferred file format is QuickTime .mov, but we also accept .mp4
Clip lengths are around 5-60 seconds
Codecs
If shooting RAW/uncompressed footage you should deliver .mov files with prores(4444) codec.
Otherwise, we support unmodified camera-native codecs, Apple ProRes, H.264(MPEG-4/AVC), H.265(HEVC)
Resolution
We'd like the highest native resolution you have, 4K and up are best - Our minimum is HD 1080p (1920x1080)
Frame rates
Supported frame rates are 23.98p, 24p, 25p, 29.97p, 30p, 50p, 59.94p, 60p
Technical Requirements for Stills
File size must be a minimum of 3500px on the short side.
Native file sizes that are larger are fine and encouraged, don't shrink them.
You can res-up an image to meet the minimum requirements, but do this sparingly and with care - Make sure to maintain a high quality file.
Images should be saved as level 12 jpgs, 8bit, sRGB color space.
Here are some mistakes to avoid:
- Lack of critical focus
- Don't sharpen your files in any noticeable way. Best to not do it at all.
- Clean your sensor - No dust please
- No digital artifacts, color banding, color blocking and excessive noise
- Really grainy stuff will be rejected
Model and Property Releases
Legally speaking, Model Releases are required for all images that contain "recognizable" people.
Practically speaking, lots of clients won't touch an image with a person in it, recognizable or not, unless it's released. Your goal should be to have releases for any people in your shot.
Property Releases are needed for all images that contain recognizable private property. Generic, unrecognizable interiors are fine without a property release. Private properties in the distance or properties that are not singled out in the composition are ok un-released. For ex; Images of a suburban block that include multiple dwellings are ok without. Images of a family in front of a single house would require model releases and a property release.
All artwork, AI generative works, tattoos and graffiti require Property Releases or need to be removed before submitting final imagery.
For additional information on unique requirements for AI generative works check out our guidelines here.
Can I submit mobile imagery?
Phones aren't the best cameras to use for stock, but we do accept iPhone 14 and up, or equivalent phones.
Phones have a harder time under less than ideal situations, be aware of this and only submit technically sound files.
Don't use filters like "Portrait Mode" This looks fine for your Insta but not good enough for stock collections.
Make sure to meet our minimum file size standards of 3500px on the short side.
Commercial & Editorial Content - What's the Difference?
Any content that has unreleased people or property, or IP (Intellectual Property), logos, branding, license plates, publications, or original artwork (including graffiti), must be marked "Editorial Only" during the submission process.
Keep in mind - Commercial content is the key to a valuable portfolio. Big commercial clients generally avoid unreleased, editorial content. So, get those releases and avoid, or retouch, the intellectual property and branding. Here’s our Model release - Property release
Here is a helpful IP Wiki that Getty made - it has some interesting and surprising things that all stock photographers should be aware of.
Cavan is Content Exclusive - Here's Why
Cavan is a "distributing agency". This means we sell direct and automatically distribute work to the best partner agencies around the world.
So, please make sure the work you send to Cavan does not go to other agencies. We can't have stuff double-up at our partners.
Abusing this policy can result in your Cavan account being closed, so keep it fresh and let us do the distribution work for you.
Our approach creates some benefits for artists:
- You only upload to one place, but your work goes to every agency
- We work with everybody like Adobe, Getty, Shutterstock, and about 30 other agencies, Cavan's network is the largest in the world
- With Cavan's network, you have the largest buyer audience possible
You can still use your content:
- You can post on social and do any kind of promotional work
- You can sell your work directly to buyers
- Publish books of your work
- Sell fine art directly to buyers
Just don't send to other agencies. Your stuff will already be there if you're working with us.
What's Similar content?
Similar Content is legally defined as content "industry experts" would say looks similar. What the heck does that mean?... We know, it's a little vague... Here's how we see it - If it's the same shoot, same model, in the same clothes - it's probably similar. If it's the same subject matter but the composition is different, it's probably still considered similar. If it's the same day, same model, different clothes, in a new location, you're probably good to go. Basically, use your best judgment and mix it up if you want lots of unique content. Reach out to us anytime if you are unsure about a specific case.
AI Generative Content Guidelines
Overview
Cavan accepts AI-generated content, as long as you are opted-in to micro collections, it meets our quality, legal, and technical standards.
Opting into Micro for AI - If you are opted out of micro and you'd like us to otp you into micro so you can submit AI please email us at artists@cavanimages.com
By submitting AI-generated content you warrant you have the rights to resell and license the content for commercial purposes. It's your responsibility to review the terms of generative AI tools you use, to confirm this is true before you submit any AI-generated content.
Upload all Generative AI content and check the "Created with Generative AI tools" box before submitting your curated assets from each project.
Requirements
- Click the
Created with Generative AI toolscheckbox prior to submitting your content. (It's at the end of the submission) - You must be opted into micro to submit AI content.
- Keywords should include Generative AI, AI,
- Include the main subject of your prompt in your title.
- Create work that fills content needs within the collection. Carefully select only images which provide unique value to the collection.
- Prioritize creativity and maintain high quality.
- Check your submissions carefully to make sure the rendering of anatomy and other aspects is intended and relevant.
Things Not to Do
- Don't submit works depicting identifiable property, people, or branding (e.g., Known buildings, characters or logos), or notable people, photorealistic or otherwise.
- Don't submit works with badly rendered parts, like hands, teeth, weird proportions, and other common AI mistakes.
- Don't use an image you don't have the rights to as a parameter for your generative AI prompts.
- Don't iterate or generate from other people's AI works. Start from your own unique prompts.
- Don't tag generated images with inaccurate or vague descriptors such as "3D render", "wallpaper", or "neural network" unless accurate to the content subject or style.
- Don't describe or depict subjects or locations in ways that may mislead buyers.
- Don't describe AI-generated content as depicting real people or places.
- Don't keep repetitive, technical parameters such as platform-specific features, weights, or settings from your prompt in your asset title.
- Don't spam the submission with multiple variations of the same prompt. Submit no more than 10-12 variations of a particular output. AI outputs are infinite. Part of the art of using AI is curating the results.
Model & Property Release Requirements for Generative AI Content Depicting People
Any content created with generative AI tools that depicts, is based on, or is intended to portray an identifiable person requires a model release. For example, if you upload a photo of a real person as a prompt, name a specific individual in the prompt, or include prompt keywords intended to instruct the generative AI tool to draw a real person.
If the generative AI content was not based on a real person, but it visually appears to resemble a person, then you must submit a property release confirming that you have all property rights in the content.
You may submit the same release for content created for the same project or within the same series, which includes works with the same model or similar themes created on or about the same date.
Generative AI content cannot be submitted as Editorial Content which is for editorial use only
- Do Upload property releases for illustrations depicting generated people. Learn more about property releases.
- Don't Submit works based on real people unless you have a valid model release for that person. Learn more about model releases.
- Don't: Submit work created with prompts referring to people, places, or property unless you have the legal right to do so (e.g., via a model or property release). For example, don't include other artists' names, notable people, or famous characters/brands in your prompts.
Spam Policy
Learn about Premium & Micro Collections
Keywording Knowledge
Mastering Keywording
Making Your First Stock Images
Get Started
- Download a model release
- Find an interesting person you know that likes to do something interesting, and set up a time to do a small photoshoot of them.
- Pick a spot that has nice natural light
- Think of 5 ideas that tell a story about that person and their interesting thing they do. If you can, pre-scout the location with your camera and see what compositions work and where the light is going to look the best. Look for great places to shoot your 5 ideas for your story.
- Think about your shoot as a mini picture book telling a visual story about this person and their interesting thing.
Day Of The Shoot
- Have your subject sign the model release at the start of the shoot
- Make sure there are no logos you can’t handle retouching out - Ask the person to wear things that don’t have logos if possible.
- While shooting your 5 ideas, try to stay open to things you didn’t think of - Allow for an additional 5 impromptu things to just happen - A great shoot has a good balance of planning and space for unexpected creativity.
Post Production & Keywording
- Edit the best 3-4 frames for each of your 5-10 situations
- Process them with settings that keep them normal but with a slight punch to them - not over saturated, no blown out highlights, blocked up shadows, don’t sharpen etc. Keep it normal then push just a bit to make it feel as ad-ready as you can. Good examples are here
- Watch our keywording video and use the Google Sheet method - Keyword and add locations in Lightroom or Bridge
Submitting Your First Shoot
- Drag your images into the content manager
- Attach your model release to the images of your person and fill out the model info on the release part of the submission.
- Keywording and locations should already be done and the system will add them appropriately.
- You should be ready to submit - Great job!