stockkuvia

Stockkuvia, or stock photos, are a collection of photographs offered for licensing to be used in various media and design contexts. They are produced by photographers and distributed through stock agencies and online marketplaces. Stockkuvia cover a broad range of subjects, including people, places, events, landscapes, and products, and are typically delivered as digital files in formats such as JPEG or TIFF at different resolutions for web or print use. They are commonly used by businesses, media organizations, designers, and marketers to illustrate articles, websites, advertisements, and presentations.

Licensing models for stockkuvia vary. The two main types are royalty-free, which generally allows broad reuse after a one-time fee, and rights-managed, which restricts usage by factors such as duration, geography, or the number of reproductions. Most platforms require a model release when an image features an identifiable person, and a property release for trademarks or private locations. Copyright usually remains with the photographer or the agency, even after licensing. Users should read licenses carefully to understand permitted uses, exclusions, attribution requirements, and any restrictions on sublicensing, alterations, or resale.

History and current practice: Stock photography emerged in the early 20th century with photo agencies and catalogues and grew rapidly with digital distribution in the 1990s and 2000s, giving rise to microstock platforms that lowered prices and broadened access. Today, stockkuvia are a standard resource in Nordic media and international communication, with many contributors across niche subjects. When selecting stockkuvia, considerations include image quality, relevance to the project, availability of necessary releases, licensing terms, and overall cost.