May 23 2008

What is a model release? - Download a Generic Model Release

Posted on: May 23, 2008 (33) Comments

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A model release is a formal agreement between the model and the photographer about usage of the images where the model appears. When a model signs a model release he or she acknowledges that images or movies with him or her in them will be used for commercial purposes around the world.

The images and movies cannot be used for just anything, and the agencies that sell images, known as stock agencies, have a long set of “user rights and restrictions” that protects the model and the photographer from abusive usage of the material. The restrictions are very tight, so abusive usage almost never happens.

Most professional or international models have signed model releases many times, but for new models this aspect can feel a little uncertain. When you are asked to sign a model release, take your time to read it through and ask any questions you may have to the photographer or film-maker on the set. Even though the model release is written in a very formal language, try to remember that basically this is just a contract that formally allows the photographer to use the pictures he is taking of you.

You can read and download my model release forms here:

Universal adult model release for all agencies (word document)

Universal minor model release for all agencies (word document)

Universal property release for all agencies (word document)

If you are a stock photographer and looking for a model release template or form that you can use with all microstock agencies, feel free to use this one. We have had all our images approved on all microstock agencies using this form. Remember to remove “Yuri Arcurs” and my logo and replace them with your own.

   

(33) Comments... What do you think? If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my RSS
  1. Aldo PadillaNo Gravatar
    Aldo PadillaNo Gravatar said on September 28th, 2008 at 5:21 am

    That’s great of you to share. I love your work.

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  2. ReneNo Gravatar
    ReneNo Gravatar said on October 19th, 2008 at 10:42 pm

    Thanks Yuri. I was looking for this.
    Great work btw !

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  3. HelleNo Gravatar
    HelleNo Gravatar said on October 30th, 2008 at 12:53 am

    Thanks Yuri
    I hope the model releases ork for Fotolia and StockXpert (those I like the most)

    Great information on your website - and man …….. you have a lot of pictures *ss*

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  4. MetteNo Gravatar
    MetteNo Gravatar said on November 3rd, 2008 at 1:58 pm

    Hello Yuri!
    Thank you for sharing you model-releases with us! On question, in the minor release, what goes here: (on the line)……… (“Model”) hereby grant to ____________________________ and Yuri Arcurs (collectively, the….. Is it the stockcompany???
    Sorry for not understand….

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  5. Kyle TunneyNo Gravatar
    Kyle TunneyNo Gravatar said on November 4th, 2008 at 4:37 pm

    Thanks for Sharing Yuri!

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  6. GünayNo Gravatar
    GünayNo Gravatar said on December 10th, 2008 at 2:06 pm

    Thanks for sharing. It will really help me.

    Regards.

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  7. DookNo Gravatar
    DookNo Gravatar said on December 14th, 2008 at 7:27 pm

    Yuri, thanks for releases. But, I have one question, and since you live in not English speaking country, you may know the answer.I have to give release written on domestic language to my models, since they do not speak English, and also the one on English. And to be completely safe it must be certified by notary public. do I need to certify every single release by notary public, or just one that I will carry with me and show to models. And, also, does this mean my release will contain two pages, one English written and the other on domestic language? This is not clear to me. Thanks!

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  8. Steve HillNo Gravatar
    Steve HillNo Gravatar said on December 18th, 2008 at 2:05 pm

    Thanks for sharing! This will definitely help keep things organized for people-shots across different microstock sites.

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  9. MMNo Gravatar
    MMNo Gravatar said on January 25th, 2009 at 5:25 am

    I was so happy to see the link to the generic model release on the home page! But, OUCH, I never activated the word-stuff in my Mac. What about .pdf?

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  10. JasonNo Gravatar
    JasonNo Gravatar said on February 5th, 2009 at 12:11 am

    Does this release work for Getty and Corbis as well?

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  11. RikkeNo Gravatar
    RikkeNo Gravatar said on February 20th, 2009 at 12:06 pm

    Hej Yuri.
    På modelrealese for voksne er der et felt hvor der står id with picture, skal der bare være et foto af modellen? eller skal det være et billede-id i form af kørekort eller pas???
    Tak for din hjælp
    Rikke

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  12. dmitrystudioNo Gravatar
    dmitrystudioNo Gravatar said on March 16th, 2009 at 9:24 am

    Thanks, Yuri! Good work !!!

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  13. Valery RybchenkoNo Gravatar
    Valery RybchenkoNo Gravatar said on March 18th, 2009 at 12:33 am

    Yuri, many thanks for sharing model release and keywords tool with Russian language,
    greeting from Ukraine!

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  14. ALEXANDERNo Gravatar
    ALEXANDERNo Gravatar said on March 23rd, 2009 at 6:39 pm

    HI YURI,
    I WORK MOST IN FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY, NOW I START A LITTLE WORK IN STOCK AS WELL.
    IV BEEN SEEING YOUR WORK ALL OVER :) GRATULATIONS FOR THAT !!
    I WONDER FROM WHERE YOU GET YOUR MODELS ? ARE IN DENMARK SPECIAL AGENCYS FOR STOCKMODELS BASED ?
    ALEXANDER

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  15. Rahul TiwariNo Gravatar
    Rahul TiwariNo Gravatar said on April 4th, 2009 at 11:26 am

    Thanks for sharing. It will really help me.

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  16. Craig WactorNo Gravatar
    Craig WactorNo Gravatar said on April 5th, 2009 at 8:43 pm

    Hey Yuri, thanks a bunch for the files! Makes it so much easier than trying to write my own. It’s a great thing that you are giving back to the community like this!

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  17. Brandon SeidelNo Gravatar
    Brandon SeidelNo Gravatar said on April 6th, 2009 at 12:15 am

    Thanks!

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  18. AllenNo Gravatar
    AllenNo Gravatar said on April 14th, 2009 at 1:26 am

    Yuri,
    Thanks so much for sharing these releases. Now all I have to do is get up the nerve to start working with more models. One question I have is ‘Is the copy of the photo ID required for most/all agencies?’ I’m thinking if I’m out somewhere and get a good shot and just ask someone to sign the model release don’t really think they’d be willing to give me a copy of their driver’s license.

    Allen

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  19. DookNo Gravatar
    DookNo Gravatar said on April 14th, 2009 at 3:34 pm

    Allen,
    you do not need models ID for referance, justi his/her picture. It can be taken during the session.

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  20. Fábio SallesNo Gravatar
    Fábio SallesNo Gravatar said on April 14th, 2009 at 8:45 pm

    I am new in this work -microstok- Thanks so much for your help. i am brazilian and hear is very dificult information about this work. Thanks Yuri and thanks internet

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  21. OliverNo Gravatar
    OliverNo Gravatar said on April 15th, 2009 at 10:59 pm

    Is an image on the model required for it to be valid? I don’t see a field or indication of that on Yuri’s releases…

    Does one has to do a new release for every single shoot with the model, or is one release enough, and can be reused?

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  22. Sushil chandakNo Gravatar
    Sushil chandakNo Gravatar said on April 19th, 2009 at 7:28 pm

    It’s really your hard work helps a lot of new photographers and new comers in photography business. Thanks

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  23. MikeNo Gravatar
    MikeNo Gravatar said on April 29th, 2009 at 11:53 am

    Very useful, thanks!

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  24. Linda DNo Gravatar
    Linda DNo Gravatar said on May 4th, 2009 at 4:35 pm

    Yuri, You have a very informative website, thank you for sharing, it’s good karma! I have a question for you or anyone reading this, how do you change the picture box details from Yuir’s to mine?

    Thank you!

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  25. Linda DNo Gravatar
    Linda DNo Gravatar said on May 4th, 2009 at 6:19 pm

    Okay, please ignore my above post, after a couple of days scratching head I actually figured it out…right after posting my question! ;)

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  26. Jeffrey B KrushinskiNo Gravatar
    Jeffrey B KrushinskiNo Gravatar said on May 10th, 2009 at 2:07 pm

    Whats the “ID with picture” box at the bottom ?
    If thats for the model, how does one get a models ID copied out in the field when you’re away from your scanner?

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  27. GiaNo Gravatar
    GiaNo Gravatar said on May 10th, 2009 at 10:06 pm

    Thank you to Yuri and Greetings to all.

    Could someone drop a few, what is the Property release for? Model release is understandble.

    Thank you guys.

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  28. Pedro MonteiroNo Gravatar
    Pedro MonteiroNo Gravatar said on May 19th, 2009 at 9:55 pm

    Thanks Yuri.
    in 10 min i learn more about photografh then in 6 month
    Pedro

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  29. AlexNo Gravatar
    AlexNo Gravatar said on June 2nd, 2009 at 10:12 pm

    Yuri is a great source of inspiration for young fotografers, its amazing that he is sharing a lot of “secrets” among his community. Keep up the good job!

    Alex

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  30. DamianNo Gravatar
    DamianNo Gravatar said on June 17th, 2009 at 9:34 am

    Hi. To today my models signed six different documents. Thank you for your universal model release. Greeting from Poland.

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  31. ShawnNo Gravatar
    ShawnNo Gravatar said on June 19th, 2009 at 2:49 am

    Yuri,

    Thank you for your work. Just what I was looking for.

    -shawn

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  32. ChristianNo Gravatar
    ChristianNo Gravatar said on June 30th, 2009 at 5:15 pm

    Thanks Yuri, this helps a lot. Thanks so much for sharing!

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  33. Osiblog » Example model release forms - blog about technology, webdesign, software development, whisky, linux and graphics said on June 23rd, 2009 at 10:02 am

    [...] forms”. Yuri Arcurs was kind enough to share some example contracts which can be found on his website. contract example (taken from Yuri Arcurs [...]

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