Here is a basic guide to what photos can and can’t be used in online posts on OregonLive.com or social media posts.

You may use photos from:

• The Oregonian’s staff photographers.
• The Associated Press.
• APExchange (but only photos from The Associated Press — no other news agencies).
• Government agency websites.
• Business Web sites that have specific offers of photos or graphics for media use.

You may NOT use photos from:

• Any wire service other than The Associated Press.
• Any general photo pages on Google, Twitter, Flickr or any other site – without permission.
• Business websites that are not specifically offered for media use.
• Photos taken by freelance photographers (check with photo editors to make sure we own the rights before using).

Permissions:

To run any photo other than those in the you-may-use list, you will need permission. To receive permission, you will need to contact the copyright holder (in most cases, the photographer). An email or tweet granting permission should be good enough (please print it out – just in case).

What if the photo is on Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, Twitter? Attempt to contact the page’s owner. If the photo is from a portrait studio or professional photographic session, you should figure that the photographer still owns the copyright and you should not use without the photographer’s permission. If the photo is a snapshot taken by the page’s owner, you should attempt to contact that person for permission. (As we often write about people after they have died, use your good judgment and consider these questions: Who would own the copyright? Is the photo needed? And how will the photo’s use be construed by the family and friends versus its news value?)

Wedding photos, family portraits taken in studios, yearbook photos, PR handouts? All are protected by copyright. If they don’t carry a copyright symbol and they are newsworthy and the only option, generally they would be fine to use. If you hear from a copyright holder about a specific image, be prepared to credit specifically to that person or
remove the photo if requested.

Questions about a specific photo? Check with an online team member or a photo editor.

Credits – Every photo needs a credit:

• The Oregonian photos (Photgrapher’s name (upper and lowercase)/The Oregonian). If it is a file photo, include the date and circumstances of the photo in the caption.
• The Associated Press photos (simple credit to “The Associated Press” unless the information calls for a specific, required credit).
• For handout photos from a person, use “Courtesy of …”
• For handout photos from an agency, just name the agency.

Captions – Every photo needs a caption.

• If the photo is a historic photo, please use the date (year at a minimum) when it was shot. This can be in the caption or the credit.
• Identify people in the photo even if it is from the archives.