Photographs are clearly a valuable part of ANR publications. What is less clear is their availability for other uses. Which photos require permission for use, and which don’t? Although this can be a complicated question that is best answered on an individual basis, there are some rules of thumb:

Pre-existing photos 

• You do not need permission to use photographs taken by Communication Services staff in the course of their work, or (in most cases) photos reproduced from other Division publications or sources. 
• Permission is not required to use photos taken or published by the U.S. government. 
• Permission is not required to use photos of UC faculty, staff, students, or facilities.
• If photos have been published in other, non-Division publications, you need to obtain written permission from the copyright holder. This is usually, but not always, the person who took the photographs. 
• Photos of identifiable people or of certain objects or places, such as proprietary technology or commercial establishments, require permission.
• Permission may also be required to use photos taken by someone other than yourself or one of your co-authors. If the photo has not been published, obtain permission from the person who took the photo.

Photos not yet taken 

• If you're going to take a photo of a person or place, ask whether permission is needed before you take the photo. Download and bring a copy of the ANR standard photo release agreement for your subject to sign. The Photo, Video, Audio Release Form (PDF) is available in English and Spanish .

The best time to find out whether your photographs will need permissions is in the initial stages of planning your publication. Contact Steve Barnett (swbarnett@ucdavis.edu) at Communication Services for more information.