Rights Research

It’s a common problem: You’ve found the perfect images to illustrate your project, but you still have questions. Who owns the rights? How do you obtain permission? What are the legal issues? Where do you start?

At PhotoAssist, we answer these questions every day. Through our sister company, RightsAssist, we’ve successfully researched rights-and-permissions issues for tens of thousands of images, helping our clients comply with ever-changing copyright laws.

Whether the image you’ve found is a drawing in an old book, a vintage poster from a little-known archive, or a terrific photo you discovered online, we’ll diligently research it, negotiate with rights holders, and advise you regarding any legal issues.

If you’re a photographer or artist, PhotoAssist can help you, too. We’re well versed in the often baffling business of model releases, art reference, and copyright. Let us review your project and identify areas of risk; we’ll help you avoid unpleasant legal entanglements.

Our clients and partners have included prominent museums, government agencies, advertising firms, and publishing companies, among them the National Geographic Society, Discovery Communications, Time Life Books, The Washington Post Magazine, and the U.S. Postal Service.