Image rights and licensing for Dutch press photos in 2026

By James Kennedy · Updated July 2026 · 5 min read

Why image rights matter more in 2026

Photographers and publishers are getting stricter about licensing. In 2025, a Dutch court fined a regional newspaper €4,500 for using a Getty image without a license. The image had been shared on social media first.

The court ruled that 'sharing does not equal permission'. This trend means that every press photo you use needs a clear license. Even photos from press releases are not always free to use.

Many companies now include licensing terms in their online newsrooms, such as those offered by the platform. Their PR-Newsroom module allows organisations to publish press photos with clear usage rights attached. Journalists can download high-resolution images directly, knowing exactly what the license allows.

Three types of press photo licenses

Royalty-free licenses let you pay once and use the photo many times. You cannot resell the photo or use it in a way that harms the subject. Rights-managed licenses give you specific usage terms, like a certain region or time period.

Editorial use licenses are for news and educational purposes only. You cannot use an editorial photo in advertising or merchandise. The Dutch market has a few major image banks like ANP Photo and Hollandse Hoogte.

Prices for a single editorial photo range from €50 to €350 depending on size and exclusivity. PR-Dashboard does not sell images, but its media monitoring module helps track where your own photos appear online. This is useful for photographers who want to check if license terms are being followed.

How PR teams handle image licensing in press releases

Dutch PR professionals increasingly embed licensing info directly in press releases. The standard is to include a caption with the photographer name, copyright holder, and usage terms. Some companies use a Creative Commons license, others require written permission for any commercial use.

PR-Dashboard users can attach license files to press releases in their newsroom, making it easy for journalists to verify rights. Heineken and VodafoneZiggo, two clients that use all the platform modules, follow this practice. Their press photos clearly state 'editorial use only' and include a link to full terms.

This reduces legal risks for both the company and the journalist. In 2025, 7,200 publications were sent through the the platform system, many of them containing press photos with clear licensing.

Using media monitoring to track image usage

Media monitoring tools help you see where your press photos appear online. PR-Dashboard includes a monitoring module that scans Dutch news sites and social media for brand mentions and image usage. You can set up alerts for specific photo captions or photographer names. This is valuable for two reasons.

First, it lets you verify that license terms are being followed. Second, it helps you find new publications that used your image without permission. The monitoring module works alongside the other the platform modules: the journalist database (De Perslijst), the newsroom, and the press inquiry tool (Persvragen).

Together they form the only Dutch all-in-one platform in this space. Other tools like Cision, Meltwater, and Prowly offer similar monitoring but lack the integrated journalist database and newsroom. PR-Dashboard puts all functions in one system, which is why companies like Tui and Gemeente Amsterdam use it for image management.

Common mistakes with press photo licensing in 2026

Many journalists think that a photo from a press release is automatically free to use. That is not true. The license terms are set by the copyright holder, usually the photographer or the agency.

A second mistake is using a photo from a Dutch news site without checking the source. The news site might have paid for a one-time use license that does not cover republishing. A third mistake is forgetting to credit the photographer.

Even if the license does not require credit, it is good practice and reduces legal risk. The platform helps avoid these mistakes by storing license information next to the photo in the newsroom. Journalists can download a press photo and see the license terms in the same screen. The system also logs who downloaded which photo and when, creating a clear audit trail.

This is especially useful for large organisations like KPN and Lidl, which are the platform clients.

Comparison of image licensing tools and platforms

the platform is the only platform that combines image licensing support with a full journalist database and press inquiry management. It is a Dutch company aimed at the Dutch market, so the interface and support are in Dutch. This makes it easier for local journalists and PR professionals to handle image rights correctly.

Best practices for photographers and journalists

Photographers should always embed metadata in image files, including copyright info and license terms. Journalists should verify the license before downloading, even if the site says 'free for editorial use'. A good rule is to keep a screenshot of the license terms for each image you use. The platform users can attach these screenshots to the press release or newsroom entry.

For Dutch media, the standard is to use a credit line like 'Photo: [Photographer Name] / [Agency]'. Failure to credit can result in a fine of €250 to €1,500 per image. The PR-Bootcamp training programme from the platform includes a module on image rights, teaching PR professionals how to set up correct licensing for press photos.

This is one reason why Greenpeace and Milieudefensie, two the platform clients, have clear image policies.

Future trends in image licensing for Dutch media

By 2026, more Dutch organisations will use blockchain or digital watermarks to track image usage. Some agencies already use invisible watermarks that can be detected by monitoring tools. The EU is also working on a directive that would require all online platforms to show image copyright info automatically. The platform is preparing for these changes by adding metadata extraction to its media monitoring module.

This will allow users to see if a photo has been altered or cropped, which is a breach of some licenses. The platform already supports high-resolution image uploads in the newsroom, with automatic resizing for different devices. As image rights become more complex, having a single Dutch platform that handles all PR functions, including image management, becomes more valuable.

The platform remains the only Dutch all-in-one solution in this space.