Code of Ethics

To Be of Good Character

• Honesty To deal fairly and honestly with clients and subjects.

• Common Good Whenever possible, to place the common health of the industry ahead of one's own interests.

• Defending Our Work To value and protect copyright and freedom on expression.

• Giving Credit To accurately credit the authorship of all works.

• Giving Back To do one's best to give back to the profession by volunteering time to protect and improve the industry and by advising new photographers or illustrators.

Our Commitment to Our Clients

• Privacy – To respect the privacy of our clients and subjects; to use images of individuals only with their permission.

• Acting in the Client's Interest To further the client's best interests in a professional manner, to the limits of one's professional responsibility.

• Confidentiality To protect client confidentiality, including any portions of assignments provided by other individuals or businesses.

• Release Disclosure To fully inform the client about the terms of model and property releases

• Fairness in Billing Never to invoice for work or supplies not previously discussed with the client. To invoice for lost or damaged photographs or artwork at fair market prices.

• Secondary Usage Consideration To fairly consider the client's interests when selling secondary use of the image. No secondary usage without a model release.

To Maintain Professional Business Practices

• Documentation To use professional, industry-approved, written contracts and delivery memos for every assignment.

• Accurate Records To keep accurate and complete business records.

• Fair Contracts To only accept projects or contracts that are fair to both the creator and client.

• No Licensing Sellouts To avoid licensing agreements that devalue the industry standard balance between usage fees and rights granted.

• No Collusion To not participate in illegal collusion, price fixing or other dishonest competitive strategies.

• No Spec Work To avoid participating in a competitive bidding process that demands that Members create work for which payment depends on winning the contract.

• Fair Competitions Only To only enter commercial competitions in which any usage rights transferred are fairly compensated.

Our Commitment to Our Employees, Suppliers, Subcontractors, Subjects and Models

• Fairness To honour our legal, fiscal, and moral obligations toward employees, suppliers, subcontractors, subjects and models.

• No Abuse To treat all assistants, employees, subjects and models professionally and fairly at all times and never to take advantage of one's position of authority.

• Respect To protect the privacy and property of our subjects.

• Release Honesty To be open and honest when requesting model or property releases.