Blog • For Businesses

How to License Stock Photos of Squamish & Whistler (A Guide for Businesses)

By Jeremy Allen ·

If you run a business in the Sea to Sky, generic stock photos of somewhere else don't cut it. Here's how licensing a real local photo works, what each license covers, and how to avoid the common mistakes.

You're buying a license, not the photo

When you license a stock photo, the photographer keeps the copyright and you get permission to use the image in specific ways. That's normal, and it's why licensing is affordable: you pay for the use you need, not for the photo outright.

All of my stock licenses are royalty-free for the use you describe. You pay once, and you don't pay again every time someone sees the image.

Misty morning over Howe Sound
A real Howe Sound morning beats a generic mountain every time · License this photo

Which license do you need?

Web & Social ($49)

For websites, blogs, newsletters and organic social media posts, with an image up to 2000px on the long edge. This covers most small businesses: a hero image on your homepage, a photo for a blog post, or an Instagram post.

Commercial ($149)

For paid ads and marketing campaigns, plus brochures, menus and print runs up to 10,000 copies, with the full-resolution file. If you're putting money behind the image, this is the one.

Extended (quote)

For products for resale, packaging and merch, billboards, TV and large print runs, and exclusive use on select images. Get in touch and tell me what you're planning.

Prices are in CAD, per image. See them all on the stock page.

Watch out for people in photos

If a photo shows a recognisable person and you want to use it in advertising, you need a model release from that person. Releases vary by image. Landscapes are ready for any use; for photos with people, ask me before using them in ads and I'll confirm what's available.

"Can I just use it with credit?"

No, and this is the most common mistake I see. Credit is nice, but it isn't a license. Every use of a copyrighted photo needs permission, and the watermarked previews on my site are for browsing only. Using an image without a license can mean a takedown notice or an invoice after the fact.

Mountains above Howe Sound at dusk
Vertical frames work well for Stories and Reels · License this photo

Tips for choosing the right image

  • Think about crops. A website banner wants a wide image with space for text. Social wants square or vertical.
  • Match the season. If you're promoting a winter offer, use a winter photo. Locals notice.
  • Be specific about place. A real Squamish or Whistler location builds trust with people who know the area.
  • Plan for more than one use. If an image might end up in an ad later, it's cheaper to license it for commercial use up front.

How to buy a license

  1. Browse the stock library by location, category or colour.
  2. Open a photo and tap License This Photo. That starts an email with the photo ID filled in.
  3. Tell me how and where you'll use it.
  4. I'll reply with an invoice and the full-resolution, unwatermarked file.

Can't find what you need? The library is only part of my archive, so tell me what you're after (a trail, a peak, a season or a sport) and I'll dig. If stock won't cut it, I can shoot it for you. Here's how to plan a brand shoot.