Editorial submission guidelines

How do I submit editorial content?
Editorial content is intended to support stories related to newsworthy events or current affairs. This includes both newsworthy events and subjects that reflect aspects of everyday life, society, or culture.

Examples of events and subjects suitable for Editorial Use:

• News events: Political rallies, protests, government announcements, elections

• Public performances: Concerts, theater performances, festivals (when shot from public access)

• Conferences and trade fairs: Industry expos, tech showcases, business panels

• Sports events: Local games, marathons, or international matches (captured from public spaces)

• Celebrity appearances: Red carpet events, press conferences, public sightings

• Cultural or religious gatherings: Parades, traditional ceremonies, or festivals

• Day-to-day human interest: Public transportation, city life, street markets, people interacting in public spaces

• Topics of public interest: Healthcare scenes, environmental issues, technology use in daily life, travel and tourism

Required metadata for Editorial submissions
When submitting editorial images, your description/title, keywords, categories, and location must follow Depositphotos' editorial metadata requirements.

Your description must include:
Who – The main subject(s) (e.g., person, group, or public figure)
Where – The location of the event (e.g., city and country)
What – What’s happening in the image (e.g., name or type of event)

Correct format for editorial titles/descriptions:
CITY, COUNTRY – MONTH DAY, YEAR: [Factual sentence describing the subject and context.]

Example:
Berlin, Germany – September 1, 2025: Attendees interact with exhibitors during IFA Berlin, one of the world’s leading consumer electronics trade shows.

Events with credential requirements

If you are submitting content from a public or credentialed event (e.g., a concert, trade show, or press conference), include the event name in the title or description.
This adds credibility and context to your submission and may be necessary for review purposes.

Model releases and subject isolation

When you're working as a photojournalist and attending public performances, press conferences, trade fairs, or similar events, it's important to distinguish between:

General event coverage (editorial context)

Photos that show a wider scene with people, include environmental context (such as a stage, crowd, venue, or branding), or contain signage or recognizable elements that clearly identify the event are considered general event coverage. These types of images do not require model releases, as they document a public event and fall under editorial use.

Isolated portraits of identifiable individuals

If your photo is a close-up or isolated shot of a single identifiable person, and it lacks clear context showing that it was taken at a public event, then a model release is required – even if the photo was taken in a public setting.
This is because the person is clearly the main subject of the image, and their likeness could be used in ways that legally require their permission.