The Ethical Imagery Standard™

A framework for real, authentic, human-made photography

Human Authorship

All imagery must be created by a real human photographer.

Traceable Origin

The creator and licensing source must be known and verifiable.

Truthful Context

Images must not be falsely labeled, misrepresented, or decontextualized.

Clear Licensing

Usage rights must be explicit, documented, and human-granted.

Respect for Subjects

Images must honor the dignity of people, places, and moments represented.

Real Light

Images must be created under real light witnessed by the camera, not simulated or fabricated.

Photography vs AI Imagery

A photograph captures a real moment in time under real light.

AI imagery generates a representation of a moment that never occurred.

They are not equivalent.

They are not interchangeable.

They should not be licensed or labeled the same way.

View Ethical Imagery Research →