This Copyright and License Policy explains the ownership and permitted use of photography, design, digital products, consulting materials, and other creative works produced by or for Dan Mackenzie Creative ("we", "us", "our"). It should be read alongside our Terms of Service, Terms of Sale, and AI Ethics and Responsible Use Policy.
1. Scope of works covered
This Policy covers all creative and strategic outputs we produce, including photographs, graphics, brand assets, websites, reports, frameworks, templates, and digital products.
2. Photography works
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, we retain copyright in all photographs we create.
Clients typically receive a personal-use licence allowing them to print, share, and display images for personal purposes. Commercial or advertising use requires a separate licence, as also noted in our Terms of Service.
We retain portfolio rights to showcase selected images online, in print, and in marketing materials unless explicitly restricted in a contract.
3. Design and branding works
Ownership and licensing of brand identities, logos, and design systems are agreed on a project-by-project basis.
In many cases, rights are transferred to the client upon full payment, while we retain limited rights to display work in our portfolio. Any restrictions or extended rights are documented in the relevant agreement.
4. Website development and digital builds
Custom code, layouts, and integrations are licensed or transferred according to project scope.
Third-party frameworks, themes and plugins remain subject to their original licences. We will inform clients of any ongoing licensing requirements and, where possible, document these in project deliverables.
5. Strategic consulting and AI research outputs
Our proprietary methodologies, frameworks, and processes remain our intellectual property.
Clients receive rights to use delivered reports, insights and recommendations in their own business. Confidential client strategies and data remain confidential and are not reused for other clients.
6. Digital products and resources
Free and premium digital products (such as guides, templates, and downloads) are licensed according to terms stated at the point of access. Purchases made through our store are also subject to our Terms of Sale.
Unless specified otherwise:
Free resources are for personal or internal business use.
Premium products grant a non-transferable licence to the purchasing organisation or individual.
Redistribution, resale, or public sharing of our digital products is not permitted without written consent.
7. Third-party and client-provided content
Third-party content used in projects (for example, stock images, fonts, or code libraries) remains subject to its original licensing. Clients must comply with any usage restrictions.
Clients retain ownership of materials they provide (such as existing logos or text) and grant us the rights needed to use those materials in the project.
8. AI and technology considerations
Where AI tools are involved in producing research or creative work, licensing and ownership of outputs are governed by both this Policy and our AI Ethics and Responsible Use Policy.
We do not use client data to train AI models and we respect the licensing terms of any AI services we employ.
9. Rights protection and enforcement
We actively protect our intellectual property and may pursue infringement claims where our rights or licensing terms are violated.
We also support clients in enforcing the rights granted to them under project-specific agreements.
10. International considerations
Licensing arrangements may include territorial limitations or specific international use terms. Any such restrictions will be documented clearly in project contracts or product licence terms.
11. Policy reviews and updates
We review this Policy periodically and update it to reflect legal changes, platform policies, and industry best practice. The latest version will be published on our website with a revised effective date.
