If you’re a photographer, illustrator, designer or brand and you’ve landed here because you spotted your work on Sharply Simple, thank you for taking the time to look. This page explains where our images come from and how to reach us quickly about anything that belongs to you.
We Value the People Behind the Pictures
A men’s style blog lives and dies by its pictures. An outfit guide doesn’t work without a clear photo of the outfit, and a haircut article needs to show the cut. So we know that every good image took someone’s skill, time and effort to make.
We respect the work of photographers, stylists, illustrators, designers and brands. Handling image rights properly is part of how we show that respect.
Our Approach to Image Use
We believe that every third-party image used on Sharply Simple is used in line with the fair use doctrine, is in the public domain, or is used under a valid license. We have no intention of infringing anyone’s copyright or intellectual property.
We try hard to get image sourcing right. If we ever get it wrong, we’d rather hear about it and fix it than leave a creator unhappy.
Where Our Images Come From
Sharply Simple uses images from several kinds of sources. Here’s an honest breakdown.
Licensed stock photography
Many of the outfit, lifestyle and grooming images on the site come from paid stock libraries such as Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Depositphotos, iStock and Canva Pro. These images are used under the terms of each platform’s license. They’re especially useful for showing styling ideas, like a smart-casual look or a well-fitted blazer, when we don’t have our own photo to hand.
Free-license photo platforms
Some images come from Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay and Burst. These platforms offer photos under their own free licenses. We use them within those license terms, and we credit the photographer whenever we can, even where the license doesn’t require it.
Creative Commons images
We sometimes use images released under Creative Commons licenses, such as CC0, CC BY and CC BY-SA, from sources like Flickr Commons and Wikimedia Commons. We follow the terms of each license. That includes crediting the creator and linking to the license where required.
Public domain images
For historical references, like classic menswear, vintage tailoring or famous style eras, we may use public domain images from Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress, Smithsonian Open Access and similar archives. These images are no longer under copyright, or their creators dedicated them to the public domain.
Original photography
Some photos on Sharply Simple are taken by us specifically for the site. These include outfit flat lays, close-ups of fabrics and details, and products we’ve bought and used. These images belong to Sharply Simple.
Brand, editorial and press images
When we review a product, compare items or discuss a brand, we may show official product images or press photos from that brand. We use these for commentary, review and reporting, which we believe counts as fair use. Where appropriate, we credit the brand or photographer and link to the original source.
Images from readers and collaborators
Occasionally, a reader or collaborator may share a photo with us, such as a before-and-after outfit or a haircut. We only publish these with the sender’s permission, and we credit them if they’d like to be named.
How We Give Credit
When an image needs attribution, Sharply Simple credits the original creator. This covers Creative Commons BY images, editorial use of brand images and fair use commentary. Credit usually appears in the image caption or at the end of the article, with a link to the source where possible.
If an attribution is wrong or incomplete, we’ll correct it as soon as we’re told.
When Credit Slips Through the Cracks
Honestly, across hundreds of articles and Pinterest pins, mistakes can happen. Sometimes an image arrives with a broken source link. Sometimes a photo has been shared so widely online that the original creator is hard to trace. Sometimes it’s a simple oversight on our part.
It’s never intentional. When it happens, we want to put it right quickly.
Found Your Work Here? You Have Three Options
If you find an image on Sharply Simple that belongs to you, just let us know which of these you’d prefer:
- Credit. We’ll add proper attribution with your name and a link to your website or portfolio.
- A change. We’ll adjust how your work is shown. For example, we can crop it, resize it, change the link or add your watermark.
- Removal. We’ll take the image down completely.
Whichever you choose, email us at contact@sharplysimple.com.
What Helps Us Help You Faster
To sort things out quickly, please include:
- A link to the page on Sharply Simple where the image appears
- A link to the original image, or proof that it’s yours, such as your portfolio, website or original file
- Your name and how you’d like us to contact you
- Which option you’d like: credit, a change or removal
What Happens Next
Once we get your email, we’ll reply to confirm we’ve received it. We’ll take a quick look to verify ownership where that’s reasonable, then carry out the option you chose. Finally, we’ll email you again to confirm it’s done, so you’re not left wondering.
How Quickly We Respond
We aim to reply to every image request within 48 hours. Simple removals can often be handled on the same business day.
No Lawyers Needed
You don’t need to send a formal legal notice or hire a lawyer to contact us. A friendly email is enough. We’d much rather sort things out directly with you, quickly and without fuss.
Questions About an Image?
Whether you’re a photographer, a brand or just curious about where a picture came from, our door is always open.
contact@sharplysimple.com