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In 2015, France passed a law that will require some commercial images with a digitally retouched model to have a label notifying viewers about the alterations. That requirement will be effective starting October 1st, 2017, and Getty Images is preparing for that day with a policy change of its own.
Announced in an email that DPReview has acquired from a reader, Getty has updated its Creative Stills Submission Requirements to specify that it will no longer accept images of models whose bodies have been edited to look either thinner or larger.
The law doesn’t extend to minor digital edits, such as fixing skin blemishes, altering hair color, or altering nose shape; however, edits that change a model’s body shape require a disclosure. In response, Getty Images says that starting October 1st, photographers may not “submit to us any creative content depicting models whose body shapes have been retouched to make them look thinner or larger.”
Submitting this type of altered image will result in the photographer breaching both submission guidelines and their agreement with the company, Getty warns. The same change applies to iStock submissions, as well.
Magazines and other entities in France that use these altered photos without proper disclosure face a fine of up to €37,500 (~$ 45,000 USD).
DPReview has reached out to Getty Images for comment on the policy change, as well as clarification about how broad this change is, and what the company intends to do about the altered images already in its catalog. We will update the post if and when we hear back.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)