Licensing, Copyright & Permissions for Nomadic Samuel Photos and Content

Welcome! This page explains how you can use content from NomadicSamuel.com—especially our original photos.

We’re generally friendly folks who like seeing our work used well. We’re also protective of it. Both things can be true.

If you want to use something and you’re not sure how, the simplest approach is: ask first. (We promise that “permission requested” emails are far less awkward than “we found our photo on your homepage.”)

Quick summary (the “please don’t make it weird” version)

• All content on NomadicSamuel.com is copyrighted unless stated otherwise.
• You’re welcome to share links to our pages and use short excerpts for commentary/review with credit.
• You can’t republish our photos, copy full articles, or create mirror/scraped versions of our content without written permission.
• Commercial use (brands, tourism businesses, advertising, sponsored posts, products, paid newsletters, etc.) requires a license.
• Editorial use (news, magazine, educational publication, destination roundup) usually requires a license as well—unless it’s limited quoting + link, with no republished images.
• We do not grant rights to third-party content we may feature (tourism board images, stock, embedded media, trademarks, etc.). Those rights remain with the original owners.

Definitions (so we’re talking about the same thing)

On this page:

• “We,” “us,” “our” refers to Nomadic Samuel (the owners/operators of NomadicSamuel.com).
• “Site” refers to NomadicSamuel.com and any subdomains we operate.
• “Content” means everything on the site including text, photos, videos, graphics, PDFs, downloads, maps, and site design elements.
• “Photos” refers to our original photography unless otherwise credited.
• “License” means written permission granted by us that describes exactly how you can use specific content (what, where, for how long, and under what terms).
• “Editorial use” generally means informational publishing (news, magazines, travel guides, education) where the content is used to illustrate a story, not to sell a product or service directly.
• “Commercial use” generally means any use that promotes, sells, advertises, or supports a business, service, product, brand, paid partnership, or revenue-generating activity.
• “Personal use” means non-commercial use for yourself (trip planning, learning, private reference) that is not republished publicly.
• “Republish” means copying or re-hosting our content (text or images) on another platform (website, social media, newsletter, app, print, etc.).

If your use case sits in a gray zone (many do), the safe move is: treat it as commercial until clarified.

Ownership & copyright notice

Unless we explicitly credit a different creator, all original content on this site is owned by Nomadic Samuel and protected under applicable copyright laws and international copyright treaties.

That includes:

• Original photographs
• Original articles, itineraries, and travel guides
• Video content and still frames
• Custom graphics, charts, and infographics
• Branded elements (logos, design assets, downloadable resources)

All rights reserved. Using our content without permission does not become “okay” just because it’s on the internet.

What you CAN do without permission

Share links (always encouraged)

You may:

• Share a link to any Nomadic Samuel page on social media, messaging apps, or forums.
• Link to our articles from your own website or resource page.
• Use built-in share buttons where available.

Linking is the internet’s love language. We support it.

Quote short excerpts (with rules)

You may quote a short excerpt of our text for the purpose of commentary, review, criticism, or discussion, provided you:

• Keep it brief (think a few sentences, not the entire “how to get there” section)
• Clearly credit Nomadic Samuel
• Link to the original page on NomadicSamuel.com
• Do not present our writing as your own
• Do not copy the “core value” of the article (for example: copying the entire itinerary, full lists, or step-by-step planning sections)

If you’re basically recreating our post on your platform, it’s not an excerpt anymore.

Use content for personal planning

You may:

• Bookmark pages for your own use
• Print a page for your own trip planning
• Save notes for personal reference
• Share a link with friends you’re traveling with

What you may not do is republish that printed page as a downloadable PDF on your website (yes, this happens).

What you CANNOT do without written permission

Photos: no reposting, no rehosting, no “borrowed for vibes”

Without permission, you may not:

• Download and reupload our photos to your website, blog, or social accounts
• Use our photos as hero images, thumbnails, Pinterest pins, or newsletter headers
• Use our photos in a product listing, ad creative, or sponsored content
• Use our photos in presentations, brochures, print materials, or signage
• Use our photos as wallpaper packs, templates, or “free resources”

Even if you credit us. Credit is not a license.

Text: no full reposts and no “light edits”

Without permission, you may not:

• Copy/paste full articles (or substantial portions) onto another website
• Republish our itineraries, lists, or planning steps as your own
• Translate our articles and repost them
• Create “summaries” that reproduce the structure and the majority of details
• Turn our articles into an ebook, PDF, app content, or newsletter edition

No scraped or mirrored versions of our site

Without permission, you may not:

• Scrape our site content for any purpose
• Build automated databases or destination pages from our posts
• Create mirror sites, clones, or “republished archives”
• Use our content in bulk for SEO networks, content farms, or AI-generated sites

No AI training or dataset usage without explicit consent

You may not:

• Use our text or photos to train machine learning models
• Include our content in datasets, embeddings, or scraped corpora
• Feed our images into systems intended to generate competing image libraries or style models

If you’re building tools, research, or training pipelines and you want permission, request it in writing and be specific.

No removal of credit, metadata, or ownership cues

You may not:

• Remove watermarks (if present)
• Strip metadata and present our images as “uncredited”
• Crop out credits or identifying elements
• Present our work in a way that implies it’s public domain

Fair use / fair dealing (important, but not a magic wand)

Some uses of copyrighted material can be lawful without permission under fair use (US) or fair dealing (Canada/UK and other jurisdictions). These rules are nuanced and depend on factors like purpose, amount used, and market impact.

A practical rule of thumb:

• Short quote + commentary + link + clear credit is often fine.
• Full article repost + no commentary + no transformation is not.
• Using our photos to illustrate your content is typically not fair use.

If you’re relying on fair use/fair dealing, you’re responsible for making that determination. If you want certainty, ask for permission.

A quick decision matrix (pick your path)

If you want to…

• Share our article with your audience → Link to it. You’re good.
• Quote a couple sentences in your post → Credit + link + keep it short.
• Use one of our photos in your article → You need permission/license.
• Use our photo in a tourism business post → You need a commercial license.
• Translate our guide and post it → You need written permission.
• Use our itinerary in your paid newsletter → You need a license.
• Make a Pinterest pin using our photo → You need permission.
• Use our images in print (brochure/magazine) → You need a license.
• Use our content to train an AI tool → You need explicit written consent.

Still unsure? Send a request. We’ll tell you what category it falls into.

Photography licensing (our images)

Default status: all rights reserved

Unless we explicitly state otherwise, our original images are not free-to-use and are protected by copyright.

If you want to use a photo publicly, you need permission (and often a paid license depending on usage).

Types of licenses we may offer (case-by-case)

We don’t publish one fixed “price list” because usage varies wildly, but we commonly license photography for:

• Editorial publishing (online and print)
• Commercial marketing (brands, tourism businesses, campaigns)
• Digital placements (websites, newsletters, social media)
• Print placements (magazines, brochures, guidebooks, signage)
• Limited campaigns (time-bound use for a specific project)
• Bundles (a set of photos for a destination or feature)

Typical factors that determine licensing terms

When we quote or approve a license, we look at:

• Where the image will appear (website, print, social, ads, etc.)
• How it will be used (supporting editorial vs selling a product)
• Duration (one-time, 3 months, 1 year, perpetual)
• Geography (local, national, worldwide distribution)
• Placement (hero image, cover, thumbnail, small inline)
• Reach (estimated audience size, print run, followers, email list size)
• Exclusivity (usually increases cost and may limit other uses)
• Number of images (single vs bundle)

What we usually allow (when licensed)

Often allowed:

• Cropping for layout
• Resizing for performance
• Light exposure/contrast adjustments
• Converting formats (JPG/WEBP) for web publishing

Usually requires explicit permission:

• Heavy filters that materially change the scene
• Text overlays that imply endorsement (“Nomadic Samuel recommends…”)
• Composites, collages, or derivative artwork
• Any use in advertising placements or paid media
• Using the photo as a logo, trademark, or product design element

Model releases and property releases (a reality check)

Not all travel photography comes with model or property releases.

That means:

• If a photo includes identifiable people, private property, or branded elements, you may need additional permissions depending on your use.
• We can license our copyright, but we cannot guarantee third-party release requirements for every situation.
• For commercial advertising use, releases matter more than for editorial use.

If your project requires fully released imagery, say so in your request upfront.

Text licensing (articles, excerpts, and republishing)

We sometimes license text for:

• Official tourism sites (with clear attribution)
• Educational materials
• Destination publications
• Syndication partnerships
• Print guidebooks or curated collections

However:

• Copy/pasting full posts generally isn’t the best option.
• Often, we’ll recommend alternatives like:
  • Licensing a short excerpt with a link
  • Writing an original piece for your publication
  • Creating a collaboration where we contribute content properly

If you want republishing rights, request them clearly and include the scope.

Social media rules (because this is where most confusion happens)

What’s okay

• Sharing a link to our post on Instagram Stories, X, Facebook, etc.
• Sharing your own photo of our article on your screen (a casual “I’m reading this” post) is generally fine if it’s not used commercially and doesn’t reproduce the entire piece.
• Using platform-native sharing features that preview an article link.

What needs permission

• Downloading our photos and reuploading them as your own post
• Making reels/tiktoks where our images are the background visuals
• Using our images to promote your business, tour, property, or service
• Using our photos as Pinterest pins (even if you link to us) unless we’ve approved it

Pinterest is a repeat offender. If you want to pin our images, ask and we can often approve a set under specific rules.

Please don’t remove credits

If we approve social usage, keep credit visible and do not crop out identifying elements.

Third-party content, embeds, and trademarks

Third-party images

Sometimes we may feature images that are:

• Provided by a tourism board
• Licensed from a brand partner
• Stock images
• Guest photographer contributions
• Embedded media from a third-party platform

If an image is credited to someone else, we do not grant you rights to reuse it. You must contact the original rights holder.

Embedded content

Embedded YouTube videos, Instagram posts, maps, or widgets remain owned by their respective platforms/creators and are subject to their terms.

Trademarks

Company names, logos, and trademarks appearing on our site are owned by their respective owners and used for identification, commentary, or informational purposes.

Prohibited uses (even if you ask)

We reserve the right to decline licensing requests. We typically do not license our images/content for:

• Hate speech, harassment, or discriminatory content
• Adult/explicit content
• Illegal or deceptive activities
• Political ads or campaigning (unless explicitly agreed to)
• Endorsements we don’t actually support
• Uses that misrepresent location, context, or safety information
• “Before/after” scams, fake reviews, or fabricated testimonials
• Any use implying we are affiliated with or endorse a business when we do not

We care a lot about keeping travel information honest and not misleading.

How to request a license or permission (the fastest way to get a “yes”)

To request permission to use a photo, text, or graphic, send a message with the information below.

Include this information

• The exact link (URL) to the page where the image/text appears
• A description of what you want to use (which photo, which excerpt, etc.)
• Where it will be used (website, print, social, newsletter, video, etc.)
• Whether the use is commercial or editorial
• Placement details (hero image, cover, thumbnail, small inline, etc.)
• Duration (one-time, 3 months, 1 year, perpetual)
• Distribution (country/region; print run if print)
• Estimated reach (monthly website visitors, followers, email list size, etc.)
• Any edits you plan (crop, overlay text, color grading)
• Whether you need exclusivity
• Your deadline (if relevant)

The more specific you are, the smoother this goes.

Copy/paste request template

You can copy this template into a message:

• Request type: (Photo / Text / Graphic / Other)
• Nomadic Samuel page URL:
• Specific asset(s) requested:
• Intended use: (Editorial / Commercial)
• Platform: (Website / Print / Social / Newsletter / Video / Other)
• Placement: (Hero / Cover / Thumbnail / Inline / Other)
• Duration:
• Geographic distribution:
• Estimated reach:
• Edits planned:
• Exclusivity needed: (Yes/No)
• Credit line requested (if you have a preference):
• Your organization / project name:
• Contact info:

If you don’t know some details, guess. An approximate answer is better than none.

Attribution requirements (when use is approved)

If we grant permission, you must credit us as agreed in the license.

Common credit formats:

• Photo by Nomadic Samuel
• Image © Nomadic Samuel
• Courtesy of Nomadic Samuel

For web usage, we typically require:

• A visible credit near the image, and
• A link back to the original post or to NomadicSamuel.com (unless impossible due to platform constraints)

If we provide an exact credit line, please use it verbatim.

License terms (common conditions)

Unless we explicitly agree otherwise in writing, licenses are typically:

• Non-exclusive (we can license the same image elsewhere)
• Non-transferable (you can’t give/sell the license to someone else)
• Non-sublicensable (you can’t allow a third party to use it)
• Limited to the stated project (new project = new permission)
• Revocable for breach (if you violate terms, permission can be withdrawn)

If you need broader rights (like an agency arrangement, sublicensing, or multi-platform syndication), say so upfront.

Payment, invoicing, and delivery (when applicable)

For paid licenses:

• We may request payment before delivering high-resolution files.
• We typically deliver images in a web-appropriate format (and can provide print resolution where needed).
• We can provide a simple written agreement/receipt describing the approved usage.

We do not guarantee availability of RAW files.

Using our content as a reference (what’s fine, what’s not)

We love when our posts inspire your trip planning and your writing. Here’s the line:

Fine

• Reading our article, learning, and writing your own original piece
• Using our post as a reference with your own experience and research
• Quoting a short excerpt with link + credit

Not fine

• Rewriting our article paragraph-by-paragraph with synonyms
• Copying our itinerary structure and all the key details
• Using our unique planning advice and lists in a way that substitutes for our post

If your audience can get the same value without visiting our site, you’ve probably gone too far.

Image hotlinking and “embedding” our photo files

Please do not hotlink directly to our image files (e.g., using our JPEG URLs as your site images). Hotlinking:

• Consumes our bandwidth
• Breaks image attribution
• Can cause images to disappear if our media paths change

If you want to display an image, request permission and host it properly under license.

Reporting unauthorized use (copyright concerns)

If you see our work being used elsewhere improperly, you can contact us.

If you’re using our work without permission

We may request:

• Removal of the content
• Proper licensing/retroactive permission (where appropriate)
• Correct attribution and link placement

We prefer to resolve issues calmly and directly, but repeated misuse may require formal escalation.

Changes to this page

We may update this policy occasionally to reflect new media formats, platform changes, or legal best practices. The most current version is always the one published here.

Notes for structured data (ImageObject schema)

If you’re a normal human reader, you can ignore this section. If you’re here because you saw it referenced in schema:

• This page is intended to serve as our license reference page for our original images.
• When you see fields like license and acquireLicensePage in our structured data, they point to our policy and permission process.
• The presence of this page does not grant automatic rights to reuse images—it explains how to request them.

Frequently Asked Questions About Licensing Nomadic Samuel Photos and Content

Can I use one of your photos if I give credit?

Nope. Credit is appreciated, but it does not replace permission. If you want to republish a photo, you need written approval (and often a license).

Can I share your post on Facebook/WhatsApp/Reddit?

Yes. Sharing a link is always fine—and appreciated.

Can I quote your article in my blog post?

Yes, if it’s a short excerpt and you include clear credit plus a link to the original. Don’t reproduce long sections, full lists, or entire itineraries.

Can I translate your article and post it in another language?

Not without permission. Translations are derivative works and require written approval.

Can I use your itinerary as the basis for my own?

You can use it for personal planning. If you want to publish an itinerary, write your own original version and don’t reproduce the same structure/details in a way that substitutes for ours.

Can I use your photo in a school project or classroom presentation?

Often yes for private, non-commercial educational use. If it will be published online (public PDF, school website), request permission first.

Can I pin your photos on Pinterest if I link back to you?

Usually you still need permission, because you’re republishing the image file as a pin. Ask and we can sometimes approve a limited set under specific rules.

Can I use your photo as a YouTube thumbnail?

That’s typically a commercial/promotional use. You need permission and a license.

Can I use your photos in a tourism business blog post or newsletter?

That’s commercial use. You’ll need a commercial license.

What if I found your photo on another site—can I use it from there?

No. If it’s ours, it requires permission regardless of where you found it.

Do you license photos for magazines and guidebooks?

Sometimes, yes. Tell us print run, distribution, placement (cover/inside), and duration so we can quote correctly.

Do you offer free licenses for non-profits?

Sometimes, depending on the organization and use case. Ask with details and we’ll consider it.

Do you allow cropping or minor edits?

When licensed, light crops and basic corrections are usually okay. Heavy filters, text overlays implying endorsement, and major alterations generally require explicit approval.

Can I use your images in ads or paid social campaigns?

That’s commercial advertising use and requires a specific license. Also, we may decline uses that imply endorsement.

How much does licensing cost?

It depends on usage, duration, distribution, reach, placement, and exclusivity. We’ll quote based on your specific request.

Can I license a bundle of photos for a destination?

Yes, in many cases. Bundles are often the most practical option for publications and tourism partners.

Does this page mean your photos are Creative Commons?

No. Our default is all rights reserved. This page explains how to request permission—it does not grant automatic reuse rights.