When someone supplies a photograph for your book, keep the file connected to its source and the recorded scope of its intended use. Supplying a copy does not by itself answer every publication-rights question. Resolve missing information before the image enters the release package, and preserve the record for future editions.
Separate the person supplying the file from its creator
A community-history project may receive photographs from relatives, volunteers, or a local organization. The person sending a scan may know the people pictured without knowing who took the photograph. Record what they actually know rather than assigning authorship based on the email address that delivered the file.
Give each incoming image a stable identifier. Keep the original filename, the supplier's description, any known creator information, and the date received. If information is uncertain, mark it as uncertain. An honest gap is easier to investigate than a confident but unsupported credit copied into several production files.
Record the proposed publication use clearly
Describe the planned use in concrete terms when collecting the supporting record. Identify the book, the intended placement, and any relevant edition or promotional use being discussed. A conversation about including a photograph in a local presentation may not answer the questions raised by including it in a published book.
Do not turn this record into a homemade legal conclusion. Its purpose is to preserve the actual information and identify unresolved scope. When the situation requires interpretation, obtain appropriate advice or clarification rather than treating a friendly message as proof that every possible use is covered.
Keep the approved asset connected to the final crop
A production editor may crop a photograph, adjust its presentation, or choose a higher-resolution replacement. Record which source image produced the published version. If the supporting record describes a particular treatment, make sure the final version remains consistent with that discussion or is reviewed again.
This connection also protects accurate captions. Cropping can remove a person or contextual detail mentioned in the supplier's note. Read the caption beside the actual crop, not beside the original scan, and avoid carrying over a description that no longer matches what readers can see.
Review credits and factual descriptions separately
A credit identifies a source or creator according to the relevant record. A caption explains the image. Keep these functions distinct so a corrected date or location does not accidentally overwrite the agreed credit wording. Record the evidence for factual claims such as names, places, and approximate dates.
If two contributors disagree about who appears in a photograph, preserve the disagreement until it is resolved or reflected appropriately in the text. Permission to reproduce an image does not establish that every supplied description is accurate. The rights review and the factual review need separate conclusions.
Check reused images against the new destination
When a photograph is reused on a cover, in another edition, or in promotional material, return to the supporting record. Do not assume that approval for one interior placement answers the questions for a different destination. Identify the changed use and resolve its scope before adding the new file to the release package.
KDP's content guidance places responsibility for publication rights on the publisher. A tidy asset library helps you carry out that responsibility, but it does not create rights that the underlying record lacks. Mark unresolved assets clearly so they cannot be mistaken for approved production material.
Preserve a usable handoff for the next editor
Package the final image inventory with the relevant records, agreed credit wording, and any restrictions or unresolved questions. Limit access to private correspondence appropriately while ensuring that the responsible reviewer can locate the supporting information. A link to an unavailable personal inbox is a fragile long-term reference.
Before release, reconcile the inventory with every photograph actually used. Check for images added late during layout and remove retired versions from the production handoff. This final comparison gives the next editor a reliable starting point for revisions instead of forcing them to reconstruct the history from finished pages and scattered messages.
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers for this publishing decision.
Is the person who sends a scan always its rights holder?
Do not assume that relationship. Record the supplier, the known creator, and the supporting information separately, then resolve any uncertainty relevant to the intended publication use.
Can a credit replace a usage record?
A credit and evidence about permitted use serve different purposes. Keep both where applicable, and do not treat attribution by itself as an answer to an unresolved rights question.
What should happen if an image’s status remains unclear?
Keep it outside the approved release assets while the responsible reviewer resolves the issue. Consider a different image if the necessary information cannot be established for the planned use.
What must I check, disclose, and verify myself when AI helped produce the book?
Review facts, rights, and source material yourself, record which parts were AI-assisted or AI-generated so you can answer Amazon’s disclosure question accurately, and treat every automated check as a starting point rather than a verdict.
See what the compliance checks cover