RightsControl advocates for fair remuneration for photographers
At Sucré Salé and within our RightsControl division, our mission is simple and has been aligned with our purpose since the agency was founded in 2000: to ensure that photographers are fairly remunerated when their works are used. Our aim is to protect copyright. We seek to regularise the use of works where no remuneration has been paid.
July 3, 2026
An approach already established in other industries
When a company uses unlicensed software, nobody is surprised that the publisher demands that the situation be rectified.
When a film is screened without authorisation, it seems natural for the rights holders to demand compensation.
When music is used without a licence, the remuneration of those involved in the track is regarded as a natural principle of the cultural economy.
Why should photography be any different?
A photograph is an intellectual work. It is the result of human, creative, technical and financial investment. Behind every image there is a photographer, sometimes a production team, travel, equipment, years of experience and, often, a significant investment to produce high-quality content.
Requesting that unauthorised use be regularised is therefore not an exceptional step. It is simply the application of a principle widely accepted in all other creative industries.
Case managers: facilitators
Another common misunderstanding concerns the role of case managers.
They are neither aggressive debt collectors nor adversaries of the people they contact.
Quite the contrary.
The case manager acts as a mediator between the user of the image and the photographer. Their role is to understand the situation, explain the rights involved and seek a balanced solution to regularise the use.
In a sense, the case manager acts as the offender’s ambassador to the photographer.
It is the case manager who sets out the context of use, explains the specific circumstances, conveys arguments made in good faith and seeks solutions that take into account both the creator’s rights and the user’s situation.
The aim is to find a reasonable outcome that respects the interests of both parties.
Courtesy always helps to find solutions
We understand that receiving a letter regarding unauthorised use may cause confusion, surprise or even frustration.
However, adopting an discourteous attitude towards the teams handling the case never improves the situation.
Case managers devote their energy specifically to finding pragmatic and balanced solutions. They take numerous factors into account, including the nature of the use, the context, the user’s good faith and the efforts made to rectify the situation.
Constructive dialogue leads to better outcomes.
Defending creative works, protecting copyright – quite simply
Ultimately, our approach is based on a very simple conviction: creators must be able to make a living from their work.
When a photograph is used without authorisation or a licence, the photographer loses remuneration to which they are legitimately entitled.
Enabling the regularisation of such uses is a legitimate practice. It is a mechanism necessary for the proper functioning of the creative economy, just as it is in the software, film and music sectors.
RightsControl operates in this spirit: with professionalism, with restraint and with a constant commitment to finding balanced solutions that respect both users and the work of photographers.
For protecting creative works is essential to their continued existence.
Respecting copyright means supporting those who create the images that inspire, inform and bring the web to life every day.
