Streamlining permissions for an accessibility shoot
Client: Marketing Manchester
Photographer: Tony Pleavin
Shoot Locations: Multiple venues across Manchester
Releases Completed: 25 of 26 requested
Overview
Marketing Manchester, the destination management organisation promoting Greater Manchester nationally and internationally, commissioned two photoshoots to highlight the city’s accessibility, inclusivity, and hospitality.
With various models, venues, and public locations involved, managing the necessary image rights and permissions could easily have become a logistical challenge.
To keep the process simple, Marketing Manchester used imageRelease, the online platform that makes it easy to collect, track, and store image rights and releases in one place.
The Challenge
The shoots involved models with accessibility needs and required permissions from multiple venues and partners, including Manchester Central, Voco Manchester, People’s History Museum, the Lowry, Dishoom, and others.
In the past, this kind of project would have meant managing dozens of separate consent forms, email chains, and sign-offs, creating a slow and fragmented process that risked errors and delays.
Marketing Manchester wanted a system that would ensure all permissions were completed quickly and correctly while saving time for both staff and collaborators.
The Solution
Using imageRelease, Marketing Manchester was able to set up both shoots, generate and send tailored release forms, and track all responses without needing any additional support.
Marketing Manchester described the process as “simple once we got to know the system” and noted that “generating various kinds of forms was easy.”
The team used imageRelease to send out 26 release requests to models, venues, and background participants.
25 were completed and signed. As for that 26th release, well it wasn't a priority as there was a seperate agreement already in place.
“It has definitely saved a lot of time. I managed to get most of the releases signed and agreed ahead of the shoot day. After a brief explanation, everyone was happy to use it and there was no pushback.”
Andy Parkinson, Marketing Manchester
Looking Ahead
Marketing Manchester’s experience shows how digital tools like imageRelease can make managing image rights straightforward, compliant, and stress-free.
The success of these shoots highlights how the platform can benefit not just DMOs, but also the photographers, models, and tourism businesses they work with.
As more destinations adopt the system, imageRelease is helping to create a more consistent, transparent, and time-saving approach to image rights management across the tourism sector.