Getty and Greenfly Remake the Red Carpet With Real-Time Photo Access

NEW YORK, NY – January 08, 2026 – In a move set to reshape the flow of content from the red carpet to social media feeds, Getty Images and Greenfly today launched "Access by Getty Images," a first-of-its-kind platform designed to give celebrities, creators, and their teams instant, licensed access to professional event photography. The new service, powered by Greenfly's leading content operations technology, aims to solve a persistent industry problem: the frustrating and legally perilous gap between the flash of a camera bulb and a star’s ability to share their own moment with millions of followers.

For a nominal fee, talent, publicists, stylists, and other industry insiders can now browse and license premium images from major cultural events—including premieres, festivals, and galas—in real time. This initiative directly addresses the growing demand from public figures for more control over their personal brand and narrative, providing a streamlined, compliant way to post high-quality visuals as moments unfold.

Solving the Red Carpet-to-Instagram Dilemma

For years, the process of sharing professional event photos has been a source of friction for talent and their support teams. While photographers capture thousands of high-quality images, the subjects of those photos—the celebrities themselves—have often been the last to gain access. They have traditionally faced a choice between waiting hours or days for approved images from press galleries, posting low-quality screenshots, or, in many cases, using images without permission, exposing themselves to copyright infringement lawsuits.

The legal landscape is clear: the photographer, not the subject, owns the copyright to an image. This has led to numerous high-profile cases where celebrities were sued for posting photos of themselves on their own social media accounts without securing a license. "Access by Getty Images" is engineered to eliminate this legal gray area. By providing a direct, official channel for licensing content specifically for personal social media use, the platform offers peace of mind and legal clarity.

This shift is about more than just avoiding litigation; it’s about controlling the story. In an era where cultural moments are dissected on social media within seconds, the ability to post timely, authentic, and high-quality content is a critical component of personal branding. The new platform empowers talent to participate in the conversation about their own appearances immediately, using the best possible visuals.

"We are thrilled to partner with Greenfly on this first-of-its-kind initiative combining our editorial excellence and their leading technology to empower talent and creators alike with elevating their personal brand and online presence as storytellers," said Kirstin Benson, Getty Images’ VP of Global Entertainment, in a statement. "Talent and entertainment partners come to our site because they rely on us to capture the big moments and stories. But they also recognize the strength and power of our brand for delivering content that’s authentic, trustworthy and something they can’t find anywhere else. Access by Getty Images not only reinforces this but provides greater control and flexibility when it comes to content licensing in the entertainment space.”

The Power of Proven Technology

The partnership pairs Getty Images' vast library and editorial excellence with Greenfly's robust technological infrastructure. Greenfly has established itself as the engine behind real-time, short-form content distribution for some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment. The company powers content operations for major sports leagues like the NBA, NFL, and MLB, where delivering action shots to athletes for immediate social sharing is crucial for fan engagement.

This experience is directly transferable to the high-stakes, fast-paced world of entertainment events. The underlying technology is built for scalability and speed, capable of handling the massive volume of content generated at an event like The Met Gala or the Vanity Fair Oscar Party and distributing it efficiently to a network of individuals. This isn't the first collaboration between the two companies; they previously launched a successful partnership in 2021 to provide professional athletes with licensed Getty Images content, laying the groundwork for this broader entertainment-focused offering.

"Our culture moves at the speed of social, and talent and their teams deserve imagery that keeps pace,” noted Greenfly Co-Founder & CEO Daniel Kirschner. “This is about giving talent control over their narrative, in real time, with content they can trust.” The platform is designed to be a seamless experience, allowing users to quickly find, license, and share visuals directly to their personal channels, turning a once-cumbersome process into a few simple clicks.

A New Model for the Creator Economy

The launch of "Access by Getty Images" also signals a significant strategic evolution for Getty Images. As a legacy leader in the visual content marketplace, the company is adapting its business model to meet the demands of the modern creator economy. Traditionally, Getty's licenses—such as Royalty-Free (RF) and Rights-Managed (RM)—were structured for media outlets, advertising agencies, and corporate clients, often involving complex terms and substantial fees not suited for an individual's personal Instagram post.

The new platform introduces a distinct, micro-licensing tier. The "nominal convenience fee" creates an accessible entry point for a new class of customer: the individual creator or public figure who needs content for personal branding rather than large-scale commercial campaigns. This move allows the company to tap into a previously underserved market while reinforcing the value of its professionally captured, premium content in an ocean of user-generated media.

By creating a compliant and affordable solution, Getty Images is not only opening a new revenue stream but also proactively defending the value of professional photography. It provides a compelling alternative to the unauthorized use of its content, encouraging a culture of respect for intellectual property while simultaneously catering to the practical needs of its most visible subjects.

Setting a New Standard for Digital Rights

Beyond its immediate utility, the platform carries broader implications for intellectual property and content authenticity in the digital age. It establishes a new industry standard for how visual content is sourced and shared by public figures, promoting a model of credibility and compliance. In an environment where manipulated images and misinformation can spread rapidly, providing a direct pipeline to verified, high-quality visuals from a trusted source like Getty Images is a powerful countermeasure.

The service formalizes a transaction that was previously stuck in a legal and logistical no-man's-land. It protects the copyright of the photographers who create the work, ensures Getty Images is compensated for its distribution role, and empowers the talent with the tools they need to build their brand safely and effectively. As the platform rolls out with the 2026 awards season already underway, its impact on how we see and share culture's biggest moments will be felt almost immediately. Throughout the year, the partners plan to evolve the offering with different pricing formats and enhanced features, further embedding it into the entertainment industry's workflow.