What Images Can I Use For Free?
There are lots of sites out there where you can get free images. However, they aren’t all that easy to find. You have to find the right ones. If you’re new to the concept of free stock photos, it can be a little intimidating. The fact is that there are a lot of options out there, and there’s a good chance that you’ll be able to find the perfect image for your project.
Pixabay
When you are looking for a quality image for your project, you should check out Pixabay. This picture-sharing site is a source of royalty free images and videos. They also have a thriving community of creatives.
While using a Pixabay image may seem like a no-brainer, you should be careful. You can get sued if you use someone else’s images. Using a copyrighted image in your book, for example, is a crime that can come with severe penalties.
Before you use a Pixabay image, make sure that you have the right license to use the image. If you don’t, you could end up in legal hot water. The good news is that you can use Pixabay images in your KDP account.
For example, the company has a lot of free high-resolution stock photos and illustrations. These can be used for commercial and non-commercial purposes.
Although these images are free, you do need to ask permission before using them. As mentioned before, using a Pixabay image without permission can lead to a lawsuit.
Unsplash
Whether you’re looking for a good photo to use for your social media account, a background for your website or even an artistic image for your next project, Unsplash images are free and easy to access. In fact, over 1 million photos are downloaded every month. This makes it the world’s largest photography supplier.
However, it’s important to understand the restrictions on Unsplash images and use them wisely. For instance, the site may not allow you to copy and resell images. It also doesn’t allow you to modify images and sell them without the permission of the photographer.
If you are using an Unsplash image for a commercial project, you need to know how to properly use it. While the images are available for free, there are some legal issues that need to be sorted out.
One of these is trademark infringement. You cannot use a famous brand’s logo to sell a product unless you have a valid trademark license. Similarly, images of buildings or private property must be accompanied by a proper release.
Public domain
Unlike other types of copyrighted images, public domain images are free to download and use for any purpose. However, there are some things to remember. It is important to check the copyright terms on any image before you download and use it.
Some websites will require you to sign up or pay before you can download images. Other sites offer an easy way to browse for photos by topic. Using an image file converter is also a good option if you need to convert a public domain photo to a different format.
Some images are deemed to be in the public domain and do not have a copyright, though some may still have to be accompanied by a release of the owner’s property or model release. There are certain rules that apply to individual artists and museums.
Fortunately, there are some websites where you can find high-quality public domain images. One of the best places to start is PublicDomainArchive. This site features hundreds of thousands of free stock photos on its file.
Cepolina
One of the best free picture sites around is Cepolina, a Flickr clone if ever there was one. They have over twenty-thousand pictures in their gallery, some of which are free to download. The site is broken up into several pillars, so you can browse images by category and subject matter. While the company isn’t exactly known for its customer service, they do have a pretty robust photo sharing policy. If you’re looking for a high quality, high resolution shot, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better place.
If you’re into pictures, the most useful page you’ll find is the Free Digital Photos section, where you can find a slew of well curated pics in a variety of formats. To the left is a list of the latest and greatest photos, so you’re not left in the dark. For those of you who like to browse by tagging, there’s a nifty categorized search, or you can do it on the fly via the aforementioned categorized page. Despite being one of the smallest galleries in town, there’s enough selection to satisfy your photography needs.
Gratisography
If you’re looking for a stock image to enhance your next project, then you should check out Gratisography. It has a vast library of high-quality images that can be used for free. However, the quality of the photos is not as great as those of other sites.
You can use Gratisography images for free, but you can’t claim them as your own. As a result, you can’t use the images for naughty or hateful purposes. Also, you can’t use the images for commercial or unlawful projects.
Despite its relatively small library of free stock images, Gratisography offers plenty of interesting and unique pictures. From pictures of strange designs to funny and even hilarious pictures, the images you’ll find on this site are sure to spark some interest. The images themselves are not too stocky compared to other sites, and can even be edited to your liking.
Gratisography is a great place to get started, and with its straightforward interface and quick search capabilities, it’s easy to browse through the catalog. Aside from the obvious photo selections, you’ll also find a selection of music, vectors, and videos.
Flickr
Flickr is a free online photo-sharing service, offering an easy way to upload, share, and store your photos. It has over 60 million monthly active users. You can create a free account, or pay to upgrade to a more robust experience.
To get started, you’ll need to create a profile. Once you do, you’ll be directed to your dashboard. Here, you can view photos, add tags, and edit the settings of your media. You can also connect your Flickr account to other social media accounts.
Flickr is used by a wide variety of people, including professionals, amateurs, and students. In fact, Flickr is one of the largest repositories of openly licensed content on the Internet. All photos on Flickr are under the Creative Commons license.
This allows you to use photos in your personal or commercial projects without having to pay for copyright fees. However, you’ll need to obtain permission to do so. Some photos on Flickr are available under the Creative Commons Public Domain Mark.
To help you find images on Flickr, you can search for photos by keyword, tags, or the photographer’s username. You can also browse through photos by date or location.
SkitterPhoto
There are a number of ways to find free stock photos. A great place to start is Google Image Search. The site is a good starting point for your search as it’s easy to browse and navigate.
Another site is the Morguefile. This one is a bit older and offers a comprehensive library of images that are free to download. While this is not a site for the casual user, it is definitely worth checking out.
SkitterPhoto is another notable free photo site. This site offers a wide variety of photos, many of which are licensed under Creative Commons. They also offer users the chance to support the authors of the pictures they take. In addition, they have a plethora of free background pictures to choose from.
One thing to keep in mind is that the free images offered at this site are only available in the homepage. For the best selection, you may want to consider a paid membership. You can either subscribe to their monthly newsletter for unlimited access to all the free photos in their library or purchase a casual plan for up to unlimited downloads from their free collection.
Morguefile
The stock photo site, Morguefile, offers free images that can be downloaded and used in creative projects. However, before using the site you must agree to the terms of service. These include a full contributor agreement.
For example, you may need to get a model release for some of the photos. Some photos may also require that you waive property rights. This means you are not allowed to sell, sublicense, or rent the image. Nevertheless, you still retain the right to use the image for personal or noncommercial purposes.
In addition to the free downloads, Morguefile also features a highly functional social media system. Users can engage with the site and follow individual contributors, comment on individual images, bookmark content, and participate in a variety of challenges.
Although the site does not have a topic-based search option, users can search by keyword. When searching, they can browse the entire collection, or select an individual image and view details. Using the #Quest feature, they can request photos of certain topics or compete for the title of Quest Leader.