Pics

[axelg]

Could anyone recommend sites where I could browse photos that can be used free of charge?

When making use of these pics, do I have to link back to the owner or is it enough to mention her name?

Many thanks!


Amazing Blogging Skills

[JimOfferman]

Look for Creative Commons images. There are plenty of those on Flickr. You are required to credit the photographer, which means mentioning their name. A link to their site of flickr page isn't necessary, but it is courteous to do so.

[Gene]

Originally Posted by JimOfferman

Look for Creative Commons images. There are plenty of those on Flickr. You are required to credit the photographer, which means mentioning their name. A link to their site of flickr page isn't necessary, but it is courteous to do so.

Hi,

Like Jim, I and a large number of people I know look to Flickr for images to use under the creative commons license. If you do a search on Creative commons and photos you will find some other sites but Flickr is the big dog.

[James Hayden]

What is your intended use of the photos?

If you intend to use the photos for any type of commercial gain or to promote a cause or organization, then you definitely should consider paying for photos.

There is a disturbing trend in the photography industry where more and more people are expecting quality photos at no cost, but unfortunately giving things away for free or near-free is not an effective way for photographers to make ends meet. If you value the photography, then you should compensate the photographer so they will continue to be able to make valuable images.

Photo credit is not an adequate compensation either (can't put a photo credit into my gas tank, and can't convince the gas station clerk to give me free gas in exchange for me putting a link on my website thanking them).

Anyway, this probably isn't the response you were hoping for, but there is no such thing as a free lunch. By using images for free, even if a photographer is willingly giving them away, you're still taking advantage of their generosity, so you should ask yourself if that's something you're consciously willing to do to another human being. Most of the photographers who give stuff away for free are totally unaware of the expenses they've incurred to provide photography services.

If you decide to still obtain and use free images, keep in mind that you get what you pay for. Free photos come with the rather large risk that the photographer has not obtained proper permission for the subject's likeness to be used outside of an 'fair use'/editorial context. Nearly everything falls under copyright/trademark protection -- even national parks, and using an image that has copyright-protected content for personal gain will open you up to copyright infringement litigation.

I would recommend looking at some place like Getty Images, or Alamy if you really want to use images with impact, and by going through a real stock agency, you allow photographers to cover their costs, so the arrangement is mutually beneficial.