Finding and Using Images Online.

It's a common belief online that if an image doesn't have a copyright symbol, or any indications of who took the photo, that the work is "Up for Grabs". A quick google search provides thousands of images, that can easily be obtained in a few quick steps. Everyday thousands of images are used and reused, and rarely do people stop to think: Who took these photos and do I have the right to use them?

If you've ever done any photography, and shown off your work online, it can be a concern. Although I wouldn't mind if someone used a small version of a photo of mine, I *would* mind if someone were using a full sized version of my work and never offered credit. Chances are good that I would be willing to take a photo

There are still ways to find images online without violating the rights of the person who took the photos. One of the best ways to make certain you aren't breaking copyright laws is to simply ask to use the work. Offer to give credit where credit is due.

Sending a simple email request to use an image can take just a few minutes and possibly save you future headaches as well.

Many people don't want to pay for images but are frequently afraid to ask for for the use of an image as well. Although many people don't intend to infringe on the copyrights of others they find they often are searching for images to make their websites look more interesting. As an photographer I've often given some smaller images to people who ask me politely, often times with no strings attatched.

Do check further down the lens where I've added some links to sites.

1. Approach people on Flickr
A lot of Flickr users are quite approachable. Let them know you'd like to use your images, for what reason and offer to give them credit.

2. Use Stock Photos
Often, if you are looking for the "perfect image" for a site you can find it on "stock photography" sites. There is a lot of competition in the stock photography trade right now, leading to cheaper pricing. If you are using an image for a web site you probably don't need large or high rez photos.

3. Check Stock Exchange
http://www.sxc.hu Often photos on this site have the restrictions of use clearly placed near the bottom. Photographers will add, for example, "{Name} must be notified when using the photo for any public work". Look for images that say: "There are no usage restrictions for this photo."

4. Look for images from Wiki Commons
http://commons.wikimedia.org
Once you've found an image there do read through the restrictions and rights. Not all images here are "free" but they are a good place to start. Artists will sometimes allow their work there with permissions to use "for any purpose".

5. Approach a friend
*if* you have a friend who is a photographer ask if you can use some of their smaller, low resolution shots for your site. Offer to give them credit and links back to their site. Good quality link backs can give more value then the dollar or two a photographer can make with a low resolution stock photo.

6. Buy photos in bulk
If you need a lot of images rather than buying 100s at a dollar or two each - look at buying a Stock Photo CD. These can sometimes end up being cheaper in the long run.

Take your own photos
My favorite way of getting images is to dig through my own photos. I often use a lot of my own stuff for my t-shirts and for my sites. Its a great hobby and digital cameras are getting cheaper. Learning to use programs like Photoshop are well worth the investment.

Remember, very few things in life are absolute

If you've decided that you would like to use a Stock Photography site to provide images there are a few terms that are important to learn. The terms vary from site to site, and its always important, as a photographer, or as someone who uses the photos to know a few of the basic terms.

Read up on the terms below to help you decide what kind of photos you should look on buying.

The rights you purchase when you use a stock photo are usually outlined in the Licensing agreement.

Royalty Free Photos
There are a lot of sites that offer Royalty Free photos, but as a buyer you still will have to pay for the use. It usually means you can use the photo as many times as you like, and alter it. You cannot resell the image as if it were your own original design though. As well others can buy the photo and use it.

Traditonal Use Licenses
Often images sold under a "Tradition License" have a lot more restrictions. They can be exclusive use shots - meaning they can onlyl be used by one buyer at a time. The fee is calculated based upon different factors like: size, placement, duration of use and geographic distribution.

Rights Reserved
This is like the tradional license but the photographer also is more restricted. They might not be able to resell the photo for a longer duration of time for example. The more restricted the photographer's rights usually the highter the price.

Model Release
Often times a model release is needed if a photo has a clear image of a person's face. This means the model has granted the photographer permission to use the photographs for commercial purposes. Even with a signed release a model might not have agreeded to allow all use for a photo for sensitive subjects. Alamay.com has a great explanation on this.

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In general it's a good idea to review the policies and terms with any photo or image you might be purchasing. Even if you've paid for an image it is the responisbility of the purchaser to decide if they need a model release, or to determine if they've purchased the image license that best suits their needs.