Free images sources
Ranked #5,433 in Arts & Design, #80,933 overall
Where to find free pictures, how to use them correctly and SHARE
Publishing requires images to illustrate problems or subjects, to create better article exposure or simply to make facts more easily-remembered than without the picture.
There is a high probability that You will need an image and it's still high that You WILL find FREE images for Your designs.
Sometimes 'a picture says a thousand words' and it can save a lot of work You'd need to describe the issue.
(title photo ©plrang).
Always remember to read the licenses of downloaded images to know if there is a permission for commercial or private usage, derivative works, altering, transformations, do You have to attribute the work somehow etc.
Some images are completely free for any purpose, some are royalty-free, rights managed and more. All services described below state clearly what You can do with downloaded images.
To take advantage of their offer sometimes You will need a free accounts but it's just a pure formality.
The same free accounts You can use to buy cheap images
You can also have fun by sharing own photos for free, just like I do for years.
All images used according to referral programs terms, all rights belong to their respective owners, some images ©plrang
There is a high probability that You will need an image and it's still high that You WILL find FREE images for Your designs.
Sometimes 'a picture says a thousand words' and it can save a lot of work You'd need to describe the issue.
(title photo ©plrang).
Always remember to read the licenses of downloaded images to know if there is a permission for commercial or private usage, derivative works, altering, transformations, do You have to attribute the work somehow etc.
Some images are completely free for any purpose, some are royalty-free, rights managed and more. All services described below state clearly what You can do with downloaded images.
To take advantage of their offer sometimes You will need a free accounts but it's just a pure formality.
The same free accounts You can use to buy cheap images
You can also have fun by sharing own photos for free, just like I do for years.
All images used according to referral programs terms, all rights belong to their respective owners, some images ©plrang
Contents at a Glance
19+ free images resources
Search, Download, Share
19+ and counting
RGBstock
Absolutely free images
"All images on RGBStock are free for personal and commercial use. You may use them in digital format on websites, blogs, multimedia presentations, broadcast film and video or in printed material such as magazines, books, brochures, flyers and text books....."But! Read carefully the License Agreement to confirm You can use image for particular design type!
Join to find out more (FAQ)
©jana_koll
Brusheezy
Photoshop brushes and other Photoshop-related materials
Although all content is copyrighted, You may contact the individual artist and be granted permission by them to use their works or check if they publish under a Creative Commons license. Similar rules to sxc.hu.
Read the FAQ
©PeHaa
SXC.hu = Stock.xchng
IstockPhoto Free Images Library
Here is where I started to share my own free images. You're welcome to use them for free for commercial and personal purposes.There are near 400 000 free images available
Most of images are free for any use according to the standard Image license agreement.
To confirm allowed use for a particular photo feel free to contact the image author directly. I've been asked near about 100 images by email and quite a few comments got left on my pictures.
Browse most popular images
There is no option to buy cheap pictures. You would need to register for free on IStockPhoto (the owner of SXC).
Dreamstime
Professional images
(check the license)
Join Dreamstime for free.
You can also buy there images starting below $1
Affiliate program: available
©Fatbob
Lost&Taken
Need Textures?
Lost & Taken royalty free textures are made freely available for use in both personal and commercial projects including web templates, designs, and other materials intended for distribution.Attribution is appreciated, but not required, read terms
See the free textures gallery
See the premium textures
CGTextures
" CGTextures strives to be the world's best texture site"
"Use of the Textures is only allowed under the following conditions:
- Private or commercial use
- Use in 2D or 3D computer graphics, movies and printed media
- Incorporation in computer games, 3D models
- Selling 3D models bundled with modified versions of the textures, when the texture is customized for the 3D model"
It is NOT permitted to: read license and FAQ
Register for a free login with a 15MB daily download quota
Texture King
"Permitted Product UsageYou are permitted to use our textures to design as many projects as necessary, including those you are creating for your clients. You may not resell or redistribute the textures in any other way, modified, unmodified, standalone or combined with another product without prior written (email) consent from us."
Always read Full terms
Pixmac
high quality images
Not just another microstockThis is mainly a fast and efficient search engine and download site gathering pictures from other partner services.
All images published are after the reviewing process.
Free Images available under the Creative Commons license, link is visible on each image page.
Affiliate program: available
©SPX1MSD
Images for design
CutCaster
photos and stock vectors for use with as many rights as you need
Need an image to help tell a story?Browse free images library.
Finest photographers and illustrators from around the globe offer image buyers and picture researchers a simpler and more refined way to find outstanding creative imagery.
Join CutCaster for free and read free images license agreement
Affiliate program: available
©Dmitry Fisher
123RF
ROYALTY FREE STOCK PHOTOS
123RF is a royalty-free photo library offering stunning, practical stock photos at the most affordable price.You may download for free and use the blog res images under a Free Image Licensing Agreement (limited to 10,000 copies usage) from 123RF.com.
Affiliate program: available
©plrang
Photography tips
BigStock
millions of royalty-free photographs
Browse free images. As elsewhere You can switch from getting free images to buying cheap pictures.
Affiliate program: available
©visual28
Fotolia
royalty free stock images
Fotolia offers only a tiny collection of few free images daily, but it's also full of cheap picturesJoin Fotolia for free
Prices starting below $1. Check out the licenses available
Affiliate program: available
©plrang
Photl
Photo laboratory photl.com
"Free photos (Free Stock Photo Images) of high resolution for commercial purposes. All the photo images are subject to extended license on usage (Extended Royalty Free). They are absolutely free and are intended to be used in commercial activity.All the photo images can be used as a whole and also partially (their fragments)."
Always read: license and FAQ
©TaniFin
Webdesign Tips
Shutterstock
the largest subscription-based stock photo agency in the world
Shutterstock offers only one free image a week. You can get it from the main site. Better way is to monitor their blog.Unlike other sites it's selected by their staff with asking the author first. High quality is a priority.
Maybe it's not the best formula to find a photo but the quality is great and there is always a way to find the right use for it.
Join Shutterstock and check out subscription plans. Join and browse for free
Affiliate program: available
©plrang
FreeDigitalPhotos
free images for use in corporate and personal projects*
The 3D Studio
3D and 2D resources
Product/Content downloaded at no charge from T3DS (free) may be used only for personal non-commercial applications.
Join The 3D Studio site for free
Affiliate program: available | ">overview
©homydesign
StockVault
Free Stock Photos & Images for personal, educational and non-commercial usage
Stock photo sharing website where photographers, designers and students can share their photographs, graphics and image files with each other for free.Join and read the FAQ
Medium and high resolution photographs that designers and students can share and use for their personal and non-commercial design work.
Appreciation program for photographers
©korneliya georgieva
FreeImages.co.uk
Small library of 6000 original stock photos
"Free images is a high quality resource of digital stock photographic images for use by all.All images in our collection are free to use on websites and printed materials"
Browse images
You must link to or credit this site if you use these images.
Read detailed terms
©image: www.freeimages.co.uk
Improve Workflow
Flickr
online photo management and sharing
Many Flickr users have chosen to offer their work under a Creative Commons license, and you can browse or search through content under each type of license.For example: You can copy, distribute, display, and perform copyrighted work - and derivative works based upon it - but only if giving a credit to the author.
Sometimes it's not easy to find anything but it's another useful source
©cogdogblog
Share LINKS to Your free images
Submit a Link and Short Description
Add Your OWN collection if You have anything to share.
Example link: 59 free abstract backgrounds
1
59 free colorful abstract backgrounds « PICTURED STATES
Use them totally for free and any way You want (for more...0 points
2
ImageFactory's Gallery on Morguefile.com
Free photographic images for use in design project more...0 points
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byComments - Do You like it?
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SereneSea
May 6, 2011 @ 6:55 am | delete
- The free sources have the terms confusing, could be better if the rules were simply laid out. I have not known all these sources but some of them.
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d-artist
Apr 20, 2011 @ 9:14 am | delete
- Very nicely written and done lens! I can't agree more "read carefully the License Agreement to confirm that you can use an image" there is a huge discussion on the SquidU on this subject...copyright infringing is a law most people are not aware of, especially on Squidoo and other sites such a CafePress, etsy, Zazzle etc. Read the terms, some say FREE but what is free, is the joining.
This lens is lenrolled to my "Free Art Resources Sites" lens
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genxster
Apr 5, 2011 @ 1:20 am | delete
- Great resources! Nicely laid out too. Thanks for compiling and sharing all of this.
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MegStewart
Mar 31, 2011 @ 12:09 pm | delete
- great lens and resource!
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grannysage
Mar 26, 2011 @ 12:35 pm | delete
- Oh-oh, I feel an image hunting binge coming on. All your fault for offering these great resources. lol
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If You can't find any proper free picture
try the StockBlend
You would need to pay for images, but at last there is a chance to find them quick with one search query.
StockBlend searches multiple sites at once. Try the search engine of Royalty Free images
StockBlend searches multiple sites at once. Try the search engine of Royalty Free images
by plrang
plrang
© Plrang Gfx - All Rights Reserved
Travel mania, photography addiction, graphics and design in love.
Freelance microstock contributor, 2D/3D artist...
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