Do you think using any image from Google on your website is okay?
Most of us will get away after stealing and using images from search engines without permission. Yes, you are stealing the images as you didn’t ask the photo owner before using. The internet is a big realm, and you may think no one will know what you did.
However, the truth is quite different.
Using images with a copyright can land you in trouble. You have many other hassles apart from facing legal charges.
Let’s see what happens when you use an image without having the required rights.
Are All Images on Search Engines Copyrighted?
Images you see on your search results are works of some photographer or artist. Or, the image may have an owner.
Moreover, creative work doesn’t always need to be registered under the copyright act. The creator has the natural copyright from the moment he creates the work.
All images on Google have an owner. You can face a range of consequences by putting up images you find online on your website or blog.
What are we talking about?
Lawsuits
Most artists will send you a friendly notice to remove their work from your website. If you don’t comply, you can attract the Cease and Desist order. If you still don’t act, you will find yourself in the courts.
You certainly don’t need to experience so many troubles just for a picture!
Low Rank
Photographers embed data in their images to establish ownership. You can use the images you find online, but the data will still remain.
Search engines can track this data and will mark your content as duplicate. As a result, you will lose your visibility and drop down the ranks.
Bad Reputation
If you are a brand, we hope you won’t want to attract a bad name. Being sued for stealing images will surely make a dent in your reputation. You can lose your customers, and the prices of your shares can also take a downfall.
It always pays to respect copyright acts.
Now, the question comes how you can acquire images for free without any consequences for your website. Worry not, as you will find endless online resources that provide copyright-free pictures. You can download and use them commercially without any issues.
So here are the 10 largest stock photo sites to get your free images.
- Pexels
Pexels is your world to 1 million royalty-free images. You can certainly find images in any niche that you need for your blogs. The pictures are highly artistic and will help you design a great website.
Pexels allows you to-
• Download and freely use the images
• Edit the images as you wish
• Use pictures for marketing materials
However, there are a few things that Pexels asks users to refrain from. You shouldn’t use the faces or brands on the pictures to endorse anything.
Plus, you cannot sell the images or show anyone in a bad light. - Pixabay
Pixabay is certainly one of the best copyright-free image providers. You can choose from more than 1.9 million pictures, videos, and music shared by users. Commercial use is allowed, and you can share the images on social media.
Pixabay also lets you edit and distribute the pictures without any restrictions. The platform is quite good, but you don’t find pictures in all niches. - Shutterstock
Shutterstock is a pioneer in the industry of stock photos. Along with paid content, the site also offers free images for commercial use.
Shutterstock has over 200 million free images for you to check out. You will never run out of photos to add to your landing pages and brochures.
The pictures are neatly grouped in categories like Fashion, Finance, and Beauty. The categories are almost endless, and you can also use a search bar.
Give Shutterstock a try if you can’t find a free image anywhere. - StockSnap
StockSnap is yet another ideal destination for royalty-free pictures. The platform uses a nice tagging system to help you discover free images. You will find several categories with countless photos for every purpose.
The collection on the site is quite big, and you will make good use of StockSnap. You have almost 5,000 pictures in the People category, while the Travel niche has more than 1,000 photos. Every day, the StockSnap community adds new images to keep the collection growing.
All pictures on the platform are under the Creative Commons CC 1.0 License. You can download, edit, copy, and use the image anywhere you please.
You also have a nice online editor to give your pictures a final look. - Freeimages
Freeimages offers a wide selection of copyright-free photos for your websites and blogs. You can also use the images for video and print advertisements. Plus, you can print them in your book, leaflets, packaging, and more.
However, you can’t directly use the photos as the main background for your products. For example, you can print a poster using a photo from Freeimages and sell it.
The site has more than 300,000 pictures contributed by people around the world. The pictures on Freeimages are a bit basic and not very creative like Pexels. However, they will suit the need of most users and marketers. - Unsplash
Unsplash has become quite popular for its stunning royalty-free photos. The pictures are really beautiful and give you something new. You can spot the creativity in most pictures that can help you create appealing websites.
The Unsplash license grants you unlimited usage for commercial and non-commercial applications. You can also download and put up the images without any acknowledgment.
Additionally, you can modify, change, and distribute the photos without worries. Unsplash also comes with an iOS app for free images on-the-go. - Burst
Burst is an initiative by Shopify to help entrepreneurs find free stock images. You can find thousands of high-quality photos from a range of popular categories. The royalty-free pictures are up for commercial use, and you can even use them on your online store.
Burst has a dedicated section for new pictures in case you have browsed the entire collection. The site also features a section called Business Ideas. Here, you can find the most popular products and business ideas you can use to start your own initiative. - Picjumbo
Picjumbo goes a step further and provides more than just free stock photos. You can sign up on the site and get new pictures emailed right to your inbox.
Picjumbo has a good collection of free photos, and you can also access premium content. The long list of categories is a nice place to begin your search for the right image.
You will also enjoy creative resources provided by Picjumbo for free of cost. From logos and templates to business card mockups, you have a lot to help you on your projects.
Picjumbo lets you download their entire collection of pictures for just $15. - Kaboompics
Kaboompics is a neat free stock images website to keep on your list. You will find stylish pictures sent in by photographers from different corners of the earth. The site lets you download, change, and publish the pictures without any boundaries.
However, you cannot distribute the images like other platforms on our blog. You can, though, take permission and distribute the pictures. Kaboompics has its own license, which is almost similar to Creative Commons, except for the distribution conditions.
A great thing about the platform is the ability to choose color schemes for your photos. You can fine-tune every free photo to give your desired looks. - Life of Pix
You can get your free stock pictures from Life of Pix, which partners with Adobe Stock for paid content. The photos on the site are really amazing and can be considered works of art. Every week, you get a photographer of the week for a stunning image that you can also use for free.
You will also find free videos on Life of Pix for making your blogs and websites more lively.
Now, let’s take a look at a few things you should keep in mind while using royalty-free images.
Read the License
Every stock photo website has details on its license. You should always be aware of your permitted rights before using any picture. Just read the terms carefully and comply with them.
Moreover, not all licenses are the same. For example, you saw some stock photo platforms don’t let you distribute their pictures.
Acknowledge the Photographer
It’s not a requirement, but everyone likes a bit of credit. You can provide a quick acknowledgment on your site and contribute back.
Don’t Endorse Anything
Don’t use pictures from stock websites to endorse something. Or in other words, the images shouldn’t imply they are promoting any product or idea. Additionally, identifiable faces should not be shown in a bad way.
Final Thoughts
You can always shoot your images using a standard smartphone. The pictures will have your copyright and be unique on the whole internet. Think of us if you need professional branding and website design services. We also handle corporate videos and build seamless UI/UX.
Give us a call to know more.
