Finding the right image for your upcoming blog post, which lets you use for commercial projects can be a expensive and time consuming (in short a pain) if you don’t have the right (free) resources. I have (done the dirty work and) curated a list of resources from where you can find high resolution pictures. The list contains only those websites that uses either Creative Commons Zero license or are public domain. Now what is creative commons and public domain?
What is Creative Commons?
Creative Commons (CC), founded by Lawrence Lessig, Hal Abelson, and Eric Eldred in 2001, is an American non-profit organization works towards allowing the use of creative works and knowledge, enabling others to build upon legally and to share, by releasing several copyright-licenses known as Creative Commons licenses free of charge to the public.
What is Public Domain?
Those works whose exclusive intellectual property rights have expired, have been forfeited, or are inapplicable. These works are not under anyone’s ownership anymore. Which means anyone can use public domain work without obtaining anyone’s permission, but no one can ever own it.
We searched the word “beach” in all the websites and have uploaded an image from the search result.
1. Unsplash
What’s Cool About it: There is a collection feature, which lets the photographer group all the photos into one album, which can come handy when you are looking for a lot of related images. They add 10 new high-resolution photos every 10 days.
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License.
2. Pixabay
What’s Cool About it: The free stock images are categorized in four categories : Vector graphics, Illustrations, Photos and Videos. With over 320,000 free photos which are cost-free and resolution which, you are free to copy, modify, distribute and use the images, even for commercial purposes, and you don’t even need to link back to the image. The best part is you don’t have to register with them to use their images.
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License.
3. Flickr
What’s Cool About it: Millions of user uploaded images that you can search through, to find the one you are looking for. Just remember to select the license type to Creative Commons after you search ( with this license you will need to give proper attribute to the author). But there are other types of licenses which would let you modify and use for commercial purposes.
License: Creative Commons 2.0. See License.
4. Dreamstime
What’s Cool About it: It has a large (free) section of searchable images which are frequently update, but to download the images you will need to create a (free) account with them, and have to add all required fields in the account to be able to download the images.
License: See License
5. Realistic Shots
What’s Cool About it: You get free stock photos (high resolution) for personal and commercial use. They add 7 new photos every week.
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License.
6. WikiMedia Commons
What’s Cool About it: Its a database of 31,177,626 freely usable media files to which anyone can contribute. But the only problem with using this is, you require a lot of skills to search their database as they are not arranged properly (which I am not a big fan of).
License: Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported. See License.
7. MorgueFile
What’s Cool About it: Morguefile has a lot of free high resolution digital stock photographs and reference images for either corporate or public use. But you must click on each image individually to determine if it’s available under Creative Commons, as sometimes they ask the user to credit the author. So before using an image, I recommend going through its license.
License: See License
8. Life Of Pix
What’s Cool About it: You get free high resolution images which are for personal and commercial use and are added weekly to their website. All the image are added to public domain.
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License (Mentioned on their homepage)
9. Bing
What’s Cool About it: yes, you heard it right! You can find tons of free high-resolution images from Bing. All you need to do is search for image and then go to images tab and from the licenses drop-down select a license that is appropriate for your use.
10. FreeDigitalPhotos
Image Credit: artur84 via FreeDigitalPhotos.net
What’s Cool About it: A huge collection of (searchable) images that can be used for business, personal, charitable and educational purpose. The free images are smaller in size but if you want larger images then they have a purchase option as well. When using free images often requires a credit to the photographer and the site like the one you see above ( and this is pretty much the largest size you will get for free). Also while downloading an image, you are required to click on “terms & conditions” check box, provide your email and enter captcha.
License: See License.
11. Gratisography
What’s Cool About it: A collection on high-resolution and high-contrast images that are free to for commercial and personal use, which are uploaded weekly. The good part is, there is an easy download option (a download arrow) right on all the images.
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License.
12. Free Images
What’s Cool About it: a large collection of images with 350,000 stock photos, searchable and categorized, but downloading an image is more than just giving your email address. But cool thing with this website is, it has a section “recent”, which shows the recent search terms other users (including you) searched.
License: See License
13. Free Nature Stock
What’s Cool About it: Royalty-free stock photos of nature (only). A new photo is added daily, which you are free to use however you want.
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License.
14. Stock Photos For Free
What’s Cool About it: Over 100,000 completely free stock photos from around the world are available to download. With nice search feature and quick jump to category, images are just a click away. But to download photos, you need to register with them (the cool part is they have easier login option via FaceBook)
License: See License.
15. Free Range Stock
What’s Cool About it: Access to free high-quality, high-resolution stock photos, though a free registration is required.
License: See License.
16. Magdeliene
What’s Cool About it: Offers high-resolution images, which are updated daily. The coolest thing is it lets you filter images by color palate. (some photos may require attribution)
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License
17. Free Media Goo
What’s Cool About it: you don’t need any kind of subscription to download high-quality images, but the only thing I don’t like is it have a very limited collection.
License: See License
18. Free Photos Bank
What’s Cool About it: offers image download without any registration, but searching is tricky and images are categorized for easier navigation (which is kinda a good and bad)
License: See License
19. Devian Art
What’s Cool About it: This site is full of awesome images, but the section of the site dedicated to Creative Commons images is a bit difficult to navigate (have linked it for your easy access in the name); and that is why the site actually encourages you to use Google to search it, with the query string:“This work is licensed under a Creative Commons” site:deviantart.com and then navigating to the images section in Google.
License: See Lic r email and enter captcha ense
20. Snapwire Snaps
What’s Cool About it: License and commission photos from 200,000 of the world’s most talented photographers with 7 hand-picked snaps every 7 days, completely free.
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License
21. Photo Everywhere
Images by PhotoEverywhere.co.uk
What’s Cool About it: It offers collection of high resolution Travel Stock Images. More than 3600 photos that are Free to use and ready for instant download. But be sure to check the license as most of them require you to either link back to them (just like I did in the above pic) or make the image clickable with the target being gallery page that contained the photo.
License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.5.See License
22. ImageFree
What’s Cool About it: (I couldn’t find a lot) as my ‘beach” search resulted in only 3 results, and to download any image I had to register (or login if you are already registered).
P.S – I tried to download an image to upload here, but gave me some kind of server error on their website (which I feel sorry for) and after few unsuccessful tries I gave up!
License: See License
23. Public Domain Pictures
What’s Cool About it: Offers a wide collection of free public domain images uploaded by amateur photographers. Free download is available for small sized images (the one that is uploaded above) while a brief registration is required to download larger images, which can be done via “Premium Download”.
License: Public Domain Dedication.See License
24. IM Free
Image Via IMCreator.com
What’s Cool About it: Offers a curated collection of free web design resources, all for commercial use. But my search term “beach” didn’t result in any images so changed it to “seaside” and found 3 images. Using images from here requires, attributing the author.
License: See License
25. StockSnap
What’s Cool About it: Awesome search function with hundreds of hi-resolution images added weekly, and downloading images doesn’t require you to register.
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License.
26. StockVault
What’s Cool About it: offers over 72,000 free photos, textures and art illustrations which of most are submitted by photographers, designers and students who share their image files with each other for free and use them for personal and non-commercial design work.
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License.
27. Kaboompics
What’s Cool About it: : Several different categories of photos, updated daily and you can use the images any way you want, business or personal projects.
License: See License.
28. BigFoto
What’s Cool About it: All the photos in this site are organized by geographic area—for example, this photo is from the “Sydney” collection. Most of the photos are submitted by armature photographer, which you are free to use any way you want it – for your design projects, as desktop wallpapers, or to print off and hang on your wall.
License: See it on home page, under ” Pictures of the Month” text.See License.
29. RGB Stock
What’s Cool About it: A big stock of pretty cool images, through a (free) one-click registration is required to download.
License: See License
30. Death To Photos
What’s Cool About it: Get photos delivered daily into your inbox and you can use them for commercial use, your blog posts, social accounts and mock-ups.
License: See License (its on the sign-up box)
31. Public Domain Archive
What’s Cool About it: Everything you need for your creative projects (personal or commercial), updated daily!
License: Public domain images. See License.
32. The Stocks
What’s Cool About it: Free (do whatever you want) high-resolution photos. You can also subscribe to get 10 new photos every 10 days.
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License
33. Pexel
What’s Cool About it: offers over over 10,000 free stock photos, with least 1500 new high resolution photos added every month!
License: Creative Commons Zero.See License
34. Travel Coffee Book
What’s Cool About it: A collection of beautiful travel photos, with 10 new photos added every 10 days. (The picture added above is of Taiwan Sea)
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License
35. Fancy Crave
What’s Cool About it: What’s Cool About it: Free beautiful high resolution photos from professional photographers, with two new images every day!
License: See License
36. Visual Hunt
What’s Cool About it: with over 354,191,500 high quality free photos (hunt for best free images from many online sources and pull them all together in one spot). All photos from sources like Flick (with creative common or public domain license)
License: Creative Commons and Public Domain. See License
37. FindA Photo
What’s Cool About it: Lets you search what you are looking for or has an option to search by color palette or collection or source. (It shows results from other free stock photo websites)
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License (on top of the page)
38. Jay Mantri
What’s Cool About it: Hi-resolution travel and nature images.
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License (on top of the page)
39. Pic Jumbo
What’s Cool About it: Totally free hi resolution pictures for you personal and commercial use. My search for beach resulted in only 3 images, but I loved all 3 of them. It also lets you browse more photos by tags
License: See License
40. Libre Stock
What’s Cool About it: searches the best 43 free stock photo websites in one place, which you are free to use for personal and commercial projects. (like the photo added here is a search result for “beach” from “StockSnap“)
License: Creative Commons See License
41. Startup Stock Photos
What’s Cool About it: all work and office related high-resolution pictures that can be used for personal and commercial projects. (Of-course i couldn’t find a beach picture in here so uploaded a working woman’s picture)
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License
42. ISO Republic
What’s Cool About it: High-quality free photos for any creative project that can be used for almost any commercial project.
License: See License.
43. Foodie’s Feed
What’s Cool About it: Free high-resolution (irresistibly delicious) images of food. (And so couldn’t find a “beach” image)
License: Free to use, modify, and edit for commercial purposes. See License.
44. Google Image Search
What’s Cool About it: yes, just like Bing you can use Google to search tons of free high-resolution images. All you need to do is search for image and then go to images tab and from the licenses drop-down select a license that is appropriate for your use.
45. MoveEast
What’s Cool About it: travel images from Portuguese photographer
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License (on top of the page)
46. Split Shire
What’s Cool About it: Free Stock Photos & Images for commercial use.
License: See License
47. MMT
What’s Cool About it: archive of a lot of high-resolution great nature and city photos, updated weekly
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License on homepage.
48. Pickup Image
What’s Cool About it: collections of free high quality premium free stock images, public domain photos. (A free account registration is required)
License: See License
49. Stock Photos
What’s Cool About it: with Pinterest-style display of images, with more than 25,000 images, which are allowed for commercial use with proper credits to the authors.
License: See License
50. Cupcake
What’s Cool About it: Stunning high-res photos of landscapes and nature photography by Jonas Wimmerström from Sweden
License: Creative Commons Zero. See License.
51. Foter
What’s Cool About it: Flickr based search website, over 220 million free Creative Commons images from many online sources which you are free to use on you blog or social media, just check the license type before using the photo as some require attribution, and do not allow commercial use. (the entire system is also available as a WordPress plugin for seamless use within the WordPress platform.)
License: See License
52. Photopin
What’s Cool About it: Free Photos for bloggers and creatives, which search millions of creative commons photos and you can add them to your blog posts easily. (just so you know that this is just another site utilizing Flickr’s API to present photos in an alternative view.)
License: See License
53. Image Finder
What’s Cool About it: over 25,000 High-Quality Free Stock Images.
License: Different License for every image.(You can see it on each photo)
54. Every Stock Photo
What’s Cool About it: a license-specific photo search engine, which come from many sources and are license-specific.
License: You can view a photo’s license by clicking on the license tab, left of photos or below the photo.
55. New Old Stock
What’s Cool About it: collection of vintage photos from the public archives, free of known copyright restrictions.
License: See License
56. CompFight
What’s Cool About it: make good use of the flickr API, and lets you search images (based on the license) from it!
License: See License
57. Little Visuals
What’s Cool About it: delivers 7 hi-res images zipped up in your inbox every 7 days, which you can use it anyway you want. (The sad news is, Nic, 26, the young man who created this site died suddenly in Nov 2013)
License: See License
58. Creative Commons Search
What’s Cool About it: a photo search engine that offers access to search services provided by other organizations like Flickr, YouTube, Google, Wikimedia, etc
The image is uploaded here is search result of “beach” on Creative Commons and selecting Google Images as my search engine.
59. Can We Image
What’s Cool About it: searches made on this result into images from Wikimedia Commons (which solves the problem of unfriendly search option in Wikimedia Commons), and can be downloaded easily.
License: See License
60. Car Pictures
What’s Cool About it: All the cars are sorted by the make (and says how many pictures and cars that are in that category).
License: Creative Commons. See License (end of page)
61. Animal Photos
What’s Cool About it: Images of animals, categorized by the type of animals. like a directory
License: CC-BY or CC-BY-SA. See License (end of page)
62. Ancestry Images
What’s Cool About it: Royalty free archive of stock images of antique prints of interest to historians, students and family history researchers like historical prints, maps and artifact photos, (like this picture of “USA, Black Mountains on Lake George, 1840.“),
License: See License
63. From Old Books
What’s Cool About it: Collection of scanned vintage images pictures, engravings & extracts from old books.
License: These were produced before copyright laws became a hindrance, they’re free to all to use. See License
Some Other Cool Resources (my favs)
64. Canva
What’s Cool About it: an online design graphic tool (with drag and drop feature), which lets anyone create awesome images in just few seconds. Its loaded with royalty free images and a lot of other design tools and options like shapes, icons, fonts and filters. I use this a lot to make various images for my social media marketing.
65. Buffer’s Pablo
What’s Cool About it: Searches a library of 50,000+ royalty-free good quality photos and lets you create a beautiful post for your social media. It lets you add text and graphic/logo on the photos. Perfect for making featured blog images or writing quotes!
66. TinEye
What’s Cool About it: lets you do a reverse search on images to find out how many times has it been used and if there is any high quality version available or not. Just enter the image URL in the box and check the results.
Embedding Images
And just so you guys know, you can always use images from Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, etc by using their embed option which will redirect the image click to the respective website.
P.S. Please note that we’ve done our best to provide you with this list of resources for free images, but we suggest you always do your research before using any image to ensure that its license allows for what you plan to do with it.
