Stock Resources: All the Beauty, None of the Drama

One of the easiest ways to personalize your web project and add creative touches is by simply incorporating unique images and videos. Sometimes the challenging part is obtaining those images or videos without violating copyrights.

Wait a second. Copyrights? Violations? Can’t you just hop on over to Google and search for an image and save it? Unfortunately, no. That would definitely be in violation of copyrights. However, here are some other ideas and suggestions.

Hire a Professional

One option is to hire a photographer or videographer if you have a specific project in mind. We love to help connect others with local talent, so feel free to reach out to us and we will try to connect you with someone to help meet your needs!

Do It Yourself

Another easy solution to avoid violating copyrights…is to take the picture yourself! Don’t have a big fancy camera? No problem! Most cell phones have cameras that will take beautiful shots if you take time to familiarize yourself with them. (Just one little side note… if another person is in the photo, be sure to have written permission before posting online!) So go ahead and give it a try the next time you need a photo!

Download Stock

Okay, so maybe photography isn’t your thing. The good news is there are a ton of resources available online for free! Below we have outlined a few of our favorite websites and resources that provide images and videos for free (and will not violate copyrights)!

And keep checking back, we will be updating our list periodically as we find more sites and resources that we love! Enjoy!

Unsplash.com

Resources: Photos
Cost: Free

Unsplash is a great resource for high-resolution photos and can be used for commercial and noncommercial purposes. On this site you will find many stunning scenery shots as well as general purpose business photos. Many photos are also international. You will not probably find highly specific industry photos here. View More

Pexels.com

Resources: Photos & Videos
Cost: Free

Pexels provides free stock photos and videos and can be used for commercial and noncommercial use. If you are looking for a general use video for a background loop, this might be a good place to start. View More

Pixabay.com

Resources: Photos, Videos
Cost: Free

Pixabay offers free photos, illustrations, vector graphics and videos. Some of the vector graphics may be a bit dated but could also convey a specific message you are looking to express. View More

iStockPhoto.com

Resources: Photos, Videos, Illustrations, Audio
Cost: Paid

iStockPhotos provides royalty-free images, illustrations and images for a small fee. Pricing is based upon credits. Here you’ll find more specific and visually appealing photos. This is one of those time that you get what you pay for. A well purchased image for your website might be completely worth it! If in doubt, download a free comp of the photo your interested in and send it to us before you buy it. View More

Shutterstock.com

Resources: Photos, Videos, Audio
Cost: Paid

Shutterstock has a wide variety of premium resources. This option is best if you need a lot of content. With both images, videos and illustrations as well as audio, you might find exactly what you’re needing. View More

Flickr.com

Resources: Photos
Cost: Free

Flickr provides great options for a wide variety of amateur photos. Not all photos on Flickr are commercial approved. It’s important that you refine your search for “Commercial Use Allowed” images only when searching on Flickr for your website. View More