Finding the right images for your website can be a challenge, especially when you don't have the time or resources to create your own. It is tempting to grab an image from Google, but this can lead to legal trouble if the image is copyrighted.
Imagine you go to Google and find the perfect image for your new blog post about hummingbirds. But you can't just take an image and use it. If you were to add it to your blog, a few weeks later you might find a notice accusing you of copyright infringement, demanding that you remove the image immediately or there could be legal action taken. No one wants to deal with that kind of stress!
Creators want their work to be highlighted in Google. They are trying to share their talents and potentially make a living. To do this, their copyrighted work is licensed to individual users for monetary exchange or, depending on the type of license, attribution to the original creator.
If you have the means to pay these creators, that’s an excellent option for finding quality and potentially even original work for your website. If you do not have resources to allocate to photography or graphics, there are still several great options for finding images online. Many creators want to share their work freely! To do this, they relinquish the copyright on their creative work, or license it for no cost but do require attribution. So, how do you know what’s available to you and what isn’t?
Understanding Creative Commons and Public Domain
One of the best ways to find free-to-use images is by looking for those with a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license. Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing knowledge and culture to create a brighter future. Creators can designate their work with a CC0 license so that their work becomes part of the public domain. Works in the public domain are free to be copied, modified, and distributed, even for commercial purposes. Learn more about the CC0 license on the official license page. While not required by the CC0 license, it is always nice to credit the creator when possible.
Other common licenses from Creative Commons are the CC BY licenses which allow you to use the work freely but require attribution. The creator retains the copyright. There are six different license types in the CC BY family which include:
CC BY – Must give credit to creator
CC BY-SA – Must give credit to creator even if changes are made to the original
CC BY-NC – Must give credit to creator and only licensable for non-commercial use
CC BY-NC-SA – Must give credit to creator, for non-commercial use, even if changes are made to the original
CC BY-ND – Must give credit to creator, no modifications or adaptions of work allowed
CC BY-NC-ND – Must give credit to creator, for non-commercial use, no adaptions
Learn more about these Creative Commons licenses.
Where to Find Free-Use Images
Flickr
Flickr.com: Using Flickr makes finding images easy because they display the copyright information so there is no question about the licenses available. Use the license filter to find images with creative commons licenses.
Click on the image you want to use to review the license information below the image. In the example below, see the image from James Gates is free for non-commercial use with attribution (CC BY-NC).
Pexels
Pexels.com: Another great resource for finding free-to-use images. Some images are tagged with a “free to use (CC0)” license, while others fall under the "free to use" Pixel License. Before downloading, make sure you understand the terms of each license. Find the images tagged in the bottom left corner with each license type:
Google Images
Google Images: You can filter your Google image search to show only images with Creative Commons licenses. Here’s how:
- Go to Google.com and enter your search term. Make sure you are on the “Images” tab.
Click “Tools,” then filter by “Usage rights” and select “Creative Commons licenses."
However, it’s essential to keep in mind that not all images filtered by Google’s tool are in the public domain. Some may still require attribution or have restrictions on how they can be modified. Always check the specific license before using an image on your website. For a deeper dive into each Creative Commons license available, check out About CC Licenses from the Creative Commons website.
The More You Know
Finding free-use images doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By understanding licensing and using the right resources, you can safely enhance your website without risking legal issues. Whether you’re on a budget or just want to support creators who share their work freely, there are plenty of options available to you.
Contact websupport@iastate.edu for support in finding free-use images; the CALS/LAS Web Team cannot provide legal advice on the terms of Creative Commons licenses.