Imagine that you walk into a museum and see an image that you love. It will look great over your sofa. The colors match your living room and the theme is one that underscores the life you live in the space. It is perfect.
Now imagine that you just take it. Imagine pulling it off the wall, leaving the tag that indicated its artist and its current owner, snatching off the frame (that won’t go with the maple end table, after all) and walking out the door.
That would, you know, be a very bad idea. That is theft. Security systems, guards, the legal system and public sentiment all stand between you and a snatch and grab. It doesn’t matter that you love the image. It doesn’t matter if it is the perfect fit for your project. You can’t steal art.
Sometimes it is tempting to think of the internet as a big, open plain ripe for harvest. All the images and ideas seem ready for your use. In our increasingly collaborative, social life online it is a compliment to share, right?
Sharing is the currency of social engagement online. Attribution is the anchor that makes sharing fair. Licenses are the mechanism by which sharing is negotiated and attribution is assured.
Licenses are the means of establishing permission for the use of images.
Which Images Enjoy Copyright Protection?
Every image is copyright protected. That photo that you took of your son playing soccer is copyright protected and anyone wishing to use it has to ask for your permission. That means that you need to have permission to use images.
It is important to note that providing attribution is not a substitute for permission. It is not sufficient to simply label or even link an image. More may be required for legal use of an image–or the image may not be available for use at all.
Types of Licenses
How, then, do you find great images at affordable prices that are safe to use? Look for licenses first. What are the terms under which an image can be used. Common licenses usually address two main areas: Attribution and use.
Attribution
Attribution agreements govern the way in which credit is given to the originator and/or the owner of a given image. Attribution may be as simple as a label listing ownership information. Attribution may be impeded in the image itself as a watermark. A link to the original location of the image or to information about ownership might be necessary. Just like the tag at the museum, attribution information is important. If the image is exceptional, it is good form to attribute it, even if it is not required.
Use
Use covers two areas–manipulation and function.
Can the image be photoshopped to include other elements? Can the color, texture or other design elements be altered? That is manipulation and the license will usually address this specifically.
Where will the image be used? Will it promote a project or other product? Will it be used to make money, to make art or to inspire change? Commercial and non commercial use of an image is also addressed in many image licenses.
Other Considerations
Royalty free does not mean free–it is usually involves a one time fee for repeated use under the terms of a license.
Model releases documentation may be necessary to assure that the person featured in an image has given permission to be used to promote a business, charity, etc.
Where To Find Images
The first and obvious answer is to take your own images. The proliferation of powerful smart phone cameras has placed tools our hands for taking great photos. Consider taking your own images. Well framed, personalized images that show your people, your space, your life and your work are always going to be more powerful than stock photos that may appear on numerous sites.
After that option, the next option would be to hire a photographer.
What if you are sitting alone in front of your computer at 2:00 am, long after the sun has set and all possible models have gone to bed? A search of the internet will reveal many sources. Here are just a few to consider:
Creative Commons
Creative Commons allows image creators to use a standard format to grant licenses for the use of their images. You can search for licensed images here. This is the primary source for many people since it searches across multiple platforms and simplifies the license process with easy to understand and apply options.
Fotolia
Like many image and video sites, Fotolia offers a hand full of free images each week that can be downloaded and used freely. It is a good idea to visit these sites and gather the images, even if you aren’t sure you will need them. A library of images to which you have secured licenses is a valuable asset. You can gather this months images here.
FreeDigitalPhotos.net
There are over 2000 free images for use here. You cannot claim them as your own, but you can use them.
FreeMediaGoo.com
This site featured textures, backgrounds and images–all of which can be very useful. Attribution is not required in most cases. You can see their offerings here.
Veezle
This is a search engine that can help you locate free images by theme or subject. You can use the search function here.
What other resources have you found?
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