Small Business Graphic Design
Quality Small Business Graphic Design images prove difficult to find especially when looking for free stock images. Fortunately, the Internet offers up plentiful free stock photography to enhance your small business graphic designers. You just need to know where to look.
Check out these great free stock images for personal or small business graphic design projects.
A Note on CC0
Before diving in, understanding the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license is important. This license indicates images may be used freely and without charge for any legal purpose.If a site carries a CC0 license, you are able to use the images for personal and commercial use without fear of copyright infringement. Therefore, the stock photos may be included in everything from personal projects to advertising design. Hallelujah, right? Furthermore, you may modify, copy and distribute the photos as desired. Neither linking to the source nor asking for permission is required when choosing CC0 licensed images.Now, onto gathering free stock photography and our review of free stock photography for Small Businesses Designing!
Foter
Over 220 million free stock images fill the Foter site. Fortunately, the convenient and efficient search feature locates images by category or keyword in short order. Plus, the seamless integration with WordPress make these graphic design images work for any project.Beware, however, when choosing photos from Foter, not all are CC0. Some require attribution (recognition of the source). However, the site makes it easy with provided text. Just copy and paste, and you are covered.
Dreamstime
Creatives in their personal studios and the offices of Fortune 500 companies find Design Productive Unlimited Graphic Design images at Dreamstime. While many of the photos require a fee, the site offers a significant section of high resolution, free stock photography.All images on this site fall under CC0 license. So, search away to find the perfect royalty-free images for your blog or advertising design.
Gratisography
Visual artist, Ryan McGuire loves to make the world smile. And, he does so by filing Gratisography with his free stock photography. Animals, nature, objects, people, urban themes and his specialty category, whimsical offer plenty of choice for personal, graphic and advertising design projects.The images are not CC0 licensed but follow similar guidelines with some common sense limitations. Source recognition is not required but appreciated by the artist.
Little Visuals
A young photographer, Nic from the U.K., started Little Visuals to share his photographs. Sadly, he passed away in 2013 at the age of 26 due to Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (S.A.D.S.). His primarily nature-oriented images remain to be used for small business graphic designing purposes.
The site offers no CC0 or use license information at this time.
Public Domain Pictures
Sharing a wide range of photos, images and backgrounds, Public Domain Pictures is a go-to for design projects. In particular, this site is a good source of holiday photos not easily found on other sites.While the website offers no license information, the title, Public Domain Pictures, defines the use policy.
ISO Republic
England designer and photographer, Tom Eversley is the founder and main contributor to ISO Republic. High-resolution images of textures, urban themes, architecture and more are sure to enhance your project.Attribution is not required but appreciated, especially when used for commercial designs. Also, the site is not CC0 but use is free with some prohibitions.
SplitShire
The site’s originator contributes the free photographs on SplitShire because his goal is “helping you be awesome out there with great content.” With a wide variety of categories including abstracts, blur backgrounds and cinemagraph, this site sees over 2,000,000 downloads and offers free video as well.
While not labelled CC0, the license reads similar with a few limitations.
StockSnap
Gathering a wide collection of stock photography from across the Web, StockSnap specializes in photos from select photographers. Nature and travel themes top the list with images added weekly.
All photos come under CC0 license. And, no source citing is required.
Picography
Offering primarily shots of Ireland taken by Dave Meier, a photographer and designer, Picography brings high-quality images to personal and commercial projects. In fact, the site reads, “Free images to use however you like.”
While not CC0, this site offers easy terms of use.
New Old Stock
Gorgeous and reminiscent, the photos on New Old Stock beg to be used. These vintage photos are taken from public archives promising a retro design feel to any project. The images are not CC0 licensed. However, the site states that photos are “to the best of the [their] knowledge” free from copyright making them safe for personal and non commercial use. The site explains how to check an institution’s rights statement for best practices.
KaboomPics
High-quality stock photos by Poland-based designer Karolina offer a “visual explosion” of free stock images at KaboomPics. Focusing on design, the site also offers a color palate for choosing images to coordinate with your logo or design.
Not CC0 licensed, the images are free of legal complications with an simple use policy. The site requests attribution to KaboomPics.
Inspired to start designing? Hop on one of these great sites and find the perfect free stock image for your personal or Design Productive Small Business Graphic Design project.