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How to Find Free Stock Photos That Aren't Terrible

 & Chandra Steele Senior Features Writer

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If you're not a gifted photographer, finding good-looking free photos for your digital and print endeavors can be near impossible.

Pulling an image from a quick Google Image Search can be risky. Who owns the photo? Are you free to use it, or does a major firm own the rights? Though Getty Images has backed off a bit on its scary settlement demand letters, the cost of using an image that you don't have the proper rights to use can ultimately be quite high. There's also the more-than-questionable ethics involved in taking what could be someone's livelihood.

But trawling the often sad offerings on Wikimedia Commons and trying to figure out what sort of attribution the photographs do or don't need can seem like more work than it's worth. Getty has now made some images royalty-free, though there's still a one-time charge, which can run to hundreds of dollars each depending on the quality and size of the image.

In order to avoid the headaches and hassle (not to mention legal fees), we've found some sites that have plenty of images in stock that are completely free to use.

Unsplash

You might find yourself spending far too much time on Unsplash wondering about the background story of the beautiful photos. Their scale and dreamy quality makes them perfect for blog posts, album covers, and anything else that calls for atmosphere. The drawback is that the images aren't categorized. All images are free for commercial use and do not require attribution.

IM Free

IM Free advertises its benefit right up front. Some photos skew toward the amateur a bit but there are still lots of good ones to choose from. The site is best for images of people, nature, and cities. All of the images are free for commercial use; some require attribution to the photographer. (Photo by Daniele Zedda)

Pixabay

Quality is a bit of an issue on Pixabay, but if you need Shutterstock-type images that scream stock without the cost, then you'll find them here. All images are free for commercial use and do not require attribution.

Gratisography

Gratisography is filled with quality and often-quirky images. Nothing is categorized on Gratisography, but a scroll through the site will turn up something that can inspire you or make you laugh. The photos are by Ryan McGuire and you should buy him a cup of coffee if you can. All images are free for commercial use and do not require attribution (though McGuire notes that it's appreciated).

Startup Stock Photos

Do you need lots of photos of guys with MacBooks and lofty, empty office spaces? Then Startup Stock Photos is the place to get them. All images are free for commercial use and do not require attribution.

Flickr – Creative Commons Images

Flickr is awash in images, but only some fall under the Creative Commons license. These Flickr images are already sorted for use and are searchable. All images are free for commercial use; some require attribution to the photographer.

Magdeleine

Magdeleine handily categorizes its offerings: nature, city and architecture, people, animals, food, technology, objects, and abstract. The photos have a calm, hipsterish vibe to them. All images are free for commercial use; they require attribution to the photographer. (Photo by George Yanakiev)

New Old Stock

New Old Stock has vintage photos that are a weird, strange trip through history. The photos are in the public domain and are uncategorized but in a category all to themselves. All images are free for commercial use and do not require attribution.

Raumrot

It sounds like a German death metal band, but Raumrot is filled with moody, filtered, mostly people-free shots in the categories of business, food and drink, mountain, nature, seasonal, sport, technic, transport, and urban. All images are free for commercial use; they require attribution to the photographer. (Photo by Markus Spiske)

Foter

Foter has an extensive range of images across many categories. Quality varies but with so much to choose from, you should find something to suit your needs. You can sort the images on Foter to find those that are licensed for commercial use; some require attribution. (Photo by goMainstream)

About Our Expert

Chandra Steele

Chandra Steele

Senior Features Writer

My Experience

My title is Senior Features Writer, which is a license to write about absolutely anything if I can connect it to technology (I can). I’ve been at PCMag since 2011 and have covered the surveillance state, vaccination cards, ghost guns, voting, ISIS, art, fashion, film, design, gender bias, and more. You might have seen me on TV talking about these topics or heard me on your commute home on the radio or a podcast. Or maybe you’ve just seen my Bernie meme

I strive to explain topics that you might come across in the news but not fully understand, such as NFTs and meme stocks. I’ve had the pleasure of talking tech with Jeff Goldblum, Ang Lee, and other celebrities who have brought a different perspective to it. I put great care into writing gift guides and am always touched by the notes I get from people who’ve used them to choose presents that have been well-received. Though I love that I get to write about the tech industry every day, it’s touched by gender, racial, and socioeconomic inequality and I try to bring these topics to light. 

Outside of PCMag, I write fiction, poetry, humor, and essays on culture.

My Areas of Expertise

  • Making incomprehensible tech news easy to understand
  • Expanding the boundaries of topics covered in the industry
  • Figuring out tips and tricks in apps and on devices and letting you know about them
  • Putting together gift guides for everyone in your life 

The Technology I Use

All that gadgets is gold for me: my iPhone 11 Pro, my fifth-generation iPad that I use only for streaming videos and music, my iPad mini 4 that I like to take with me whenever I carry a bag that can fit it, and my MacBook Pro. Why are they all different shades of gold, though? What’s going on, Apple? 

None of them quite live up to my two past loves: my LG Lotus LX600 phone and my Sony Walkman NW-E005 MP3 player. 

I've never given up wired earbuds so I was ahead of all those trend pieces. I use a Mangotek Lightning-to-3.5mm headphone jack adapter to connect them to my phone. 

I have had so many ebook readers, but I prefer paper to them all. Still, my Kindle Paperwhite is perfect for traveling or when I’m too impatient to wait for a book to be released in paperback.

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