Six of the best free stock image websites to use in 2017
Tap into the goldmine of amazing free stock images. We’ve updated our list from 2014.
Whether you work in graphic design or content marketing, sourcing high quality imagery for engaging campaigns is all part of the job. But if you find yourself down the same rabbit hole of iStock on too many occasions, don’t have a suitable supplied photo on file or have exhausted your go-to source for free stock photography, you’re in luck. We’ve refreshed our 2014 list of free stock image sites we love for 2017, with some new finds we’re sure you’ll love too.
From enviable office spaces to breathtaking scenery, you’re sure to find authentic imagery for your website design, blog and video content without the hefty price tag.
Pixabay is an oldie, but a goodie. It serves as a large storehouse of stock photography that’s’ been released under Creative Commons CCO into the public domain. The site itself is clean, simple and responsive to your specific image requests, reducing the time spent navigating through 780,000 free photos, vectors and illustrations.
Looking for images with heart? SplitShire has a large database of imagery which website owner, Italian Photographer Daniel Nanescu, describes are “made with love”. Splitshire also has a small collection of stock videos ideal for technology or travel focussed content.
Life of Pix and its sister site Life of Vids is home to a great range of high resolution photos and videos from its network of talented photographers. All imagery and videos have been donated to the public domain, so can be used for both personal and commercial use.
Search for any image on Pexels and you’ll know you’re getting the best. That’s because this stock imagery is carefully hand-picked by the Pexels team from free image sources from around the web. Pexels is updated frequently, with over 100 new high-quality images uploaded every day. You’ll find everything from business and technology, to landscapes and social-media worthy flatlays.
Do you want your imagery to encapsulate a certain mood or vibe? Search images by colour and find the right image to match the mood of your content. Karolina, a web designer from Poland, is the creative eye behind this colourful resource for brands and content creators. You have the freedom to use what you like, and while there is no compulsory attribution required for Kaboompics photos, Karolina suggests using a credit link back to the site if possible, to assist in the growth of the imagery collection.
Their tagline is “when stock dies, art thrives” and we couldn’t agree more. The co-creators of this website provide two things: beautiful imagery and support for the artist. You can sign up for free to get a new photo pack (Death to Stock Photo calls them carefully crafted stories) every month, which you can download to your own photo bank or sign up for a premium account (a measly $15) which offers access to over 1500 photos and videos.
Worthy mentions
Unsplash’s website is intuitive, simple and has over 200,000 high resolution photos bought to the public domain by a generous community of photographers. Browse through endless pages of photos or find a collection that speaks your brands language.
All imagery on Freerange comes from a team of internal photographers and a growing community of external contributors. There’s a massive selection to choose from, but sometimes the imagery errs on the side of “stock-y”
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