How To Find High Quality Free Use Images for Blogs & Articles

If you own a blog or website you'll probably want attractive photos so your readers don't get stuck with a big block of text. The only issue with beautiful images? If you can't take your own photos, you need to use someone else's. Every image on the internet (including Google Image Search) is copyright unless it states otherwise, so it's important to choose images that you are legally allowed to reuse.

If you get caught using an image illegally, you can face legal proceedings or even usage charges (even if you never earned a cent off using the image.)

Unfortunately, many stock photo websites charge anywhere from $2-$50 per image, and if you're using images regularly, that's going to end up being pretty costly. Here are some ways to find high quality FREE images for your blogs and websites without putting your business at risk.

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Check out my guide on using Picmonkey!

• Google Image Search

Many images allow you to use them as long as you provide a proper attribution back to the original site where you found them (usually their name and a link) . To find images you can use with attribution, do a Google image search and then press the cog wheel at the top right of the page. Go into Advanced Search.

Next, you need to scroll to the bottom of the screen and find the Usage Rights option. In this option you can select one of the options so you can either use and share it, use it commercially (for instance in an eBook you plan to sell) or use it with modifications (if you plan to crop it or add to it.) Click the advanced search button and see what's available. BEFORE you choose an image however, you need to click through to the original site it came from and check the specific instructions for re-use set out by the owner.

• Image Site Search

If you find Google image search doesn't help you find the images you're after, you can try sites like Flickr, but make sure you use an advanced search to find those suitable for re-use with attribution.

You can also use places such as Wikimedia Commons to find images available for reuse and modification. Remember though - these ones also require attribution, as stated in the license displayed below the images.

Wanted to use an image but don't know where it comes from? Here's a trick!

Go to Google image search, mouse over the right hand side of the search bar and click the little grey camera icon that appears. Upload or link the picture and Google will show you every indexed website that contains that image.

If you're on Google Chrome, you can simply right click and image, click the letter S on your keyboard, and Google will do the rest (go on, try it!)

If you don't like the idea of wading through copyright and adding links and attribution to images, you can always find a website that provides free images without attribution.

Morguefile - This site has hundreds of photos taken by both professional and amaeteur photographers. The images do not require attribution, although you are not allowed to claim ownership or redistribute them WITHOUT changing them.

Pixabay - A site filled with both photos and graphics which you can use as you wish.

All Free Download - A site which features mainly vector images. You'll find a lot of backgrounds, borders and general graphic images for giving your own images an extra edge.

Paid Images

Still not finding images that suit your purpose? I recommend Kozzi, where you can download 5 images/day for as little as $4.95/month. Graphic Leftovers comes a close second, with images starting as low as $1/each.