Free Stock Photos

We tried to compile a comprehensive list of sites offering free stock photos. Some of the sites listed offer free stock photos only for personal use while some others allow the use of the images for commercial use as well. Details for each site have been added next to each listing. However, it is advised that you personally check the TOS of each website personally.

Also please keep in mind that even if a photographer has released his images for free, even in the Public Domain but the images contain trademarks or recognizable people these images cannot be used for commercial projects unless the persons in the photographs have signed model releases and you have permission from the trademark holders.

1 Title: Stock Exchange

Description: Stock Exchange is one of the biggest if not the biggest free stock photos archive with over 252 000 free stock images. The license of each image is determined by the creator and therefore it is advised that you check the usage permissions below each image.
2 Title: MorgueFile

Description: MorgueFile is probably the largest free stock photos archive of images that can be used for commercial projects.
3 Title: StockVault

Description: An archive of almost 5000 free stock photos that are available for personal use (No commercial use is allowed)

4. Title: Piotrix

Description: A gallery of about 2000 free images available for personal use. Most images are 2MP in size. Larger sizes are available after registration.

5. Title: FreeRangeStock

Description: A collection of about 2000 free stock photos with a minimum resolution of 3MP. Requires registration (free) but the images can be used for commercial projects.

6. Title: ImageAfter

Description: Large well categorized collection of photos available for both free and commercial use.

7. Title: OpenPhoto

Description: Almost 3500 free images are available at OpenPhoto. There isn't a universal license so it is reccomended to check the license of each image individually.

8. Title: BigFoto

Description: Collection of free photos categorized by location and theme. The photos can be used for personal projects freely and for commercial projects with proper attribution.

9. Title: Pixel Perfect Digital

Description: Online archive of more than 4000 free images available for personal and commercial use.

10. Title: FreeFoto

Description: A really large collection of almost 100 000 free stock photos for personal use.

11. Title: FreeImages.co.uk

Description: Offers about 2500 free stock photos that can be used for both personal and commercial projects. Attribution is required.

12. Title: Free Photo Station

Description: Categorized collection of free stock photos. There is no mention on the site if the photos can be used commercially.

13. Title: FreePixels

Description: Archive of about 2000 photos and raster illustrations that can be freely used for personal or commercial projects

14. Title: FreePhotosBank

Description: Collection of free photos that can be used for personal and commercial projects

15. Title: DesignPacks

Description: Archive of mostly textures photos, free for bot personal and commercial use

16. Title: Cromavista

Description: Photos by Ricardo Martín Herrero that can be used without limitations (Spanish Site)

17. Title: BurninWell.org

Description: Offers more than 2000 public domain photos

18. Title: GeekPhilosopher

Description: A library of free stock photos created by the owners of the site as well as public domain photos collected from the web

19. Title: Cepolina

Description: Offers more than 3500 free images for download.

20. Title: TextureKing

Description: Archive of free textures that can be used for any purpose (reselling is prohibited)

21. Title: PDPhoto

Description: Provides about 2000 public domain photos for download. From the site: "Unless something is clearly marked as being copyrighted, you can assume it is free to use."

22. Title: Flickr Creative Commons

Description: Literally millions of pictures license under different Creative Commons licenses

23. Title: GIMP Savvy

Description: A collection of almost 27000 public domain images collected from sources like the NASA and NOA

24. Title: Free Photographs Network

Description: Provides free photos for Non-Commercial use

25. Title: FreePhotos.com

Description: Offers close to 1500 free stock photos with no usage restrictions

26. Title: Aarin Free Photo

Description: Offers more than 950 images for personal and commercial use

27. Title: FreeStockPhotos.com

Description: Provides free photos for personal and commercial projects. However, some restrictions apply (listed on the front page)

28. Title: FreeImages.com

Description: Site owned by JupiterImages, provides about 2300 free images. It is advisable to read the terms before using the images

29. Title: Barry's Free Photos

Description: Another site owned by JupiterImages that provides free stock photos. Terms

30. Title: Pyed.net

Description: Small collection of free photos for personal use (requires attribution)

31. Title: Pictures from Old Books

Description: A collection of more than 1300 pictures scanned from old books. Most of them are in the Public Domain

32. Title: USDA Image Gallery

Description: More than 2000 free photos

33. Title: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Description: Offers almost 3000 free photos for personal and commercial use. Terms

34. Title: FreeMediaGOO

Description: Offers free photos that can be used for commercial and non commercial projects

35. Title: AmazingTextures

Description: Offers free textures for personal use

36. Title: Photocase

Description: Online communitty that offers free photos for personal and commercial use. Terms

37. Title: Woophy

Description: Interesting website that categorizes photos by location. Low resolution photos are free for personal use

38. Title: ImageBase

Description: From the site "What does Free To Use Actually means? It means you can use the images for whatever you want, personal, commercial of non-profit use for free. You cannot copyright the images nor can you resell them unaltered. Any others questions?"

39. Title: YotoPhoto

Description: A really nice site that doesn't offer free photos but is a free photos search engine.

40. Title: Studio25.ro

Description: Offers over 2500 free high quality stock images. TOS

41. Title: Digital Library System

Description: Provides access to quite a few image libraries that contain public domain photos such as the Alaska Image Library, Pacific Image Gallery and much more

42. Title: Images of American Political History

Description: A collection of over 500 public domain images of American Political History.

43. Title: US Geological Survey Photographic Library

Description: More than 400,000 photographs taken during geologic studies, all are in the Public Domain

44. Title: ImageBlowout

Description: Offers a small collection of uncategorized free stock phos

45. Title: FontPlay Free Photos

Description: A gallery of over 8000 free stock photos that can be used for bot personal and commercial projects. Updated regularly

46 . Title: Public Domain Stock Photos

Description: Categoized gallery of photos released in the Public Domain

47 . Title: Demmy.nl

Description: Small colletion of free stock photos

48 . Title: ImageTemple

Description: Gallery of free photos for personal and commercial projects.

49 . Title: Pixalia

Description: Site is in Spanish and requires registration (free) to access the free stock photos. Really nicely done site

50 . Title: Graphics Arena

Description: Small gallery of free wallpapers and stock photos. Doesn't clearly state the Terms of Use

51 . Title: One Odd Dude

Description: Collection of free stock photos and backgrounds for personal only use

52 . Title: Truly Free Stock

Description: Categorized collection of truly free stock photos

53 . Title: T8 Software Free Stock Photos

Description: Small collection of free stock photos. Requires attribution.

54 . Title: LightMatter

Description: Stock photo gallery that provides images licenced under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

55 . Title: Insecta

Description: Gallery of insects images licenced under a CC Licence

56 . Title: Diwiesign

Description: Offers free stock photos for non commercial use

57 . Title: DNS Fotografia Digital

Description: Brazilian website offering free stock photos. I am not sure about the exact license since auto translators don't work that great.

58 . Title: Photoshocked

Description: Stock photo gallery that provides images licenced under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

59 . Title: AboutPixel.de

Description: Large German site offering almost 40000 photos contributed by users. Requires Registration

60 . Title: BajStock

Description: Offers almost 650 free stock photos

61 . Title: Insect Images

Description: Offers insect images for personal and educational use. Requires attribution

62 . Title: Yellowstone Digital Slide File

Description: Offers almost 13000 pictures in the public domain from Yellowstone

63 . Title: Star 29

Description: Offers about 120 free stock photos

64 . Title: NASA Images

Description: Most pictures are in the Public Domain, however attribution is required

65 . Title: FWS Pictures and Graphics

Description: Attribution for the use of images is required

66 . Title: Public Health Images Library

Description:Library of images related to health and science from the Center of Diseace Control. Most of them are in the public domain

67. Title:NYPL Digital Gallery

Description: "NYPL Digital Gallery provides access to over 480,000 images digitized from primary sources and printed rarities in the collections of The New York Public Library, including illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, vintage posters, rare prints and photographs, illustrated books, printed ephemera, and more." Images are free for for personal and educational purposes only.

68. Title: Graphic Maps

Description: Collection of map and flags clipart that can be used for free

69. Title: Great Images in NASA

Description: Collection of historical images from NASA. Some of them are copyright free.

70. Title: NASA Images

Description: Provides links to all NASA websites offering images for download.

71. Title: NWYH Stock Library

Description:Provides a small collection of free (humorous) business stock photos.

72. Title: National Park Service Digital Images Index

Description: From the site: "provides links to public domain digital images of many of those sites, including national parks, monuments, historic sites and related areas."

73. Title: DeviantArtDescription: Stock photos at DeviantArt. You need to check usage permission for each image individually

Sell Photographs Online & Marketing Photographs

Selling your photographs is no different from selling anything else... it takes time and a lot of work. If you expect to become rich by selling your photographs, don't leave your first job just yet! Like any other type of selling, you are selling yourself as well as selling your photographs. And with the Internet, the selling of yourself becomes a little more difficult as you are not face to face with a potential buyer of your photographs. So, what do you do to level the playing field using the Internet?

The first thing you must do is to be able to create a Internet page including a photograph of yourself along with some text so the visitor can a least have some kind of knowledge who you are when email might be communicated back and forth. Your text should give a little background about yourself, who you are, how you think, what type of photography that you do and any other information that will help you become established in the mind of the visitor. The more a person knows about you, the better chance you will have to sell your photographs. A potential buyer has to establish a relationship with a photographer and if a buyer doesn't know what the photographer looks like or what really motivates the photographer, something is lost. The photographer is selling himself/herself as well as the photograph.

Always look good and be professional in the design of Your Gallery and the types of photographs that you are offering. Always think quality over quantity.

Try to include as much information as possible describing your photographs. Google and other search engines use the description to index your photographs even further in the searches. If a person searches for a specific photograph, yours might appear in the search.

What is your market? Who do you want to sell to? Are people living in the USA interested in photographs of the UK? If a visitor has not visited the UK, yet (and if many of your photographs are photographs of specific areas in the UK), the visitor might not be interested in purchasing any of your photographs. A visitor might purchase photographs from other photographers if they have been to a specific place or the photograph reminds them of a specific place. In other words, if the photograph is of a forest or a beach, it might look like a place a visitor has visited. If you are trying to sell to a broad market, you have to think about what the other market wants. If you only want to specialize in the UK, concentrate on just UK photographs. Then promote yourself within that market.

If you are talented, write some articles to promote your photography. If you are from the UK, write a few articles about photographing in the UK, hiking in the UK, what to see in the UK, tips about the UK. If a person is interested in reading about the UK, they certainly would be interested in seeing photography from the UK. And when they visit the UK, they might be interested in purchasing one of your photographs. Your article will be searched by the search engines and read by thousands of people.

How To Get Stock-Quality Shots

If you look at the sort of shots that get printed in travel magazines and expensive coffee-table books, they tend to share similar attributes. Look for pictures that you admire and try to analyze why you like them. These are some of the features I like:

Include People

Magazines in particular always like people in the shot. It gives the viewer a human connection, a sense of being there, and a sense of scale. Photographs evoke emotion and empathy comes with someone's face. Avoid crowds and simplify the shot down to one person. The young and old are preferred subjects, with their innocent expressions and weather-worn faces respectively. People make your shots warm, friendly, and personable. Just like you are.

Simple, Clear Layout

A good shot focuses your attention on the subject by using a sparse background and a simple but interesting composition. Always remove clutter for the picture - this is a real skill. Like a musician, it's always difficult to make things look easy. Zoom in, get close, get to eye level, find a simple backdrop, look for balance.

Bold, Solid Colors

'Stock-quality' images make great use of color. Look for solid primary colors: bright 'sports-car' red, emerald green, lightning yellow, and ocean blue. Use a polarizer to bring out the colors. Avoid patterns - keep it simple. Bright afternoon sunlight will add warmth. Alternatively, look for 'color harmony' - scenes restricted to similar tones and colors, or even a single color. This presents a calm, restful image where the eye plays with the differing shades and intensities. Look for pastels, cream, or delicate shades.

Depth

Always include some pointer about depth. A photograph is two-dimensional but we want it to appear three-dimensional. If you're shooting a background (mountains) include a strong foreground (people). If you're shooting people (foreground), add an out-of-focus blur behind them (by using a wide aperture - small f-number).

Use a wide-angle lens for exaggerated depth. With a 20mm to 28mm lens, get just a few feet from your subject and, with a small aperture (large f-number), include an in-focus deep background too. This exaggerated hyperfocal perspective is used in a lot of magazine shots. What impact!

Alternatively you can remove all depth by using a long, telephoto lens. This compresses or compacts the image, making your 3-D subject appear flat.

Dramatic Lighting

Photographs that win competitions are often ones that make interesting use of light. Look out for beams of light shining through clouds, trees or windows, long shadows, and the effect of side- and backlighting. Shoot in the warm golden "magic hours" of early morning and late afternoon.
Preparation
"Chance favors the prepared mind." - Louis Pasteur.

A great shot takes time. Scout out the area, make mental notes of important features, unusual and interesting angles, and changing crowd levels. Take time to prepare the shot. Get there before the best time of day, clean your lenses, set up a tripod or mini-tripod, add a cable release, try out different filters, wait for a good foreground, and talk with people who may be in the shot so that they're comfortable and will pose well.