There are legions of stock images websites on the web. Some are paid stock images, some are free but boring (You have to register, etc) and some are 100% free. You just have to go to the website, select a few images, and download it. That’s simple as that.
In my opinion, that’s how all free stock images websites should be. As an example of this, let’s talk about a website I recently discover, named FreePixels.com.
Freepixels is very simple to use: Just go on their site and search for stock images. If you don’t need to find something specific, you can also browse the site to see what images can be used in your designs.
All freepixels.com images are categorized, which makes things a lot easier when you have to browse. I browsed a few categories while writing this post, and I must admit that I spent a long time on the site, browsing, watching images, thinking about how I can use them…
That’s a good point, but now we must talk about the licence. Licencing is a common problem to every creative person: “Can I use this icon? “Is that image CC licenced?” I have heard theses questions a lot of time. Even worse, on one of my first PsdVibe tutorials, I had to remove an icon I’ve used from the tutorial and all screenshots because the icon’s licence didn’t allowed me to do that.
On FreePixels, you don(t have to worry: All images from the site can be used both personally and profesionnally. That means, you can use them to illustrate blog posts, but you can also feature some of their image on a client’s website.
Of course, and particulary in the case of a website dedicated to stock images, an image is worth a thousand words. This is why I thought I can’t finnish this article without featuring some of my favorite stock photography from Freepixels. Just click on an image to download it.
Nice images, isn’t it? Visit FreePixels for more.
32 Responses
Edgar
Wow, theses images rocks. I’m going to visit that site right now!
Michael
Good work. Nice free images.
Bill Ludwig
Thanks for the great new resource, were always needing stock images.
RWH
Hey Jean, thanks for introducing freepixels; it seems like a great and easy to use site, and the images that you have listed here are really nice. The free resources offered there would definitely prove helpful in the process of website designing.
Web Design Beach
Thanks for sharing this free stock image site. I was searching for some time to come to one which is real quality and have normal license policies.
mark rob
This images will really helpful to make a good and attractive web design of web site.
Joseph
amazing resources, thank a lot! you are better
Web 2.0 Tools
Wow I didn’t know about this free stock photo site, thanks
BebopDesigner
Brilliant! I had no idea. This comes so handy. Thanks for sharing!
Web Development Hampshire
Jings – thanks for sharing!
Although we don’t often use stock images in client projects, we are quite often asked where they can be bought – and do use them in mock-ups, etc on occasion.
Scotch Pine Tree
Love the ant photo. this site seems to have some nice stock. I’ll have to spend some time checking and downloading.
Solange
Hey, thanks for sharing!
As a beginner I have one more question: on freepixels.com its said: “Every Freepixels image or digital creation used must retain the domain name: freepixels.com when used on the internet, in a web page, in printed publications, or in any product, advertising, or packaging. This credit, however, may be cropped out or digitally removed from the photograph if it is included in readable type near each photograph, group of photographs, in the text, or in the credits.”
So how do I include the domain name if i do a backgroundcollage out of more fotos??? Where do I have to put the credits???
Graphik Design
Thank you for sharing it.
Well done!
Jean-Baptiste Jung
@Solange: Sorry, but I don’t know about that one. You should try to contact freepixels.com owner directly!
strony internetowe
Wow, theses images rocks. I’m going to visit that site right now!
Walt Sorensen
“….designers often have to use stock images.” This is because they have not sold their clients on the value of original assignment photography. http://photobusinessforum.blogspot.com/2009/10/value-of-original-assignment.html
Yes, budgets do come into play occasionally requireing quality stock images. But, that is never a reason to use “free images.” The license with freepixels requires the domain to be listed, that will change to requiring a link back. That is not free and is never good for a client’s professional look.
olivier
Wow nice site, but I know a better one! Check sxc.hu! I’ve got no idea what country hu is but the site is great!
J Mehmett
JBJ, good sharing. I like the ant picture. I will definitely head there to see other possible eye-catching photos.
@Oliver, I think sxc.hu joined Getty Images lately and is part of iStock family. The images there are free and their licensing looks professional. By the way, .hu is for Hungary, the country.
Porter
Those are some pretty high quality photos, especially the ant picture. Thanks for sharing, I’ll check them out next time I’m in need of an imagine for an article.
Rohit
awesome images, wow, specially i liked the 3rd one very much
Jimbo
Nice. It’s good to have another resource for stock images besides stock xchange or wikimedia commons.
Tantsuyut vsi
Thank you for good quality free pictures! A new will still be published?
gadgetech
great resource of amazing free pictures.But Bigstockphoto is still the best for me..:D
ali
very good and interesting selections
Frank C
That looks like a great resource for photos. I’ll have to look closely at the terms though.
I wonder if they get some of the photos from public domain US government sources. I think I’ve run across some of those photos before.
Fernando Alvirez
I spent quite a lot of time on the site too and down’ed some interesting pics. These are indeed quite usable since the copyright text is nowhere hindering like I have seen with some other free pics before. Good article, it’s a site to bookmark for later reference!
Paul Baines
Great! Thanks for the tip – most appreciated – I am there…
Jake
There are some nice novelty images, too bad the model release complications causes a sparceness of people images.
Arnold
Great post.
Thank you
James Cage
Wow, theses images rocks. I’m going to visit that site right now!Great post. Thank you
Marcus
Thanks for the link. Seem to be really good photos there.
I am always searching for good new image sources. You can never get enough of it.
Greetings
Marcus
Jim
This is a haven for photo resources. Very very nice images and no more licensing worries or issues here. Thanks for sharing the link.