Navigating copyright licenses can feel overwhelming, especially for small charities and community groups. Fortunately, royalty-free photo sites simplify the process, making it easier to find and use high-quality images without the hassle.
To help you get started, we've compiled a list of our favorite sites for free images: free means that they are available under a Creative Commons Licence, to use and often modify. Sometimes you will need to attribute the image - giving credit to the photographer.
These platforms offer a diverse range of photos, illustrations, and more that can elevate your projects and effectively convey your message.
Top sites for royalty-free images
1. Pixabay
Pixabay is a platform offering free stock photography and royalty-free media. Users can share photos, illustrations, vector graphics, videos, music, and sound effects. All content is available under the custom Pixabay Content License, which permits free use with certain limitations.
2. Pexels
Pexels offers stock photography and footage, with a library of over 3.2 million photos and videos. This collection grows by about 200,000 files each month. Users upload the content, which is then manually reviewed.
3. Unsplash
Unsplash is a proprietary stock photography website. It boasts over 330,000 contributing photographers and generates more than 13 billion photo impressions monthly, with a library exceeding 5 million photos as of April 2023. Unsplash introduced its own license, the Unsplash License, in June 2017, which includes some additional restrictions.
4. Vecteezy
Vecteezy is an online marketplace where users can license stock photos, vector graphics, and stock footage directly from artists. The platform operates on a freemium model, allowing users to access a significant portion of the content for free. Additionally, users can purchase subscriptions or credits to unlock the entire content library and gain enhanced licensing capabilities, among other benefits.
5. Gratisography
Gratisography offers a unique collection of high-resolution, free stock images known for their quirky and creative nature. Founded by Ryan McGuire, the platform stands out by curating only the most interesting and visually striking photos, which are free from copyright restrictions.
6. Startup Stock Photos
Startup Stock Photos was created to provide free, high-quality stock photos of startup teams and settings. Founded in 2014 by Eric Bailey and Josh Krakauer, the platform offers a wide range of images for startups, bloggers, publishers, freelancers, and more. All photos are available under the CC0 license, allowing for unrestricted use without the need for credit.
7. Children's Health and Food Image Bank
The Children's Health and Food Image Bank, created by FrameWorks UK in collaboration with Impact on Urban Health, offers a collection of free, high-quality images. These images aim to change the conversation around children's health by highlighting the impact of surroundings and various factors on children's well-being. The image bank is available for anyone to use in their work related to children's health and food.
8. Sport England
Sport England offers a wide selection of free images related to sport and physical activity through their image library. These images are available for use in brochures, banners, leaflets, reports, and other non-commercial purposes. The library includes specific collections like the "This Girl Can" campaign, which focuses on women in sports. To access these images, users need to log in or sign up for an account on the Sport England website.
9. Age Without Limits
The Age Without Limits age-positive image library offers over 3,000 free images of older adults in positive and realistic settings. These images are available for anyone to use and aim to challenge stereotypes about ageing. Users can create personalised collections by signing up for an account.
Further resources and guidance
1. Copyright and open licensing: a guide - The Catalyst
This guide, commissioned by the Catalyst and published by ProMo Cymru, provides a comprehensive overview of copyright, ownership, and licensing. It explains the basics of copyright, the importance of understanding open licensing, and the options available for using open licenses. The guide aims to help users navigate the complexities of copyright and make informed decisions about using and sharing content legally and ethically.
2. Where to find free diverse and inclusive stock images for your charity - Media Trust
Media Trust provides a guide to finding free, diverse, and inclusive stock images for charities. The guide emphasises the importance of using visuals that reflect the diversity of beneficiaries, staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders. It lists various stock photo sites that offer free images, some of which may require crediting the photographer or illustrator.
By utilising these resources, we hope that you can enhance your charity's visual content while ensuring compliance with copyright regulations. Explore these sites and discover the perfect images to support your mission and engage your audience.
