Unauthorized use of images from the internet is generally prohibited, particularly when the image is not from the numerous public domain resources available for free.Public domain images are those that are not protected by copyright.There are two reasons why an image may enter the public domain:Before utilizing an image found online, it is crucial to address the following inquiries:
Is the image suitable for commercial use or is it restricted to personal use only?
Can the image be edited, modified, or altered?
Is there permission to sell or redistribute the image?
Is the image permitted for use on a website, app, or illustration?
Is permission required to use this image? If so, how and where can it be obtained?
Is attribution necessary?
These considerations (and more) must be taken into account whenever using an image that is not originally created by or owned by the user, with the exception of images that are in the public domain.
Unrestricted use of the image: Public domain images typically have no usage restrictions, allowing for the sale, editing, redistribution, and use in web applications, etc. The only limitations are those dictated by government laws and regulations. For instance, if your country prohibits the use of butterfly photos or tree images for some reason, you would face the consequences of such a violation, not the creator or provider of the image.
No attribution necessary: Some free images online may require a link back to the source site. A public domain image, however, will not necessitate acknowledgment of the creator or source of the work.
True freedom: The sites mentioned in this article provide public domain images free of charge. Note that some stock photo sites sell public domain images—either charging a monthly fee or a per-download charge—but these are not discussed here.
1. PublicDomainArchive
PublicDomainArchive is an excellent resource for professional-grade public domain images. The site is regularly updated with new photos, managed by Matt Hobbs, a professional web designer and photographer.2. Pixabay
Pixabay is user-friendly, featuring a robust search function and multiple ways to explore its content. All images on Pixabay are under the CC0 1.0 public dedication license.3. The Public Domain Review
The Public Domain Review is an online publication focused on the topic of public domain. It offers over a hundred collections of public domain images, each with multiple images and a description of the work.4. Unsplash
Unsplash boasts over two million free images, a project initially created by Crew, an online marketplace for creative talent.5. New Old Stock
New Old Stock is a blog that indexes vintage stock photos with no known copyright restrictions.6. PDPics
PDPics offers a collection of over a thousand public domain images, categorized into 18 themes such as “Animals,” “Food,” “Technology,” and more.7. Picdrome
Picdrome is a collection of public domain photos, licensed under CC0 1.0 and organized into categories like “Nature” and “Textures and Backgrounds.”8. Smithsonian Open Access
The Smithsonian, a major institution with access to historical pieces, allows the public to use over 3 million digital items from its collection through its Open Access project.9. Pexels
Pexels offers free images and videos for projects, with the request not to redistribute or sell the photos or portray people in an offensive manner.10. Flickr: The Commons
Flickr’s “The Commons” project, in collaboration with organizations like the U.S. Library of Congress and the National Library of Australia, aims to catalog public domain images and share “hidden treasures from the world’s public photography archives.”11. Wikimedia Commons Public Domain Category
Wikimedia Commons, a media file repository and project by the Wikimedia Foundation (which also manages Wikipedia), features an extensive collection of public domain works regularly updated due to its open-platform nature. However, browsing through images can be challenging compared to other sites listed here.12. Little Visuals
Little Visuals provides free images for commercial use and has over 3 million users.13. The New York Public Library Digital Collections
This database provides numerous historical images and documents, both under license and in the public domain, with a search feature that allows users to filter for public domain images.14. Gratisography
Gratisography, a project by designer Ryan McGuire, offers unique and free images for public use, with some restrictions on their use, including a prohibition against selling them as one’s own.15. Public Domain Pictures
Public Domain Pictures provides over 350,000 images to its users. Ensure that proper releases are obtained if a photo includes a person or product.
Beware of images with identifiable individuals: When a photo features an identifiable person, that person may have privacy rights protected by their country. It is your responsibility to ensure that public domain images are used legally and ethically.
Consider providing attribution even when not required: While attribution is not mandatory for public domain images, most site owners and creators invest effort in providing these resources. Acknowledging their work by linking back to their site is appreciated and can prevent penalties such as DMCA takedowns.
The Public Domain Manifesto (publicdomainmanifesto.org)
Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States (copyright.cornell.edu)
Effective Use of Images in Websites
Top Sources for Free Stock Photos
Common Photo Usability Errors to Avoid on Websites
5 Simple Steps to Optimize Images in Photoshop
