I Can Has Stock Images!

Jim Basio, Former Viget

Article Category: #Design & Content

Posted on

Stock imagery can really make or break a good design. Searching for that perfect image(s) to complement your design can be a very time consuming task -- not to mention budget limitations we may have to consider.

Luckily, there are lots of great stock image resources available on the web whether to meet any budget size.

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  • istockphoto.com - giant selection of royalty-free stock images and photos
  • gettyimages.com - the leading provider of creative and editorial imagery and film to communications
  • moodboard.com - buy or sell images at a range of prices to suit your needs
  • jupiterimages.com - offers anything from royalty-free DVD collections to standard rights-managed images and royalty-free images
  • digitalrailroad.net - selection of royalty-free and rights- managed stock shots, but it also features an eBay-like marketplace where photographers vie to meet your requirements by the deadline

Inexpensive Alternatives

  • fotolia.com - inexpensive stock photography, photographers can also sign up to sell stock photos
  • dreamstime.com - essentially a royalty-free microstock site, the selection is limited
  • ultrashock.com - offers high-res photos, conceptual vector illustration and other assets

Specialty Providers

Freebies

  • photolib.noaa.gov - one example of the many photos you can use for free from U.S. Government sites.
  • public-domain-photos.com - claims to be the largest collection of public domain photos
  • sxc.hu - the leading free stock photo site
  • morguefile.com - contains photographs freely contributed by many artists to be used in creative projects by visitors to the site
  • stockvault.net - a stock photo sharing website where designers and photographers can meet to share their images
  • freerangestock.com - high-resolution free stock photos and free textures
  • photogen.com - nice collection of good quality photos
  • flickr.com - best online photo management and sharing application; be sure to check the license before using any of the photos
  • everystockphoto.com - excellent option for searching multiple sites (Flickr, Stock.xchng, etc.) for stock photos

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Feel free to add sites that been left out!

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