Maybe the goofy image is what made you look at this article. Images are key to attracting readers to blog and social media posts. But how many of us can afford to buy stock photos?
Images abound on the Internet and it is easy to use Google Image Search or another search engine to find what you need and copy it to your own computer. But guess what. You’re probably breaking copyright law if you use images you find that way.
You wouldn’t want someone taking your writing to use it any way they choose. Don’t take someone’s art.
There are plenty of sites that make free and legal images available to you. Many only require that you attribute the source of the photo. Some don’t even require that.
Where to find free images
The following sources provide images for download that are in the public domain or released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. That means you may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications and without attribution.
But beware. Some images on these sites will have restrictions on how they are used. Carefully read and comply with the terms of the site (can often be found in the footer) and the license for individual images.
Carol Baldwin
Thanks for this list. Very helpful!
Tricia Pimental
This is terrific, Mary Ann. Already downloaded a pdf. Thanks so much.
Mary Ann de Stefano
Thanks, Tricia. I’m glad if it helps!
Lyn Hill
Thank you for the many bits of wisdom you share.