We all like to add images to our blog posts. They make them look aesthetically pleasing. We feel it will draw the reader in and garner their interest more than a block of words would. It’s true for me. If a blog post looks broken up, with either images, bullet points, headings, white space etc, I’m more inclined to stop and read it.
Do you consider copyright when obtaining your images though? Do you know how stiff the penalties are for breaching copyright law? I read a blog post last year that was written by a blogger, and you’ll have to excuse the lack of link, because I’ve no idea where I read it, (if you do, please let me know and I’ll link to it) but the blogger used an image sourced from a search engine and was sued. She lost a lot of money and she was just a normal day to day blogger like you and I, not blogging for monetary gain.
Maybe you think the original owner of the image can’t locate on the huge place that is the Internet, the single image you put up on your little blog, but just take a minute to consider what you see when you take an image from a Google search for instance.
You choose that image and it gives you options to find the original image and options to find others like it. Google is pretty nifty. If an photographer/digital artist wants to locate their work online they can. Do you really want to take that risk for a few more clicks on your blog?
So where can you get images that are not going to cause you these massive issues you ask?
1 – Flickr
If the image on Flickr has a creative commons licence, it can be downloaded and used on a blog. Not all images are creative commons, so you need to check. You should always link back to the source of the image.
2 – Freedigitalphotos.net
You will have probably seen that this is where I get the majority of my images from lately. There are thousands of free images to use and they are nicely categorised for you to search.
3 – Shutterstock.com
Shutterstock has a massive range of images but they are at a price. It is a great image site though.
There are multiple other sources of images, but you do need to check on the license of use, or payment. Don’t let the prospect of a little time searching and organising yourself, land you in hot water with a case of copyright infringement.
mrkelly2u says
Hi Rebecca – this is a really useful post. Wherever possible I try to use photographs I have taken myself – but it’s not always possible, depending on the subject, so it’s great that you have given some links – particularly Freedigitalphotos, because I wasn’t aware of that one. Hope you are enjoying the challenge as much as I am. Good luck!
Pamreader says
Great post! The website http://www.sxc.hu is also a great image resource. Another option is to create your own images and avoid copyright infringement altogether 🙂
lynneinpborough says
Every pic on my blog is taken or drawn by me (bar the standard blog ones, or on ads (yeah! I’ve just noticed ads have appeared, not for money for me….) because I then know the origin and don’t have to guess if I have copyright or not. Professional photographers trawl the net for any misuse of their images, they should not have to, we should be respectful of their work. ooh, I seem a bit stern and legalese today..
Great post by the way. xx
Chippy says
I remember reading that blog post too – unfortunately i can’t remember which blog it was either!
But I have stopped putting random photos form the internet on my blog. I either use my own or put a link to a site that has a photo of whatever it is.
Prashant C. Trikannad says
This is a touchy issue. I am definitely wary of using images under copyright and when I do, I provide the source for the images unless they are book jackets or film posters. I use a lot of images from Wikimedia under Creative Commons and still give the source. I am cutting down on using images on my blog. Many thanks for the useful links.
D.A.Cairns says
Very thought provoking. I’ve often wondered about this. I don’t use images which are copyright protected. I usually source them from Google images as long as they don’t say copyright protected. If you used someone’s photo, a professional, and you gave them credit for it, with a link to their own site, and you weren’t a money making enterprise, it would be okay, wouldn’t it? thanks for the tips, and links. Excellent.
Peter Domican says
No it’s not ok and a good professional will pursue you for breach of copyright.
Bel Anderson says
Wow – thanks for that, Rebecca! I was aware of the photos being copyrighted and put a credit under the photo if I’ve taken it from the internet, but maybe that’s not enough! From now on I’ll be making sure I’m using something from one of the sites you recommend!
TaMara says
Very useful info. When I was a brand new blogger, I didn’t understand any of this and would sometimes use images that I shouldn’t. Now I either use my own or from a site like the ones you linked. I also now make sure that MY images are watermarked.
Annalisa Crawford says
Thanks for the links. I’ve been trying to take my own photos, but obviously there are limitations to that method!
Jean Davis says
I try to only use my own photos but thanks for the links!
ramblingsfromtheleft says
Thanks for the links, Rebecca. I also “cheat” a bit by giving authors a bit of free promotion. I often use images from books available through amazon and link my reader to thier author page or book page. Then, of course, I am truly fortunate to have a talented photographer/daughter. Her images are on my blog site and often show up in many of my posts.
By writing different blog authors to use their photographs, I’ve also made some great contacts. It doesn’t take that much time to write to another blogger and ask them for permission. And yes, it pays to be careful 🙂
Patricia (@patricialynne07) says
I had one post on an old blog where I was contacted and asked to take down an image that an artist claimed was like one she had made. Personally, I thought there were enough differences between the image I used and the one the artist claimed was being infringed on, but I did it anyways because I saw no reason not to.
sarahcradit says
This is really useful. I actually had an author contact me about a photo I had used, and I immediately took it down. I hadn’t even thought about it, but once it happened it made perfect sense.
So now, I either only use my own photos, use photos in public domain, or use ridiculous cat memes. And if I really need something else I’ll source it.
C.B. Wentworth says
I’m so afraid of violating copyrights that I typically rely on my own photography for my blog. If anything it challenges me to try new things with my camera and photo editor. 🙂
sharonsant says
This is such a useful post and one that may well keep me out of hot water! Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom. 🙂 x
Sylvia says
Great topic! New follower here. I’m stopping by from the “A to Z” challenge and I look forward to visiting again.
Sylvia
http://www.writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/
kirstyes says
I still have to admit to being a bit confused about all of this and I think sites like pinterest, tumblr etc have muddied the waters further still. I do try to credit the original image but I think I need to investigate this further. Thanks (pootles off to check blog and considers adding a (c) note to own images). As long as people aren’t using my images for commercial gain or clearly passing them off as their own then I am ok with it – in fact I’ve just checked and I added this statement:
I am happy for pictures/posts to be shared on sites like Pinterest, bo.lt, facebook as long as I am credited through a link back to the original URL as a minimum.
diannegray says
Great post, Rebecca. Copyright is a bit of a hazy and dangerous field for bloggers. I haven’t seen the other post about being sued, but I’m going to do a search for it.
Carol Kilgore says
I’m really picky about where I get my images from these days, so I don’t use many unless they’re my own. Great post. Visiting from A-Z.
DJ Kirkby says
Thanks for these links Rebecca! I didn’t know about the free digital photos site, or about some flicker photos being useable. I read the same article as you las year though (very scary) and it reminded me of how small the internet really is.
Gyran says
Great post. I’ve got tutors that love jumping up and down about this – after they get tired of jumping up and down about people using proper referencing in our reports.
My personal fav for stock images is Morguefile.com
Vikki Thompson says
I try to use my own photo’s where possible, but, if I’m desperate i’ll go to FreeDigital like you 🙂
Good reminder honey xx
Peter Domican says
Great post and as a photographer as well as a writer, I’m pleased you’ve written this. Unless you have permission to use a photo from the photographer or who ever owns the rights (e.g. publisher), then you’re open to being sued from breach of copyright. Same goes for art / design.
Images frequently appear on the internet which haven’t been correctly attributed to the copyright holder so it’s quite easy to go astray. Ignorance isn’t a defence.
Putting photos on any social media site is, in my view, a risk unless you are clear on the terms and conditions of the site (and subsequent changes to) the rules. Even using my own photos on blogposts, I’ll use the lowest resolution possible which limits chances of it being used.
As you’ve said there are plenty of legitimate sources and a quick email to the source usually gets a positive answer if the photo is promoting the creator.
Personally I would track down anyone using any of my images but I would only pursue damages (beyond a ‘take down’ and apology) unless there was a clear commercial gain e.g. site was using my content to build paid content or ‘donation’ value).
A final plea to people who are creative. Although you have the absolute right to do so, please don’t undervalue your work and effectively give images away for free. This is why photographers and writers are struggling to make a living!
julierkendrick says
I use Morguefile.com.
Joanna (Lazuli Portals Trilogy) says
Yes, I read that same post, Rebecca …. and no, I can’t remember whose it was either! We often use freedigitalphotos.net, and sometimes microsoft’s own image site. Or – sharp intake of breath – even our own, if they are of a high enough quality.
Jonathan Gunson (Bestseller Labs) also published a good post with links to several sites, which I carefully bookmarked! http://bestsellerlabs.com/7-free-photo-libraries/
Christina James says
I’m of the ‘own photo’ contingent. There is lots of fun in matching image to text!
stephscottil says
Romance writer Roni Loren may be the blogger you are thinking about. She wrote a few very detailed posts about her experience which had a pretty widespread effect on the blogging community. Myself included. There are a lot of resources for legit photo use, some are very easy to use, as already mentioned by comments in this post.