Copyright Matters
Getting images to accompany news articles can be challenging, however, you can't just pull images off the internet. It is your responsibility to determine if and how you can use an image without violating copyright.Every image is automatically copyrighted as soon as it’s created, and it’s up to you to know whether or not you have the legal right to use it.
The consequences of violating copyright (even accidentally) are serious. Those found guilty of copyright violations could face large fines for each infringement.Take Your Own Photos
If you’re the photographer, there’s no danger of violating any copyright plus the photos will be entirely original. It’s always better to use original images – those you have taken yourself – than stock photos. While stock photos look great and can save you some time, they do have a monetary cost to them. Since they are also used across many other sites, you may lose some SEO points that you could gain if you use your own image.You do not need to go out and buy a professional camera – most of today’s smartphones have cameras that will take great images for your website. To make your pictures look more professional, make sure to consider lighting and background framing. Even a little post-shooting editing can really help.
When a person is the subject of your image, you should have a signed photo release form on file.Public Domain or Other Free Collections
These sites offer public domain or other free collections of images. Rules regarding the use of images vary by source. Cooperative Extension employees should adhere to the rules regarding the use of images provided by each source. Also, regardless of policy, attribution for any image is a best practice that everyone should follow.- NC State University Photos - Requires registration.
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Extension Brand Pics (Google Drive)
- USDA Be Food Safe
- USDA Ag Research Service image database
- USDA Flicker Channel
- Bugwood image database
- National Institute of Environmental Health Note: The National Institute of Health images require attribution (check license restrictions).
- Flickr Advanced Search Check Creative Commons licensed images.
- Wikimedia Commons
- Flickr Commons
Image Gallery Sites
These sites are collections of images from across many different sources. Some images are public domain and others are free to use under various licenses. Rules regarding the use of images vary by source. Cooperative Extension employees should adhere to the rules regarding the use of images provided by each source. Also, attribution of all images is desirable.NOTE: Always review the restrictions on the use of images from these sites. Make sure that you are using free images and not stock images being advertised on these sites.- Creative Commons
- Unsplash
- Pixabay
- Pexels
- FreeImages
- PikWizard
- Stockvault
- Foodiesfeed (Focuses on food)
- Picography (Focuses on nature)
- StockSnap
- Gratisography (New)
- ISO Republic (New)
- Realistic Shots (New)
