We use a small set of sites to find graphics to use as a featured image for a blog post, or as a basis for our social media posts.
You also might be looking outside your own organization’s photo albums for enticing graphics to use on your website and social media profiles. We often get this question:
Where do we find images we can use without getting into trouble?
Just because you found the graphic or photo on the Internet or Google doesn’t mean you have permission to use it on your website. You can narrow down your search on Google and Flickr to just display images that are labeled for reuse or in creative commons license. You should always consult the individual licence attached to the photos or graphic before us, just to double-check.
Google Images Search
Flickr Image Search
Flickr is one of the oldest photo sharing sites. Every photographer can select a specific license under which they want to publish their photos. It is critical that you adhere to it. It also offers a search filter for particular licenses. For most blogs in nonprofita Creative Commons license should work. Those are with attribution, though.
Unsplash
Unsplash.com’s tag line is “Free (do whatever you want) high-resolution photos.” and generous photographers upload their photos for you to use. The social media graphic tool created by Buffer, called Pablo, uses Unsplash for their example photos.
Pexel
Pexel offers “Best free stock photos in one place.” – It is in parts supported by advertising from other stock photo sites, so you can have best of both worlds.
StuckinCustoms by Trey Ratcliff
In April 2014, Trey Ratcliffe published an album of 800+ photos on Google+ with a creative commons license, he outlines on his website. In essence, just make sure you follow his attribution guidelines.
This photo are stunning and will always make your blog post stick out from the noise on the Internet. Use them as feature images and they travel far also on the social networks.
Regarding attribution he gives you some leeway: “Attribution to Trey Ratcliff and Stuck in Customs must be made along with the image.” It’s specific enough and we know what to do.
Here is the code example I used on this post:
Photo: “Apple In New York” by Trey Ratcliff, <a href=”http://www.stuckincustoms.com/” >Stuck In Customs</a>
When you upload the particular photo to your WordPress site you can add attribution to the following sections to cover all your basis, regarding attribution to artists.
- add the artists name in the file name, ie – Chicago-by-Trey-Ratcliff.jpg
- add attribution to the “Title”
- add attribution text to the “Alt Text”
- full code example from above in the “Description” field.
If you are on a different CMS, make sure you find out where to set the “Alt” text for your particular editor.
Have fun with using the photos by Trey Ratcliff, and make sure you head to the non-commercial part of the Creative Commons licensing.
Ash Shepherd, NTEN posted on Twitter:
Because sometimes gluttony is useful 🙂 – 100 Useful Web Design Tools | https://t.co/H81PN5GVio #nptech pic.twitter.com/IkObjYEkur
— Ash Shepherd (@NPTech_Ash) September 26, 2016
If you want to learn how to use those great images for your social media, head over to our YouTube channel and watch the tutorial:
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