We’ve been a little quiet here on the Edge Digital Blog… but that doesn’t mean we haven’t been hard at work developing great websites and running successful Digital Marketing Campaigns for our customers!

Keep an eye out for an update on our Portfolio page to see what we’ve been working on.

Now that we’re back, we want to share with you a few of our sources of incredible royalty free images and stock images that we use and love!

Here’s our Top 8 FREE Royalty Free Stock Photography Sites

Jay Mantri

A personal favourite of mine, all the images on here are simply stunning. A little different to the others, every picture here is special in some way, capturing the essence of human creativity with a collection full of texture and colour.

Barn Images

Although only recently, Latvian photographers Roman and Igor have created an impressive collection of images. Labelling their site as providing ‘non-stock’ stock images, all the content is unique and fresh, completing a collection that is far from the standard cheesy stock photos. We have to agree, that there are stock photos on here that you can’t find anywhere else, and even better, the site is updated every weekday.

Free JPG

With a variety of categories to scroll through, Free Jpg files a range of images from an array of topics. Launched in 2008, the choice of photos of every topic imaginable means the site is continuing to grow in popularity, creating a strong connection with users looking for diverse images. The ‘popular’ and ‘top rated’ option also makes sourcing the best current royalty free images easy.

StockSnap.io

In our opinion, Stocksnap is one of the top up and coming sites for free stock photos, with over 40 new stunning images added every day of the highest quality and resolution. Browse through their selection of royalty free stock photos and bring a unique character to your website or blog with a photo from a talented photographer, free of cost. All photos are released under Creative Commons – CC0. Before proceeding to download, users can browse through their selection of royalty free stock photos to find the perfect match for their needs.

Life of Pix

Life of Pix contains a collection of high-resolution pictures, neatly organized into categories, making it easy for you to find the exact photo you need whatever the project. They add 10 new photos every week, with no copyright restrictions. Life of Pix also ensures the security of their images, providing users with high-quality pictures free from copyright issues.

Pixabay

One of the bigger free photo sites out there, Pixabay has over 300,000 free photos, vectors and art illustrations. They are well known for their HD quality royalty free images, available for anyone to use. Pixabay takes steps to verify the quality and authenticity of their images, ensuring users have access to reliable and high-quality stock photos.

Unsplash

Unsplash provides a wonderful variety of stock photos from many different subject types. All in superb high quality, all from extremely skilled photographers, and all completely free for anyone to do with what they please. These are royalty free stock photos, meaning they can be licensed for various projects while the copyright remains with the original creator.

Picography

Picography, created and run by web design company Hidden Depth, allows anyone to submit their own photos to be distributed under the Creative Commons licence. The Picography team carefully select and verify which photos they publish, making the site a treasure chest of beautiful royalty free images.

To Summarise…

Whether it’s for personal use, a blog, a business website or advertisement, talented photographers are providing us with an unlimited amount of breathtaking royalty free stock photos available for anyone online. Take advantage of sites like these! And be sure to always give credit to the photographer where possible, out of courtesy.

Let us know which of our Top 6 you like the most in the comments below. And if you have your own favourite site to get free stock images, tell us! We want to know!

Q&A Top 5 questions about stock photos

Q1: **What are free stock photos, and where can I find them?**

A1: Free stock images are photos, illustrations, or graphics available for use without purchasing a license. They can be found on various websites like Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay, where they are offered under licenses that allow you to use them for personal or commercial purposes without cost. However, it’s important to review each site’s specific license terms to ensure compliance. Many sites also verify the quality and authenticity of their images, ensuring you get reliable stock photos for your projects.

Q2: Can I use free stock images for commercial projects?

A2: Yes, most free stock images can be used for commercial projects, but it depends on the license under which the image is offered. Sites like Unsplash and Pexels typically provide images under a license that allows commercial use. Always double-check the specific license terms to ensure there are no restrictions, especially for large-scale or highly visible commercial projects.

Many sites also verify the quality and authenticity of their images, ensuring you get reliable stock photos for your projects.

Q3: Do I need to credit the photographer when using free stock images?

A3: While many free stock image sites do not require attribution, it’s generally encouraged to credit the photographer as a courtesy. Some platforms might have specific guidelines for attribution if required, so it’s important to check the license details for each image. Crediting the photographer can also help support the creators who contribute to these free resources. Many sites also verify the quality and authenticity of their images, ensuring you get reliable stock photos for your projects.

Q4: Are there any risks associated with using free stock images?

A4: Yes, there are some risks. Not all free stock images are guaranteed to be free from copyright claims, especially if they feature recognizable people, trademarks, or private property. It’s crucial to review the image’s license and consider using images from reputable sources. For high-risk or prominent projects, it might be safer to use licensed images or consult a legal professional to avoid potential copyright issues. Many sites also verify the quality and authenticity of their images, ensuring you get reliable stock photos for your projects.