How To Find Free Photos For Commercial Use

Every bit artists, nosotros similar to take inspiration from our lives and what's around us for our artwork. But sometimes, that's not possible. At that place are some things y'all can't see in your day-to-day life. And that's where reference photos come up in!

A high-quality reference image volition improve your accuracy, so y'all can focus on your artistic vision.

Just there'due south something else yous need to think about when information technology comes to using reference photos. You can't employ any old epitome you find on Google. If you do, you could end up on the wrong side of copyright constabulary.

And so, you need to source copyright-free, high-quality images. Only finding these images isn't as like shooting fish in a barrel equally it sounds. I've often spent hours looking for great artist reference images for my artwork.

Many of the options aren't good quality, or you have to sign up for a paid subscription. As an artist, you lot may not have the cash for extra expenses.

That's why I've put together this guide to the all-time places to observe free creative person reference photos. You tin can use these websites to source your gratis reference images for your artwork!

The All-time Sites for Artist Reference Photos

Here's my roundup of the best websites to notice reference photos for drawing, painting, or digital fine art.

Unsplash

(Image credit: Unsplash)

Unsplash is one of the most well-known places to find reference photos and stock images. This website includes some of the all-time shots yous'll find anywhere on the web.

Photographers dearest Unsplash for its wide range of photos of all types and categories. In this huge database, yous'll observe more than ii million images.

The vast bulk of them are high-quality of the standard of professional photographers. Unsplash curates every single image to make sure they are upwardly to they are the best around.

And the best thing about Unsplash? Information technology's entirely gratuitous!

You tin download as many images equally y'all similar. Plus, all photos come with a CC0 license, so y'all don't demand to worry about checking every prototype.

When navigating Unsplash, y'all have two options. You can click on one of the categories to explore a page full of images all around the same topic. You lot'll detect all sorts of categories, such equally:

• Nature
• People
• Architecture
• Fashion
• Film
• Health & Wellness
• And many more.

But these categories are very wide, so it's hard to detect exactly what you demand. If you have something specific in mind, your other selection is to use the search function.

You lot tin can search for keywords to help you find the correct kind of image for your artwork. It tin be a little catchy to place the exact words to use to get your desired results. So, you may need to do some trial and mistake.

But overall, Unsplash is one of the best places to look for artist reference photos! With then many beautiful images bachelor, yous're sure to find what you need.

Pros & Cons:

• More than 2 million images to choose from
• There are a wide multifariousness of images of fantabulous quality
• All the images have a Creative Commons license – no accreditation necessary
• You can use the Categories pages or the search function to detect what yous need
• It can be tricky to work out which keywords to use when searching for an paradigm

Pixabay

(Epitome credit: Pixabay)

If you've e'er looked for photos online, you've probably come across Pixabay. With its extensive library of 2 million images, it's a great identify to look for artist reference photos.

The Pixabay license covers all the images on this website. What this ways is that you tin utilise every single image how you lot like, including commercially. There's no need to credit the photographer (unless you'd similar to!)

Pixabay doesn't just offer free images, though. You can also find copyright-free videos, vector images, illustrations, and fifty-fifty music. That makes it a one-stop shop for annihilation you need for inspiration.

At that place'south a very simple and user-friendly search bar on Pixabay. You lot can choose to download each paradigm in a range of sizes, which is a nice touch on. Information technology ensures that the image is of the right quality and tin save you lot fourth dimension, as you won't need to compress it.

Another fantastic characteristic is the filtering options for narrowing down your search. Y'all can select a specific image size, color, orientation, or category.

When y'all download an epitome, Pixabay will prompt you to tick a Captcha to prove you're homo. Simply if you lot sign upward for a costless business relationship, you don't need to do that. I'd recommend signing upward for an account because that Captcha can get abrasive. (Especially if you're downloading a lot of photos!)

Ane drawback of using Pixabay is that you lot'll see iStock images at the top of the page when searching for something. These images aren't gratis, which can be confusing and frustrating if yous don't realize at first.

Merely despite this, Pixabay is another excellent website for art reference photos.

Pros & Cons:

• Every image is available for use commercially with no credit necessary
• There are 2 million photos to choose from
• You can likewise download illustrations, vectors, videos, etc
• Splendid filtering options by size, blazon, color, and more than
• Yous can cull the image size when yous download
• You demand to sign upwards for a costless business relationship to avoid a Captcha when you download
• It too displays paid stock images which can be disruptive

Flickr

(Prototype credit: Flickr)

Flickr might have the largest collection of art reference photos anywhere on the web. This site boasts tens of billion photos, with millions of new shots uploaded every day.

While it's bang-up to have and so many photos to selection from, it can too be a bit overwhelming. And as Flickr doesn't filter or check the paradigm quality, you'll need to sift through them for yourself. Expect to find apprentice shots amidst the professional person photos.

Not all the images on Flickr are copyright-complimentary. What comes in handy is the pick to filter by license type, so yous can quickly detect the correct kind of images. This manner, you won't detect the perfect image and then detect that yous tin't use it.

If you can't find what you need on other websites, then give Flickr a try. Or, you can bypass them and come straight to Flickr. Yous're certain to find what you need!

Pros & Cons:

• There are billions of photos on Flickr
• You lot can browse through tags and galleries or use the search bar
• You can filter by license blazon, so you're confident using your called photos
• There are lower-quality images mixed in – you'll demand to choose advisedly
• Not all photos take a Artistic Commons license

Dreamstime

(Image credit: Dreamstime)

Dreamstime is a less well-known site that hosts both costless and paid stock photography. But it still boasts more than 160 one thousand thousand photos and 36 one thousand thousand users.

Yous will detect a lot of promotion of Dreamstime's Premium plan across the website. It's easy to get distracted by the paid photos, but you don't need to pay annihilation to detect great shots.

There's a specific section of the website for free images y'all tin use equally photograph references for artists. You can search for specific words to find what you demand.

Each epitome is displayed with a watermark on it at starting time. You will need to sign upwards for a free business relationship to remove the watermark and download any photos. While that can tedious you downwards the showtime time, it'due south not a big drawback.

This website isn't as user-friendly at first, as you'll demand to larn how to navigate and access the free images. Simply it all the same has a great library of quality images you can download to inspire your artwork.

Pros & Cons:

• It has free and paid stock images available
• Y'all can filter it then you only see complimentary stock images in the public domain
• You have to sign upwardly for a gratuitous business relationship to download images
• The photos are displayed with a watermark on them
• In that location's a lot of marketing of the paid images and subscriptions across the unabridged website

FreePik

(Paradigm credit: FreePik)

This user-friendly website is unproblematic and straightforward. You lot'll love it if you apace want to find a free reference image for your artwork.

FreePik has an excellent search bar where yous can await for words or phrases. Simply the best thing is that you can also filter these results to merely see free images. You lot tin can also find vectors, icons, and PSD files all on the same website.

You tin can use these photos for both personal and commercial use. Practice take note that the images on FreePik require attribution. You'll need to credit the photographer when you use their pictures. If yous want to use images without attribution, cheque out the other websites on this list.

In that location is some advertizement of FreePik's paid plans. But it'south non too in your face up and doesn't have abroad from this not bad website and its smooth user feel. So, information technology's not surprising that FreePik gets 50 million views every calendar month!

Pros & Cons:

• This website is very easy to employ and provides a groovy user experience
• Information technology's like shooting fish in a barrel to search for any type of prototype and filter to see only free images
• You can employ FreePik photos for commercial and personal use
• Y'all will need to credit the photographer when you apply their images
• There are some ads on the website which not anybody likes

Pexels

(Prototype credit: Pexels)

Pexels is another big name when it comes to stock images. This website compiles images from a range of sources to make them easily accessible.

The great news about Pexels is that near images take a Artistic Commons license. That doesn't cover every photo, and then it'due south still wise to bank check start.

Yous'll find millions of photos on Pexels, so it's practiced to know that the website is straightforward to navigate. While it doesn't shell Pixabay, it's nevertheless one of the first places I look online for a reference image.

Information technology'south too a simple concept. Every single image on Pexels is available for free download and utilize. The Pexels license allows modifications and commercial use without whatsoever attribution.

You lot tin can download an image with a click of a push button. But if you sign up for a free account, you become extra features like a download history. And then, you can quickly render to any paradigm to run across it again without having to search.

So, you can feel confident using Pexels images for your artwork!

Pros & Cons:

• Pexels has a massive choice of images for your inspiration and artwork
• The website is simple and easy to use
• Downloading images is very quick – no business relationship necessary
• The Pexels License allows you lot to utilise every epitome commercially without accreditation
• It doesn't have every bit many images as Pixabay

Wikimedia Commons

(Paradigm credit: Wikimedia Eatables)

Wikimedia Commons puts 75+ million photos at your disposal. That comes with pros and cons. First of all, you lot can observe a photo of almost anything you lot can imagine on this site.

But at the same fourth dimension, anyone can contribute. So, there'due south no guarantee that an image will be high quality. If you want to utilise a photo every bit an art reference paradigm, you need information technology to be as defined, true to life, and detailed as possible.

That means you'll need to become used to picking out great photos from mediocre ones.

When it comes to licenses, you lot'll need to cheque whether the images are CC0 or in the public domain. Don't miss this step, as not all photos take a public license for commercial use. You don't desire to infringe on copyright unknowingly.

Wikimedia Commons is a fairly clunky website. It doesn't look visually highly-seasoned, and at that place aren't any categories to browse.

It does take a search function, though. Yous tin get more than tailored results by filtering them past license type, file type, and image size.

Pros & Cons:

• This website is a little clunky but has lots of photos to choose from
• Anyone tin contribute, then not all images are loftier quality
• You lot tin can filter images by license blazon
• There aren't any categories to look through

Public Domain Pictures

(Image credit: Public Domain Pictures)

This smaller website doesn't offering such a wide variety as the large names like Pexels and Pixabay. But y'all'll observe thousands of images on every topic imaginable, from holidays to food to flowers.

You can download any photo on this website for free if you only need the Standard License. Merely if yous want the Extended License, you'll need to pay for each prototype individually. You can notice out more nearly the license types hither.

Most of the images on this website are of excellent quality. They volition piece of work perfectly as a photo reference for artists.

Pros & Cons:

• It has an excellent option of professional photography to choose from
• Yous tin browse within tons of different categories or search for a specific word
• The licensing is a little confusing – make sure you're clear on what type of license you demand

ISO Republic

(Image credit: ISO Commonwealth)

ISO Republic looks gorgeous and is piece of cake to use. The photos are also breathtaking and sure to inspire your creativity.

From the homepage, you can access loads of categories to detect specific types of images. Or, you tin search to look for a photo that exactly meets your needs.

Every epitome on ISO Commonwealth has a Creative Eatables license. You can utilize it commercially and without crediting the photographer. Knowing that provides peace of mind, as there are no limits to which photos you can use.

You tin can download an paradigm with one click of a button. That'southward just 1 of the reasons why ISO Republic is such a popular reference image site!

Pros & Cons:

• It'south easy to download images – no account necessary
• Every image is free to employ and has a CC0 license
• You don't need to credit the photographer
• The website has categories and a elementary search function you lot can use to detect images
• The selection isn't equally large as other stock image websites

Public Domain Archive

(Prototype credit: Public Domain Archive)

Public Domain Archive doesn't have as many photos every bit the other options on this listing. But what sets it apart is that every epitome is jaw-droppingly beautiful. They are all of the highest quality, which makes them ideal as fine art reference photos.

Whenever you lot're low on ideas, Public Domain Archive is the perfect place to come. You can browse through the images and find some new inspiration.

As the name suggests, all these photos are free to use, even commercially. There's no confusion over license blazon on this website.

Downloading any image is as simple as clicking the button. But in that location isn't an like shooting fish in a barrel way to search through the photos.

There are no categories, and it doesn't fifty-fifty accept a search bar. Then, you lot demand to exist prepared to flick through page after page. That tin go a footling time-consuming if you're looking for something specific.

Pros & Cons:

• This website has gorgeous, high-quality images
• Y'all tin use all these images for gratis and for commercial purposes
• The option is quite limited
• At that place'south no search bar or categories – yous take to click between pages of photos
• It'due south hard to notice what you lot demand

Tip: save the image in a higher place to your Pinterest to re-read this commodity subsequently!

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The Wrap Upwardly

At that place you have the ultimate guide to the best websites for art reference photos. With millions of images at your fingertips, you're sure to discover the perfect photo or inspiration.

Let me know if you accept any other favorite reference image sites! Or share your artwork inspired by a photo you downloaded – I'd love to encounter information technology!

Don't forget to follow me over on Pinterest. I'll keep you up to engagement on the best tips and resources for creative professionals.

This mail contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, Proactive Creative may receive a small committee at no boosted price to yous.

Source: https://proactivecreative.com/free-reference-photo-websites-for-artists/

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