We all want great images for our websites. Beautiful photos and graphics enhance the aesthetics and help deliver information to visitors. A great photo can dramatically change the feel of a website. A bad one can diminish its value. Over on our development blog, we have discussed how to choose great photos. One critical point we made was that photos must be properly licensed for use online. Photo licensing for the internet is remarkably simple, yet all too often legal approaches to using photos are ignored in favor of convenience.

We are big fans of photographers. We are shutterbugs in fact. But even if we weren’t, we wouldn’t want you using photos that were owned by someone else. Not only is it illegal, it’s bad form. Plus, with fines steadily increasing, the costs could be substantial.

There are some good rules to follow for finding images online with proper photo licensing for your website.

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Don’t Randomly Use Images from a Google Search

When someone sends us a photo of questionable origin, the first thing we check is Google Image Search. It’s a quick and easy way to determine where a photo originally came from. Often, we determine images were found by searching Google and downloading them directly. Don’t do this. It is likely the image you are using has a restrictive photo license.

Stock Photography is Awesome (and inexpensive)

Over the last decade, stock photography has grown by leaps and bounds. What used to be a repository for pretty bland imagery now provides all kinds of options. We typically use iStockPhoto, but others like ShutterStock are equally as effective. Plus, no photo licensing worries with royalty free images.

Flickr Can Also Be a Great Resource (but be careful)

Photo sharing website Flickr is also a great resource because the photos there are owned by individuals and the breadth of options is remarkable. Be sure to check to see if the images are available for commercial use and if they require attribution. Creative Commons photo licensing is available on a large number of their images and you can even search for photos with only those licenses that fit your requirements.

When in Doubt, Contact the Photographer Directly

Whether it is through Flickr or an image you found online, consider talking directly to the photographer if you can find contact information. They can provide you with a price for licensing for your website. Better yet, hire a local photographer. The quality and uniqueness of custom photographs will more than make up for the relatively modest price most charge.

Even Better, When in Doubt, Choose a Different Image

There are MILLIONS of photos available for commercial use. If you find an image you love, but can’t verify photo licensing restrictions or find the photographer, just move on. A wise editor once told us, “If you find a sentence you wrote too confusing, don’t try to fix it, just rewrite it.” Same goes for images.

Need help with the photos on your website? For more information on what Site Mender can do for you, please call us at 888-424-6363 or get a free quote today!