Commercial Photography on a Budget: Free Image Options

Did you know that some of the world’s most iconic advertisements use stock images for commercial use? For example, AlamapBBDO, a Brazilian ad agency, used stock photos from Getty Images to create their Endless Possibilities campaign in 2016. The advertising campaign combined photos of random people’s faces to recreate portraits of famous people such as the Dalai Lama and Pope Francis.

Most creative agencies prefer altering stock images in most of their work. This is because it allows them to create campaigns for different companies much faster at affordable costs. Keep reading to find out how to get free images for commercial use in your next project.

Part 1: Download images in loyalty-free sites

Several sites offer free images for commercial use as part of their services. In addition, you do not need to register an account to download the images. The sites typically rely on user contributions and content teams to ensure their databases are fresh and maintain consistent quality. Furthermore, all creative assets they offer fall under the creative commons zero license or a variation of it. Here are some of the sites that offer you images for commercial use for free.

1. Pexels

Pexels.com is a free-to-use provider of high-resolution photos and videos for aspiring creators. The German-based website was started in 2014 by two brothers and has been under the Canva umbrella since 2018.

Currently, the website hosts over 3.2 million images and videos from over 250,000 active contributors. In addition, all the material you find in its library is under the Pexels license, which slightly varies from the creative commons zero license model. Some of the restrictions it enforces include:

You can only use pexels images for commercial use after making alterations to the original image. For example, you can use part of an image to create a collage for your commercial branding.
Furthermore, you cannot use any of the website’s content to promote political ideologies and explicit content, especially if the images contain identifiable subjects.

Pexels is available through the following channels:

Your web browser by typing the URL pexels.com.
The Android and iOS app.
A plugin for other content creation software such as Google Slides and MS Office.
An extension on your Chrome browser.
You can also access the database using the official Canva app.

2. Unsplash

Another website that offers free images for commercial use is Unsplash, a subsidiary of Getty Images since 2021. The website is a favorite among creators boasting over 16 billion photo impressions monthly. In addition, the database consists of over 3.48 million photos from more than 265,000 unique contributors, all under the Unsplash license.

The Unsplash license restricts the sale of its creative assets without incorporating new creative elements, including using them in print media and physical goods such as mugs and caps.

You can access Unsplash from your web browser or request API integration for your application from the site’s owners. In addition, the site also hosts photo walks across different cities, where Unsplash guides show you the best photo locations around the city and the best camera techniques for your work. Some cities to host the event include Boston, Montreal, Tokyo, and Toronto.

3. Freerange

Freerange Stock is an online resource for photos, illustrations, and textures you can download and use for commercial and non-commercial purposes. Since 2007, the site has continued to provide high-quality images to its community of over 800,000 registered users.

Unlike the previous examples, all content on Freerange falls under the website’s Equalicense. It grants you broad commercial rights of its stock images while allowing the contributors to retain control of their copyright, image resale, and distribution. As such, you cannot use the images for bulk distribution or print-on-demand works.

Freerange Stock maintains its steady supply of images for commercial use via the following methods:

It has an in-house team of professional photographers who upload images across the different categories on the website.
Freerange Stock also purchases image rights or directly commissions photos from independent creators.
You can also contribute to the website’s library by voluntarily submitting your work to the platform. Kindly note that you will need a verified account to enable this function.
The website also works directly with photographers through a licensing and distribution model, providing them extra exposure on the site.
Finally, Freerange stock aggregates public domain images from other sources, including similar sites and government institutions. It does so by acknowledging the image owner and sometimes lists the image source when the owner is unknown.

Freerange Stock is accessible through your web browser or as an API integration on your app.

4. Vecteezy

Vecteezy is an extensive online library of free stock images for commercial use. Some of the site’s highlight features include the following:

A best-in-class search engine that incorporates multiple filters to ensure your results are extremely accurate. For example, you can sort images by color, style, number of people, and age of the subjects, something other free stock websites do not provide.
All images, videos, and vector illustrations are free for personal and commercial uses. It does so through a property sign and release model with its extensive network of contributors, which protects users from any legal liabilities.
Finally, it employs a content team that manually reviews each photo submission to ensure consistent quality standards for its offerings.

In addition, you can also purchase design resource bundles by subscribing to its Vecteezy pro for as little as $9 monthly. Some of the resources available include the Ultimate Text Effects Layer Styles Bundle for Photoshop, which costs $39 stand-alone or $4.50 when you subscribe to pro.

Part 2: Buy from stock providers

Another way to get images for commercial use is by buying them from stock providers. Some of the benefits of buying images from stock providers include:

You get a wide selection of unique photos from top-tier photographers. Stock providers always seek collaborations with the industry’s finest to edge out the competition.
You receive exemplary customer service with your purchase. Selecting the right image can be confusing for amateur creators. As such, stock image providers have customer support channels to help you throughout your creative process.
Stock images reduce your delivery times significantly. Buying images from a stock provider eliminates the need to invest in photography equipment and the time you need for post-production. As such, you can deliver projects in a fast and cost-effective way.

Despite the above positive, here are some challenges that buying stock images may present:

Not all stock image providers will have the creative assets you need.
Image overuse is likely since every creator will rush for the most popular contributor.

Below are some of the stock image providers you should consider.

1. iStock

iStockphoto.com is an online database of creative resources, including royalty-free photos, videos, audio, illustrations, and clip art you can use in your creations. The website is a Getty Images subsidiary based in Calgary, Canada. In addition, contributors earn royalties depending on how often users download their content.

2. Alamy.com

Alamy.com is a British-owned stock image provider with contributions from photographers and agencies in 173 countries. It compensates its contributors by offering higher than average payouts every time users download their creations. Some popular brands to use Alamy’s services include M&C Saatchi, Microsoft, and The Economist.

Part 3: Shot a Photo by yourself or create one with editing tools

Alternatively, you can get images for commercial use by shooting them yourself or creating them with editing tools such as Figma and Wondershare’s Filmstock. Here are some benefits of using this method:

You get exactly what you want, provided you have the required skills and equipment. Sometimes, getting the right image for your commercial purpose can be challenging. As such, shooting an original photo may be the only option.
You have full ownership of the image.

Unlike obtaining images from stock photography websites, you are free to use the image in whatever capacity you please without any restrictions. For example, sites such as Unsplash do not allow you to use their images in political statements, a restriction you can bypass when using your own creations.

However, you should also consider the following factors when using this method.

It requires a substantial investment

Getting high-quality images for commercial purposes requires specialist equipment. For example, the Panasonic LUMIX GH6 camera, which has 4K resolution capability, costs $2,197 on Amazon. This makes it extremely expensive for amateur creators.

There is a steep learning curve

Becoming a professional photographer takes time and effort. Unless you are creating as a hobby, it will be a while before you can start generating income from your creations.

Part 4: FAQs

1. Do you need a contributor account to get images for commercial use?

Not necessarily. Stock image sites like pexels.com allow you to download images from their website without creating an account. You will only need one if you want to showcase your work on the platform.

2. Can you use your smartphone to get images for commercial use?

Yes. Most stock image providers have device-specific apps that allow you to access their databases from your mobile device. For example, UnsplashPhotoPicker allows you access to the Unsplash library from your Android device.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

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The Best Free Online Video Mergers in 2022

The maximum file size a platform lets you upload or the number of supported file formats are among the most important factors you will have to consider before you choose an online video merger. In addition, the platform’s processing ability as well as the export options can have a significant impact on the quality of the video you’ll be able to produce. Here are the five best online video mergers you can use to create your social media videos in 2022.

1. Merge Video

This video editing platform allows you to do much more than just arrange and merge video clips, because it offers tools that enable you to resize, crop or rotate videos, adjust the colors in the footage you upload to the platform or cut and merge audio files. The process of combining multiple clips with this online tool can be completed in three simple steps, as you just have to upload the files you want to edit either from a hard drive or the cloud, rearrange them by dragging and dropping each video clip to a specific location on the timeline and choosing the format in which the file is going to be exported. You can opt to save the final cut of your video to your computer or to store it on Google Drive or Dropbox.

3. Aconvert

Even though this website is mostly dedicated to the conversion of different types of files, you can also use it to merge, cut, crop or rotate video files. Aconvert supports nearly all commonly used video file formats, so you can upload and merge mp4, flv, mov or avi files among numerous others. The maximum size of a video clip you can upload to this platform can’t exceed 1GB and you need to make sure that all files you want to merge have the same frame rate and format. Once you click the Submit button, you won’t be able to rearrange your video files, which is why you have to upload video clips in the exact same order in which you want them to appear in the output video. After the merging process is completed, you will be able to save the result on Dropbox, Google Drive or your Smartphone via a QR code.

4. Kapwing

The wide range of video editing tools that the Kapwing offers makes it one of the best online video editors. You can use Kapwing to make video montages, crop videos, rotate them or perform any other basic video editing action without even having an account on the platform. In order to start merging the video clips you just have to select the Video Maker option, upload video files from an online source or from your computer and arrange them in any way you want. The platform also lets you choose the aspect ratio of the output video which enables you to create vertical or square videos effortlessly. Simply click on the Create! button when you are ready to export the video, and wait for the new file to be generated. Afterward, you can proceed to download the video to your computer or save it to your iPhone, but keep in mind that all videos you create with the free version of Kapwing are going to be watermarked.

5. Cellsea

Cellsea is a platform where you can create your own ringtones, edit photos or merge videos for free. Its video editing tools enable you to cut, trim or resize videos, which makes it quite useful in case you want to polish your video before sharing it on social media. To start merging several video clips you just have to upload those files to Cellsea, but unfortunately, you can only upload files that are stored on your computer. When done, you can choose the output format of the video file and save it as mov, mp4, flv 3gp or avi file. The platform lets you download the results to your computer or you can choose to send them to your phone.

6. FlexClip

Before you can start piecing together your video clips with this online video editing tool, you must first create an account or use your Google and Facebook accounts to sign in. You can then create a new project and once the editing window loads you can start adding video clips to the storyboard. Besides enabling you to upload videos from your computer, FlexClip also offers a rich selection of stock footage you can use in your projects, but you must keep in mind that the platform won’t let you upload videos that are longer than one minute. You can change the position of the video clip by dragging it to a new location in the storyboard and you can also use FlexClip’s music library to add sound to your video. Hit the Export button after you’ve arranged the video clips in the exact same order in which you want them to appear in the video and proceed to pick a 480p, 720p or 1080p output quality.

For Better Experience

Try Filmora for a better editing experience. Faster speed, stronger performance, and easier to use!

Conclusion

Stitching multiple video clips together using online video mergers is a straightforward process that can be completed in just a few steps. This means that you can create stunning social media videos without having to invest too much time or effort into the video editing process. Which online video merger are you planning on using in 2021? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions