Where Can I Find Free Images without Copyright

Whether it is for a blog post, the website you have spent days or months working on, or even pictures that you are wanting to use in your book or magazine, it is crucial that you avoid using any copyrighted photos. But how do you know if a picture is copyrighted or if it is in the public domain and available for your use?

Free images without Copywrite can be found on the websites Public Domain Archive, Pixabay, and Pexels. Copywrite-free images can also be found on other websites, but many such websites charge their subscribers to use their pictures and services. Before using images, make sure they aren't Copywrited.

But what is copyright? And what does it do? I will explain what is copyright so you can understand how to find non-copyrighted images, along with the ways that you can find images that are not copyrighted. I will also explain about stock image and public domain image sites and where you can find them so that you can get the images you need for your material.

What is Copyright?

A very simple way to explain copyright is as ownership. When you create something, you get to own it. So copyright infringement or violation is stealing the image from the original creator. In the words of the copyright website, "Copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship as soon as an author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression."


The only exception to where the creator is the owner of the copyright is when the creator was hired to create it, in which case the copyright passes to the employer.


The amount of time that copyright last has changed over time, however with the current laws, any works that were created after January 1, 1978, will keep their copyright until the creator dies plus another seventy years. If a group made the work, the copyright will last until the last creator dies plus seventy years.


How Do I Avoid Copyright Infringement?


Just as it can be very simple to explain what copyright is, it is just as simple to avoid infringement. There are two main ways to avoid copyright infringement, these ways are to either create the image yourself or to get the permission of the copyright owner/creator.

When it comes to making your works, even if they were originally inspired by a copyrighted work, as long as the final product is considered different enough then it is safe and can be copyrighted itself. Creating new content is going to be the easiest way to avoid any form of copyright since you won't have to seek out and get the creator's permission and you can use your works however you'd like.


One of the ways to get the permission of the creator is to purchase it, which is why we can read books, watch movies, or play video games even though each of those is a copyright-protected work. You can also try to reach out to the owner and ask for their permission directly, in which case you will need some proof of the permission when using the image. But the last major option when it comes to getting the creator's permission is by using the public domain. (Source)

What are Public Domain Images?

There are three different ways that an image can get into the public domain:

  1. The copyright for the image has expired

  2. The image cannot be copyrighted

  3. The image is assigned to the public domain through a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license

To explain each of these three options, the first is related to the earlier mentioned rule about how long copyrights last. Some images end up in the public domain since their creator has been dead for over 70 years so now everyone can have access to them.


The second of these means that for some reason the image is not allowed to be copyrighted. This is most likely because it might be considered too similar to another piece, but there are other uncommon reasons that an image might not be able to be copyrighted.


The last is the CC0, this is an option that any creator has which allows you to give up your copyright early and enter it into the public domain for free use. In order to have your work enter the public domain through the CC0, you do have to submit it along with the original copyright (if you have it) to prove that it was originally yours before allowing anyone in the world to have access to it.


Where Can I Find Public Domain Image Sites?


There are a wide variety of different sites that can provide you with both stock photos and images that are located in the public domain, and while many of these sites are free, some charge monthly but offer additional images for you to use.


PublicDomainArchive


Publicdomainarchive is a site that acts as a massive library for images that have been added to the public domain through the CC0. And just like libraries, you can go in and use any of the images that you find. It offers a vast library and most of the images on this site are both high quality and look very natural.


Pixabay


Pixabay is another of the sites that search for images released using the CC0, and the best part of Pixabay is the easy-to-use search options along with the filters available to help you find exactly what you are looking for.


Unsplash


Unsplash is very similar to the other two listed sites. Unsplash has a vast library of digital renderings along with many photos. In fact, they also have one of the largest libraries with over 2 million photos and renderings that are available to download for free.


Pexels


Pexels is the last major public domain site that I will cover since there are hundreds of different sites that you can use to find great photos to use. What sets Pexels apart from other sites is their offering of public domain videos along with images and renderings.