If you are anything like most bloggers, you have a hard time finding quality, affordable photos you can legally post. Well, fret no more! Here are five great websites with free — yes, you read that right — photos for you to add a little flair to your blog.
- Morguefile: This site is filled with amateur photos of anything you could ever want. Pizza? Check. Toys? Check. Bears? Yep. A closeup of a microwave? Yes, sir! I’m not sure what kinds of sites would use most of these photos, but I guess that’s up to you. While you do have to wade through some less-than-perfect shots, many photographs are actually quite good, and all of them are free.
- FreeDigitalPhotos: Another great site, this one is filled with quality stock photos. You know the ones I am talking about: those white-background, static and professional-looking pictures that big site owners love to use so often. If you want to a professional, high-quality look, check FreeDigitalPhotos first. Only the small version is free with the appropriate photo credit, but sometimes, that’s all you need.
- Woophy: A strange name for an exotic photo site. The name stands for “World of Photography,” and this site offers a map of the world splattered with photo locations. If you need a glimpse into a culture or an area, look no further. Whether you need photos of wild reindeer in Norway or Mongolians in traditional dress, they’re available. While photographers who upload pictures to Woophy retain their copyright, the site’s terms of use allow downloads of low-res images for personal or noncommercial use.
- Stockvault: Have you uncovered a need for colorful, artistic photos? Then check out this site. Though there are not as many free photos as I would like, the ones available are well worth a look. See the “Most Downloaded” tab for photos used most frequently.
- Unprofound: This oddball photo site is something to behold. What makes it different is that instead of searching for subjects, such as butterflies or cars, you search for photos by their dominant color. Need something green? There are eight pages of it. Blue? No problem. “Eclectic and odd” is the go-to phrase for this site.
No matter the subject of your blog, you can be sure to find a photo for your next post on one of these sites. Check them out and see whether they can make your blog a cooler, more visual experience for readers.
This post is by Christine Kane, a graduate of communication and journalism. She enjoys writing about subjects including Internet providers. She can be reached via e-mail.
Image credit: Stockvault
Clarification: The original version of this post did not include limitations of use for Woophy photos.