# Using images from the web

**URL:** <https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [June 10, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694 "2016-06-10T14:51:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![genestd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@genestd](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/genestd)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/1 "2016-06-10T14:51:15Z")

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Hello,  
I prototyped my tribute page by grabbing a few images off of google image search, saving to my laptop and resizing them as needed. Before I make it public and ask for feedback, i want to make sure i am not misusing these images.

How can i tell whether these images were copyrighted? If they were, is it ok for me to resize them? Can i use them as long as i put the original copyright info on the tribute page?

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**Author:** ![ArielLeslie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/arielleslie/32/264841_2.png) [@ArielLeslie](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/ArielLeslie)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/2 "2016-06-10T14:56:24Z")

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If they aren’t explicitly under a license that allows you to reuse them in the way you did, then you are technically misusing them. The owners don’t need to go through a process to copyright them. Just publishing them is enough. I suggest searching specifically for Creative Commons images using something like [CC Search](http://search.creativecommons.org/). Images should explicitly state their license. Whether you can reuse or modify and whether attribution is required.

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**Author:** ![rickstewart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/rickstewart/32/66490_2.png) [@rickstewart](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/rickstewart)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 2:59pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/3 "2016-06-10T14:59:56Z")

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Further to what @ArielLeslie said, here is a good example of a site you can use as a source for images and use with the blessings of the content producers. [Free images and videos you can use anywhere](https://pixabay.com/)

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**Author:** ![chubacca21](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/chubacca21/32/5051_2.png) [@chubacca21](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/chubacca21)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 4:02pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/4 "2016-06-10T16:02:08Z")

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Another great resource for free images is [Unsplash](http://unsplash.com). ALL of the photos there are licensed under Creative Commons Zero which means you can do anything (edit, modify, distribute) to the photos for free, even for commercial purposes.

You can also filter images on Google by usage rights. Just check under “More tools” and then  
"Usage rights."

Or check out [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/). Each image will have licensing information. Some images are in the public domain, so they don’t require credit, others have different Creative Commons licenses which come with varying level of restrictions. But sometimes that restriction is just that you need to credit the photographer.

Hope that helps!

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**Author:** ![BenGitter](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/bengitter/32/12192_2.png) [@BenGitter](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/BenGitter)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 4:48pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/5 "2016-06-10T16:48:08Z")

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More free images: [https://picjumbo.com/](https://picjumbo.com/)

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**Author:** ![fretgod321](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/fretgod321/32/4558_2.png) [@fretgod321](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/fretgod321)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 5:14pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/6 "2016-06-10T17:14:58Z")

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At the very least, you could figure out who took the photograph and credit them underneath the image with “Photo by:(insert photographer)”

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**Author:** ![DevMaterial](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/devmaterial/32/161286_2.png) [@DevMaterial](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/DevMaterial)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 5:23pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/7 "2016-06-10T17:23:07Z")

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> **[The Stocks](http://thestocks.im/)**
>
> Best royalty free stock photos, videos, mockups, icons and fonts in one place.

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**Author:** ![matty22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/matty22/32/7665_2.png) [@matty22](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/matty22)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/8 "2016-06-10T17:27:56Z")

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Just run your google search for whatever you’re looking for. Click Images. Click Search Tool - Usage Rights. There you can filter for a couple different types of reuse permissions.

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**Author:** ![genestd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@genestd](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/genestd)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/9 "2016-06-10T17:35:50Z")

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Thanks for the feedback. I did some research and it seems I am definitely misusing some of the images.

I am doing a sports themed tribute and found some nice images on Getty. They provide a free embed link that gives them credit, so I will be using those. It’s not quite as clean looking, but it’s legal!

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**Author:** ![GitCoderr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/gitcoderr/32/4372_2.png) [@GitCoderr](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/GitCoderr)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/10 "2016-06-10T18:56:19Z")

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> [@ArielLeslie](#):
>
> The owners don’t need to go through a process to copyright them. Just publishing them is enough.

I just want to clarify in case people get the wrong idea… Works do not need to be published in order to be copyrighted. They are copyrighted the moment they are captured on a tangible medium. In practical terms the distinction doesn’t matter because the OP asked about taking images off the net but I thought it might still be worth mentioning.

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**Author:** ![GitCoderr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/gitcoderr/32/4372_2.png) [@GitCoderr](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/GitCoderr)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 6:57pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/11 "2016-06-10T18:57:57Z")

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Many people think that’s all that’s required but legally speaking, that’s not good enough. The creator can still sue you.

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**Author:** ![GitCoderr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/gitcoderr/32/4372_2.png) [@GitCoderr](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/GitCoderr)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/12 "2016-06-10T18:59:41Z")

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Another great place to look is [flickr.com](http://flickr.com).

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**Author:** ![Cyclokitty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/cyclokitty/32/410_2.png) [@Cyclokitty](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/Cyclokitty)\
**Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 2:43am UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/13 "2016-06-11T02:43:20Z")

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I found [http://www.photosforclass.com](http://www.photosforclass.com) in another class. These are Creative Commons or free for students using the photos for projects.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mkado362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Mkado362](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/Mkado362)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/14 "2016-06-23T19:19:23Z")

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Google image search itself gives you filters to search for free to use images: click “search tools” then “usage rights” choose “labeled for reuse”. You can use this one even for commercial use as there are no restrictions whatsoever on this particular licence.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bdellaterra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bdellaterra](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/bdellaterra)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/15 "2016-06-24T02:38:27Z")

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Having researched this recently in my line of work, I happen to have a list of sites handy. It seems new users can only post 2 links per post, so you’ll have to add “.com” to each of these:

**unsplash realisticshots pixabay lifeofpix gratisography freenaturestock snapwiresnaps.tumblr publicdomainarchive travelcoffeebook furiouscamera jaymantri kaboompics startupstockphotos freenaturestock fancycrave pexels thepicpac barnimages crowthestone stock-image-point photocrops resplashed skitterphoto jeshoots**

Those all used [CC0](https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/CC0_FAQ) (Creative Commons Zero), which is the most permissive license I’m aware of.

Getty bought an Israeli startup called PicScout a few years ago and they use their web spider software to find images they own and send settlement demands to the tune of say $800. And there are Getty-owned images suspiciously planted here and there among the free sites. I recommend doing a [search-by-image](http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/insidesearch/features/images/searchbyimage.html) on Google to see if the image is listed on any Getty-owned sites. (iStockPhoto, BigStock, etc.) If so I would avoid it unless you paid them for it directly.

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**Author:** ![versatal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/versatal/32/24967_2.png) [@versatal](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/versatal)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2016, 4:05am UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/16 "2016-06-25T04:05:13Z")

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A lot of these suggestions are great! However, when using codepen you have to link to the images, or get a pro account. Google or bing usually points to the image download sites so it was with effort that I determined a good approach was to download the image then put it up on a site like photobucket. But that is hardly ideal. I have found a few pics I could directly link to, but most are low quality. Any better suggestions out there?

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![jondcoleman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/jondcoleman/32/14599_2.png) [@jondcoleman](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/jondcoleman)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 2:32pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/17 "2016-09-24T14:32:43Z")

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Good stuff [http://wefunction.com/8-unique-places-to-find-quality-free-photos/](http://wefunction.com/8-unique-places-to-find-quality-free-photos/)

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**Author:** ![rbird3d](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/rbird3d/32/21086_2.png) [@rbird3d](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/rbird3d)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 5:35am UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/18 "2016-10-19T05:35:35Z")

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Using images in a learning environment ie school, is a non commercial use and for learning purposes. I thought that was legal? (Specifically, US copyright) because you’re not making any money off the images?

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**Author:** ![ArielLeslie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/arielleslie/32/264841_2.png) [@ArielLeslie](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/ArielLeslie)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/19 "2016-10-19T16:51:16Z")

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Technically (Disney will still sue you though). If you’re going to put it in your portfolio it becomes a different issue. In either case you still have to attribute images correctly.

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**Author:** ![astv99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/freecodecamp/user_avatar/forum.freecodecamp.org/astv99/32/66820_2.png) [@astv99](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/u/astv99)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 7:36pm UTC](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694/20 "2016-10-19T19:36:31Z")

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> Using images in a learning environment ie school, is a non commercial  
> use and for learning purposes. I thought that was legal? (Specifically,  
> US copyright) because you’re not making any money off the images?

No offense intended at all, but have you read the majority of this thread starting from the top? It basically started out as someone asking about _non-commercial_ use (which includes academic & learning purposes) and a bunch of people have posted some very helpful info on the topic—the 2nd post in particular addresses your situation.

If you’re not putting images back on the Internet where they can be found by the owner, the least you should do is credit where you found them, or better yet the owner if you can.

[Next page](https://forum.freecodecamp.org/t/using-images-from-the-web/9694.md?page=2)
