February 5, 2015 // 1:00 PM
We've all heard the mantra, "Don't settle for anything less than you deserve."
Yet for some strange reason, marketers continue to push out cheap stock photography to serve as a representation of their brand.
They fall back on the excuse that they simply don't have the time to spend on figuring out copyrights and attribition rules, but fail to recognize the influence it has on a prospect's perception of them.
The truth is, high-quality stock photos don't have to come hand-in-hand with a hassle or high price tag. To prove it, we've compiled a list of 10 awesome sites for free, non-cheesy stock photos.
1) Death to the Stock Photo
When Founders and photographers, Allie and David, noticed a how challenging it was for businesses, bloggers, and creatives to find free high-quality images that fit their "vibe and tribe", they stepped in.
As a result, Death to the Stock Photo was born.
Simply submit your email and enjoy a new batch of photos delivered to your inbox, monthly.
As if that wasn't cool enough, this month Death to Stock Photo recently teamed up with Medium to deliver a free photo pack equipped with 10 writing prompts to help you get started on the publishing platform. Free photos and writing inspiration? We dig it.
2) Picjumbo
Need high quality images for your next web design, sliders, blogs, etc?
Look no further than picjumbo.
With new photos added daily, there is a wide selection of high quality images to fit a variety of different topics.
The photographer, Vicktor, even offers a paid membership ($6/month), that includes a premium pack of photos sent straight to your inbox every month. The packs include unpublished and upcoming images, as well as complete collections.
While attribution isn't necessary, it's certainly appreciated (we encourage you to spread the love.)
3) Unsplash
Unsplash serves up 10 new "do whatever you want" photos every 10 days.
What we love most about this resource is the uniqueness of the photos. With pages upon pages to choose from, you can rest assure that you won't run into any cheesy "Smiling Boss Shaking Hands With Male Employee" shots.
Not to mention, every photo published on Unsplash is licensed under Creative Commons Zero, which provides users with the freedom to copy, modify, distribute, and use all of the photos without permissions or attribution.
4) StockSnap.io
StockSnap.io proudly claims that they're "not your typical crappy stock photo site."
We concur.
In fact, they've won our marketing hearts by dishing out hundreds of high resolution images each week (I repeat, hundreds.)
Believe me when I say that their selection is so interesting and versatile that it's almost too easy to "fall down the rabbit hole" and come to fifty-something scrolls later.
What's even better is that all photos are free from copyright restrictions, and no attribution is required. To check out the full license description, click here.
5) Startup Stock Photos
"Take 'em, these things are free. Go. Make something."
With a tag line like this, it's tough not to scoop up what Startup Stock Photos has to offer.
While the name is startup specific, there are plenty of professional options to use no matter what industry you're operating within.
From technology to professionals at work to office spaces, you'll surely have your hands full with free, permission-free imagery.
6) SumAll
Much like a drink from your favorite bartender, SumAll refers to their library of free visuals as "Images on the House."
While some are admittedly a little cheesy (forgive me), their collection of quirky, creative designs are unique enough to help your business stand out in a sea of button-up, over-used stock photos.
With categories ranging from social media to data to growth, you're sure to find something that suits your next project.
7) Life of Pix
Brought to you by Leeroy Advertising Agency in Montreal (and their network of talented photographers), Life of Pix is home to some awesome high-resolution photos.
All of the images are donated to the public domain, and are available for personal and commercial use.
As if that wasn't enough, Life of Pix also has a counterpart, Life of Vid.
According to their website, Life of Vid serves up free footage videos, clips, and loops, weekly. Like the images, the video content contains no copyright restrictions, and can be easily downloaded on their Vimeo account.
8) Pexels
Pexels is committed to adding at least 35 new photos each week. These photos are carefully hand-picked from a variety of free image sources to ensure that you're getting only the best of the best.
All of the photos that make the cut are under the Creative Commons Zero license, meaning that they are free for personal and commercial use with not attribution required.
And thanks to their search functionality, turning up the right photo for your next project is made stupidly easy.
9) Gratisography
With new photos added weekly, Gratisography is another awesome website serving up high-resolution photos covered under the Creative Commons Zero license.
All of the photos are taken by Ryan McGuire, a "whimsically creative visual artist, based in Ithaca, NY."
While these photos are a bit more quirky (we're talking everything from monster feet slippers to vespas to bananas), they are entirely usable for the right project.
10) Jay Mantri
Jay Mantri adds 7 new "do anything" photos every Thursday.
As a result, he's built up an impressive gallery of professional, quality images just for you and me (...and everyone else.)
If I had to describe Mantri's photos in one word, it'd be "scenic."
But don't just take my word for it, go see for yourself...
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