What are stock photos and where to find them in 2023?
Stock photos are images or photographs that are available for purchase and use by anyone who wants to use them. They are produced and sold by stock agencies, which collect and catalog resources in the form of photos, vector graphics, videos, sounds, and other multimedia materials.
These photos are used by various individuals and companies to supplement their visual material, such as websites, ads, brochures, flyers, presentations, articles, books, and many others. Stock photos can also be used for graphic design, e.g., creating logos or other marketing elements.
Access to stock photos can be obtained through paid or free online services. Stock agencies offer different licensing models depending on how you want to use the photos. In the case of a standard license, photos can be used in many ways, but with certain limitations, such as the number of printed copies or print size, website or e-commerce – it’s definitely a photo with a standard license. There are also extended licenses that allow for the use of photos in more limited and specific purposes.
Stock photos are very popular among designers, marketers, advertising agencies, authors, and other professionals who need easy and fast access to high-quality visual materials. Using such photos allows you to save time and money compared to taking your own photos or hiring a photographer or advertising agency.
Most popular stock services
Paid stock services:
1. Shutterstock – one of the largest and most popular stock platforms, containing an enormous library of photos, vector graphics, and videos.
2. Adobe Stock – Adobe’s stock platform offering a wide range of multimedia materials, including photos, videos, sounds, and vector graphics.
3. Getty Images – a stock agency offering a wide range of multimedia materials, including photos, videos, illustrations, and sounds.
4. iStock – a stock service offering photos, videos, sounds, and vector graphics, available in a subscription model or on the basis of purchasing a package of credits.
5. Depositphotos – a platform offering over 100 million photos, vector graphics, and videos.
Free stock services:
1. Unsplash – one of the most popular stock services worldwide, offering free high-quality photos that can be used for any purpose without giving credit to the author.
2. Pexels – another popular stock website offering free photos, with a wide range of categories such as nature, business, architecture, food and drinks, people, and many others.
3. Pixabay – a free stock service offering over 1.5 million photos, vectors, and video footage, all available under the Creative Commons Zero license, which means they can be used in any way without giving credit to the author.
4. Freepik – a website offering free vectors, illustrations, icons, and photos, with all resources available under the Creative Commons Zero license, allowing for use in any way without giving credit to the author.
5. Burst – a free stock service created by the online sales platform Shopify, containing over 1 million photos from various categories such as business, fashion, sports, and many others. All photos on Burst are available under the Creative Commons Zero license.
6. StockSnap – a website offering free high-quality photos, with over 100,000 photos from various categories such as nature, business, food and drinks, people, and many others.
7. Gratisography – a website offering unusual and creative photos, containing over 1,000 photos that can be used in any way without giving credit to the author.
All the above services offer free photos under Creative Commons Zero or similar licenses, which means they can be used in any way without paying for a license or giving credit to the author. However, it’s worth noting that some photos may require permission from the owner, especially if they are to be used commercially.
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