You need an eye-catching image, but the budget is tight?
Social media posts, blog posts, mood videos, website illustrations… the demand for images in the digital sphere is high. If you have a tight budget (or none at all) but require suitable images, a free image database is where to find them. We present you with this very practical listicle!
Alain Zanolari from "Publisher", a Swiss trade magazine for publishing and digital printing, has compiled a useful list of free image databases. It includes a selection of valuable tools that will make imaging easier in the future. The best part? All images and videos may be used commercially.
Dive into the visual world
Clicking through these databases is great fun. It is amazing how many good pictures - aesthetically pleasing, artistic and original images - are freely available and cover a wide variety of topics. It is a land of milk and honey, but be careful when using pictures of people or featuring recognisable brands. Model releases and trademark rights can be easily violated.
Some databases (e.g. Foca Stock, ISO Republic, Life of Vids, Pikwizard, Splitshire etc.) even offer videos free of charge: of bird's eye views, mountains, nature, cities, drone flights… You will be spoilt for choice!
Observe the regulations
Although images and videos may be used free of charge, we recommend reading the specific terms and conditions of each database carefully. Some platforms insist the photographer or database is named, while others are happy with optional creator credit.
Visual concept
So now that you have a wealth of pictures and videos at your disposal, it is essential to think about your desired visual outcome is, before choosing pictures. What do you want to represent? What do you want to convey? Which channels will you use these images on? What about graphic elements or fonts? A style guide will help you with these important questions - our graphic designers can put together a style guide for you in a matter of hours. Read more about this in our blog post "Using different formats to achieve social media success".
Your feedback
What experiences have you had with free image searches? What are your favourite databases? Are you looking for a graphic designer to help you with your style guide? Contact us at info@schwedin.ch or call Barbara on 079 758 96 20.
