The question that always seems to come up is where to find images students can use for presentations? Where can teachers find images to use in their presentations?
Far too often teachers and students alike turn to Google. And while there is nothing wrong with turning to Google it is important that we both teach and model copyright compliance for our students so that we don’t send them off into the world at risk of being sued for using an image without permission.
The challenge is finding quality stock photography that is useful and applicable to the learning goals. Regardless of the lesson content presentations offer an excellent opportunity to integrate this important part of media literacy which can quite literally save a student’s eventual business, keep them from being fired, and help them thrive in our media-filled world. While it is unlikely that your AP History class is going to be raided by the copyright police it can serve as an opportunity to sew good habits that will protect students as they move forward.
The key copyright lesson I still try and ensure students understand is that the human being who took the photograph has the “right” to determine who can “copy” that image. Most often they will charge, but often they will not. The quality of free to use images has grown over the past few years.
The item to watch for is “Creative Commons” and the subtle differences in the creative commons licensing. Not all images are released with all uses pre-authorised. This is particularly true for images being used commercially. While students may not need to worry about permission for commercial use for their presentations I encourage teachers to focus on Public Domain or Creative Commons with commercial permissions. Think positive, you never know when your collection of lesson plans and presentations will grow into a book or could be packaged for sale to help other teachers.
Below is my list of free stock photography sources. Enjoy.
1. Pixabay
A massive easily searched collection. It will likely have what you need if you have an image in mind. They also have graphics. I often check here when I need something specific.
One of the largest collections of free to use media. Wikimedia is also an excellent teaching tool since it links to the creative commons license on each image and typically has the photographer’s information listed. Excellent search functions and has images on just about every subject I’ve ever needed.
3. StockSnap.io
Excellent collection with a quality search function. General Stock photography
4. Unsplash
High resolution free to use in any way images. Well organized with a quality search function. Excellent for background images.
5. Unprofound
More abstract and artistic photos. Free to use, has an interesting color-based search function.
High-resolution photos mostly of travel related and destination related themes. No search function but the limited number of photos make that less important.
7. Superfamous
A small collection of quite abstract photography, ( I might not use this one with students due to a random exposed breast).
8. Street Will
Small stock photography collection, high quality with search.
9. Stokpic
Good sized stock photography site that is well organized and has a quality search function.
10. StockMedia
Well organized.
Limited collection mostly aimed at “life in a startup”
12. SplitShire
Limited collection, looks to be a single photographer collection. High-quality photos.
13. Snapwire Snaps
High quality but limited search capabilities.
14. Skitterphoto
Smaller collection
15. Shutteroo
Tiny single photographer collection, but I like her photography and have used it. Particularly for background images.
16. Realistic Shots
Smaller collection, limited search
17. Re:splashed
Smaller collection
18. Rawpixel
Quality Smaller collection. Lots of people photos
19. Raumrot
Small collection
A good collection well organized and with search
A small collection.
22. Picjumbo
A small but high-quality collection that is well-organized and easy to search. Looks like a single photographer site but I like their style
Small but well-organized collection.
Small collection, landscapes, nature
More of an aggregator for other sites
Simple clipart site. A bit limited and dated
27. OldDesignShop
All vintage style graphics.
28. New York Public Library – Public Domain
A large comprehensive collection – older public domain photos.
29. New Old Stock
A smaller collection of older public domain photos
30. MorgueFile
I found the site amateurish with lesser quality than can be found elsewhere.
31. MMT
Single photographer small collection but good quality
32. Magdeleine
Smaller but quality collection, well put together search
33. Life of Pix
Small but quality collection
34. LibreShot
Small but quality collection, well organized with a search
35. Kaboompics
Small but a quality collection.
36. Jay Mantri
Single photographer
37. ISO Republic
Well organized with search
38. Imagebase
Well organized with search
39. Gratisography
Single photographer site
40. Goodfreephotos
Smaller site well organized
41. Getrefe
Smaller site well organized
42. Freerange Stock
Quality site, well organized with search
Generic nature photos, good for backgrouds.
44. Freepik
Vector images. General graphics and backgrounds.
45. Foodiesfeed
Single photographer, food related photography
46. Fancy Crave
Quality site, well organized with search
47. Designers Pics
Quality site well organized with search
48. Cupcake
Looks like a single photographer site but there is some good stuff there
49. Bucketlistly
Travel photography
50. Big Foto
Basic smaller site, well organized
bergeron
Here is an additional one that I just learned about.
The site has a collection of “Stock Photos of Women of Color in Tech” but many of the photos work for any professional setting such as education.
http://www.wocintechchat.com/blog/wocintechphotos
bergeron
And we can’t forget the official Creative Commons Website with over 300 Million Images! !
https://creativecommons.org/