While we always pick stock photo sites based on the same 5 crucial metrics, we adjust weights according to the category. We also granted extra points for various plugins, add-ons, and tools that make your life as a designer easier. Photutorial tested the best stock photo sites for designers to help you find the top option for keeping yourself stocked up with beautiful visuals. Adobe Stock is our top choice for designers thanks to excellent Creative Cloud integration and a large collection of stock images.
- Some stock image sites let you pay per picture, while others offer a membership fee that allows you to download a certain amount per cycle.
- A site dedicated to free photo downloads, Freerange hosts a collection of thousands and thousands of them.
- The Enhanced License stands as a blend between the Standard and Extended licenses and comes with an approximate price tag of $100 per image.
- We may receive compensation in exchange for sponsored products and services or if you click on certain links posted on our site.
They might use illustrations for storytelling or to represent abstract concepts and stock images for sections where real-life representation is essential. A mix of both illustrations and stock images, if done strategically, can create a rich visual experience, combining the best of both worlds. Balancing these factors will guide you towards the most effective visual strategy for your website. A lovely website, Fancy Crave offers themed packs of professional-like, free stock photos with a strong focus on travel photography.
Free Stock Photo Sites for Designers – the Best Free Photos for Professional Use
It now expects its fiscal 2024 sales to rise 4.5% (organic) vs. its earlier estimate of 4.0% to 4.5% growth. It also raised its earnings outlook to be in the range of $5.08 to $5.16 on a per-share and adjusted basis, compared to its prior range of $5.00 to $5.10. They use vector graphics because it allows you to scale your work without losing quality.
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Stock photos
Creating custom illustrations is often resource-intensive, requiring more time and financial investment compared to using stock images. It generally necessitates the expertise of a skilled illustrator or designer, adding to the complexity and cost. Nevertheless, the investment could well be justified by the value and uniqueness that custom illustrations bring to your website. Rawpixel is a UK-based stock photo site specializing in unconventional, realistic stock photography with a focus on lifestyle and people.
Downloading photos from free stock image sites may be more affordable, but it definitely isn’t a wise idea. As designers (web designers or graphic designers), we can’t live without photos. From websites to billboards, from flyers to social media posts, high-quality photos are a must for most of the projects we work on and develop. So knowing where to find free stock photos that are optimal and safe for professional, commercial usage is having a huge ace in our sleeves. Whether you’re working for a client or yourself, you shouldn’t skimp on photographs and other visual elements. Some of the best stock photo sites for designers can provide you with high-quality images at a reasonable price.
There are thousands of photos available, all carefully curated into these themed packages. You’re allowed to modify all royalty-free stock photos from any site, except those marked with “Editorial use only” or if their license specifies otherwise. This applies to all major stock image sites, including Shutterstock and Adobe Stock. It’s one of the most popular stock photography sites out there, offering the largest collection of royalty-free images, and it’s a well-regarded, trusted platform. But it’s crucial to remember that most services providing unlimited stock media asset downloads necessitate multiple licenses for varied uses of the same asset.
Compare that to custom photos, which require a professional photographer and scheduled photo shoots, sometimes even models. The amount of time, money and effort required by custom photo shoots add up pretty quick. The best stock image site for graphic designers is Adobe Stock, thanks to its wide image selection, great licensing terms, affordable pricing, and responsive customer support. Lots of stock platforms are starting to specialize in specific styles and types of stock photography, such as more diverse stock photos and more realistic, natural stock imagery. Graphic designers source their images from a variety of locations, each offering unique options to enhance their designs.
A few years ago, the Marketing Experiments blog tested the performance of stock vs. custom photos. They found that when they swapped a generic stock image of a woman with a photo of the actual founder (and a caption naming him), they saw a 35% increase in conversions. Stock images become decidedly more versatile if you modify and personalize them. The fact of the matter is, stock images are most effective when they don’t look like stock images. In this article, we’ll explain how to use stock photos, and more importantly, how not to use them. You’re allowed to use stock images in a portfolio, but you may use the image in this manner, usually as a license.
But I discourage you to cheat with stock images in your portfolios, since the portfolio represents your skills, and many employers and universities take it seriously. The licensing structure mirrors that of Shutterstock with Standard and Extended royalty-free licenses, although the indemnity offered by Depositphotos is significantly lower at $5,000 for both. Envato’s varied selection includes photos, videos, best free photo stocks for designers fonts, diverse templates (including video, presentation, CMS), plugins, graphic templates, WordPress themes, and more. The comprehensive range of resources and limitless downloads make Envato Elements particularly appealing to creatives who cater to several clients. The Enhanced License stands as a blend between the Standard and Extended licenses and comes with an approximate price tag of $100 per image.