Many designers have to use stock photos in their designs: they can be used in banners, serve as background elements for websites, etc. However, finding really good stock photos can be hard if you don’t have much budget (or don’t have any at all). What should a designer do in this situation? Asking client for more investments before showing him completed design is quite a risky option. The best way to handle this situation without investing your own money is to use free stock photos.
However, the best ones are usually the paid ones. Sure, you can find a lot of free stocks, but the content there can turn out to be not as good as you expected. Free stocks with good photos are gems that are hard to find. Fortunately, today I want to share a small selection of best stock photo websites with you!
1. Death To The Stock Photo
This website is offering you a pack of free and beautiful stock photos every month. All you have to do to get one is to sign up to their newsletter. Though the photos are amazing, the pack itself is quite small: you receive only 10 photos every month.
2. Stocka
Stocka is a new website that still keeps developing and growing. However, it allows downloading good stock photos already. The website has a few photo categories: this makes the whole choosing process much easier.
3. New Old Stock
While some stocks offer various photos, this one concentrates on vintage ones only. All these photos are taken by one photographer and look amazing.
4. FoodiesFeed
Another specific stock that focuses on food photos only. You can find delicious (in all senses) photos there, which will be perfect to use in cooking website designs and so on.
5. Splitshire
Splitshire is basically a collection of stock photos made by one photographer. He’s also a web designer, which means that he knows well what photos will look good in website designs.
6. Getrefe
Getrefe is a resource with stock photos taken from mobile phones. Though their quality is… well, lower than of ones taken by professional camera, they still look good and can be used in various designs (especially in ones that require less refined-looking photos).
7. Gratisography
Another great website that has dozens of high-res stock photos available for use. These photos are taken by one photographer, just like in a few examples above.
There’s one last thing you need to remember if you intend to use these resources: mind copyrights. Most of the photos there are free both for commercial and personal use. Some of them, however, have certain restrictions, so it’s better to check twice before using them in your design.
