This is an older video, but the only thing I would say is that we are even more vigilant now about having proper usage rights. Alice and I also tend more toward Deposit Photo for images because every Black Friday we get a deal and buy our years worth. I will ask Alice as a graphic designer to weigh in here, and I'm sure her perspective will be that you not use free sites at all.

As Seneca said, I don't recommend free sites because those sites don't vet the images for legalities. It's a risk. I would document, document, document by screenshots, etc. if you do use them. I don't know how much of a protection that it, but at least you could demonstrate intent. But, that really only covers the rights of the photo, not necessarily the content.

Part of the difficulty with images is that there can be multiple layers of rights that are in play. Reputable, paid stock sites such as DepositPhotos vet the images to make sure the content is appropriate for use as well as the rights to the image itself. Sometimes, photographers upload images of items that are not available for commercial use ever. They say you can use their image, but what the image is OF, is the problem.

If the image has people in it, then model releases are required. Reputable stock image sites will note if a model release is on file and what, if any, limitations there are. If the use of their image is not according to their contract, you can be sued by the model, and they will most likely win.

Also, beware of any images that include copyrighted or trademarked elements. For example, if someone is dressed as Minnie Mouse and someone takes their photo, the photographer and model may give their consent, but Disney most likely has not. The same would be true of brand names, logos, etc. Again, the burden of the law falls on you as the image is on something you have published. Incidentally, this is true regardless of if the image is on a for-sale product or not. You must adhere to copyright and trademark laws and licensing on your blog as well as on a product for sale.

Places and public artworks are also often not available for use except editorially, which doesn't apply for us as business owners, typically. The Eiffel Tower is an example. The tower is fair game, but not images of it at night as the lights on the tower are considered a work of art. It's things like this that can make your head explode! This is why I recommend reputable, paid sites. Not only do they vet the images for all of these issues, but they offer some protection should you be sued for using one of their images.

When collecting image packs from places like Creative Market, check the licensing terms and choose the appropriate license for your intended use. CM has changed their terms in recent years to be more restrictive, so it's good policy to check the licensing if it's been a while since you've shopped on a site. If the licensing terms change, your use still falls under the original wording of the license you purchased the image under - you just want to make sure you're still in compliance for new purchases.

Sourcing Images Legitimately

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