1. Unsplash
Bingo! Unsplash is new to the game and already probably bookmarked by 95% of the design world. These are stock images that could be at home in a Kinfolk magazine spread.
I’ve spotted Unsplash images while reading my Daily Devotions App She Reads Truth. I’ve seen Unsplash images used in marketing collateral for Starbucks. Framebridge even uses Unsplash stock images to advertise their frames!
All of their photos are available in the public domain. You can do anything without credit. Basically Unsplash is the 〜Cool Girl〜 of the stock imagery world and I am here to double tap all of her Instagram photos.
2. StockSnap.io
StockSnap offers hundreds of high-resolution photos for free. (I’ve found that photos offered on other free sites tend to creep into StockSnap’s library. But hey, the more the merrier.)
Like Unsplash, StockSnap’s photo library is artistic, bright, and offers plenty of modern images. Use the Trending tab to what images are popular that week.
3. Morguefile
No frills free stock imagery.
The trick on Morguefile is to search by “Most Downloads” to actually find useable free material. There is a big quality difference between Popular and Most Downloads.
4. Vecteezy
Vecteezy is my go-to spot for free graphics and vectors. Note you must have a program like Illustrator that can handle .EPS files when downloading from Vecteezy.
Vecteezy’s free library is extensive and high quality. You have to navigate around the ads for iStock and paid graphics, but a 10 second wait for a free graphic is an easy trade off. Sometimes a popup will ask you to create an account before downloading, just refresh the page or open that same link in an incognito browser to get around that ask.
Trying to find the right keywords for an abstract graphic is hilarious! Previously I’ve searched for “Wind watercolor abstract wave wiggle” or “geometric squares colorful modern.” Other than keywording, Vecteezy does it right!
5. iStock
Once I have exhausted all free alternatives I head over to iStock.
Personally, I have never seen much of a quality difference between paid stock imagery sites. All sites are expensive and upsell pricier images. At iStock photos are either categorized as Essential (1 credit or $12) or Signature (3 credits or $33.) Typically I will purchase 24 credits at once rather than buy images individually.
Want to know a secret? Every time I buy credits I will call their helpline and ask for a discount on my purchase. Typically 24 credits cost $220 but with a 10% discount it drops to $198. I’m loyal to their site and asking politely has always gotten me 10-20% off!
Save time scrolling through images by taking advantage of their many search options. I always filter by Orientation. This allows me to only preview Horizontal, Vertical or Square images. (Now if only there was a filter that would take out “Cheesy Overt Stock Imagery.”)
// Where do you find stock imagery?
Share where you find the good stuff! Or just send me a link to your favorite Unsplash photo so we can gush about their hipster aesthetic.