You read that headline correctly; perhaps the biggest untapped bonanza of free online images is that of the U.S. Government and the several other countries that host online archives. Free to download, reproduce, and use for your design projects or even just as wallpaper on your personal computer, these sites are (for the most part) fantastic.
So obsessed were we with the totally copyright-free photographs, illustrations, video, clip art and web graphics we found that we burned the midnight oil and pulled an all-nighter just to list the best of them for you today.
Before you skip the rest of my words and go right for the goodies, please read this list of guidelines, which is a good set of rules to follow whenever you're looking at websites which purport to offer "free" graphics. (At the risk of sounding like Star Jones: I prepared this list myself, and I was an intellectual property attorney before blogging turned me to the streets, so pay attention to me, dammit.)
5 Free-Ware Rules
1) Read all user agreements or terms of use before even looking at the bling; if a graphics site plasters the word "free" next to a bunch of ads for emoticons or smileys, you should read the terms of use all the way through, three times, and understand what the contract--yes, contract--says. Do not pass go. Do not collect clip art before doing so; if you plan to use graphics commercially, you better understand that agreement like a good attorney, and you better contact the webmaster to confirm, unless expressly told otherwise;
2) If you have to fill out surveys, abort (read: spyware);
3) A proclamation of "free", like my own above, does not actually mean free; if there are recognizable people, trademarks, etc. in the photos, regardless of whether the pic's copyright is void or expired or otherwise, you must obtain a model release or obstruct the subject (read: you can be sued for invasion of privacy, yuck);
4) Avoid a design faux-pas: please don't ever assume you're the only one with a freeware pic; we designers hate seeing a photo we know is stock used in a prominent way on your website. If you can use it legally, then concentrate on using it wisely;
5) I_Lick_Lists makes absolutely no representations or warranties regarding the rights of any photos listed below, the sites to which it links, or the photos listed there. See 1-3, above.
Without further fanfare, here are the most amazing of the thousands of photos we looked at last evening.
Photo: NOAA (WWII)
Photo: NOAA (Caribbean; amaaazing irony)
Photo: NLA (1970's business, Australia)
Photo: NOAA (WWII comic strip)
Photo: NOAA (Circa. 1850 book jacket)
Awesome, right? They're from two amazing photo resources, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Library of Australia, which have great collections of public-domain photos and illustrations in their libraries.
But, that's NOTHING!...After the jump, we're getting serious--posting over 30 more free photos representing the best of the archives, for you to pilfer off this site (after reading terms at source, natch)!
What follows is the best of the archives, so buckle up:
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NOAA (LBJ Signs the Civil Rights Act)
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NOAA (Directly Before the Enola Gay Bombed Nagasaki)
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NLA
Photo: NLA
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NLA
Photo: NASA (through NOAA)
Photo: NLA
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NLA
Photo: NASA (by NOAA)
Photo: NASA (by NOAA)
Photo: NASA (by NOAA)
Photo: NASA (by NOAA)
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NASA (by NOAA)
Photo: NLA
Photo: NOAA
Photo: NLA
Photo: NOAA
Like what you saw? Tell us! Comments encouraged.
Well said.
Posted by: Petunia | 28/10/2008 at 06:31 PM