Stock photo sites are especially good for finding backgrounds and enhancements to complement your own photos for your CD/DVD insert.
Here are some sites you can search to see if anything jumps out at you. BE SURE TO CHECK IF THEY ARE TRULY COPYRIGHT/ROYALTY FREE and always check how the credit (if any) should read.
What’s the Difference Between Free and Royalty-Free Images?
“Royalty-Free” may not mean FREE. It usually means that when you PURCHASE the right to use an image, you can use it as many times as you like without any additional payments. A royalty payment is a payment that must be made each time an item is used or sold. So royalty-free images for sale, means you pay a one-time fee for the use of the graphic.
These are my favorite sites:
http://www.sxc.hu/index.phtml (free) – Photos only – some require permission.
www.stockvault.net (free)
http://www.stockexpert.com ($5 or $10 each for the sizes I would need) – Photos only SEND ME THE IMAGE NUMBER AND I’LL DOWNLOAD
http://www.dreamstime.com ($4-$6 each for the size I need) – Photos and illustrations SEND ME THE IMAGE NUMBER AND I’LL DOWNLOAD
http://cgtextures.com/ FREE. Be sure to download the Largest size. Limits you to 15 MB downloads per day unless you pay for a membership.
Here are a few others you can try:
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/ royalty free photos and illustrations. Every image is free, with an option to buy high resolution versions for use in print or graphic design.
www.morguefile.com – not the best quality images (more like people’s snapshots) but you might find something here (especially for backgrounds, etc.)
http://graphicleftovers.com/ $1-20
http://www.pdclipart.org/ Clipart, public domain. Free. Most are very small though and probably unusable for print.
http://publicdomainpictures.net/ Many free. Some $1.50 each.
http://graphicriver.net/category/all Be sure to check resolution and format.
http://www.imageafter.com Photos. Free. You’ll need to download and email to me – they don’t seem to have numbers.
http://www.mediabakery.com. Medium resolution should be fine for a cd cover. Those run $5-$40. Try using couponcode BAKER25 for 25% off.
www.lcweb2.loc.gov/detroit/dethome.html – US Libray of Congress – Old/Historic Photos – most copyright free, but must credit. Check collection copyright restrictions first. If you download a photo, get the wording of how they want it credited (in your liner notes).
Space – http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/ Public domain, just credit NASA. Also http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/ (may have same images)
“Our Earth as Art” Satellite images – public domain – just include credit. http://earthasart.gsfc.nasa.gov. Be sure to download the hires version. Great for backgrounds.
http://www.clipart.com I do not have a subscription to this, but it’s not too expensive if there’s something you really like. Illustrations, photos, fonts.
http://www.bigfoto.com Free. bigfoto.com must be credited with the image. May not be high enough resolution, but I can probably use.
http://www.123rf.com – $50 for use on resale items. $3-4 for items not for sale (personal use).
http://us.fotolia.com/ $4-5 each for personal use, $10 for resale.
http://www.istockphoto.com/index.php large for $15
http://www.bigstockphoto.com/ large images cost $5 to $15. Try code HW2333 for a free image (got this from an ad)
http://www.microstockphoto.com $2 each. EITHER DOWNLOAD THE HIGH RES IMAGE or give me the image number and I’ll pull down the high res version to use. If you have me download, I will pass on any costs associated with obtaining the image(s) you want.
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/ royalty free photos and illustrations. Every image is free, with an option to buy high resolution versions for use in print or graphic design.