Legally using images

Using creative commons images and photos

The best option for finding Flickr Creative Commons images is to use one of the following Flickr Search Engines:

• Compfight – provides a range of search options including search by tags only vs. all the text, licenses, the option to show or hide originals and turn on/off the safe content filter.

• Photos for Class – A student friendly place for searching safe images from Creative Commons Flickr. The downloaded images include attribution of the photographer and the image license terms.

• Multicolr Search Lab – Allows you to search Flickr images by color. This is a handy tool when you’re trying to match specific colors. All you need to do is select up to 5 colors.

• It’s a requirement of all Creative Commons Licenses that you attribute the original author. This means you can’t just use a creative commons image without acknowledging the person who originally created it.

• The easiest way to add Creative Commons images with attribution can be found at Photos for Class.

Using public domain images

There are websites that provide public domain images that are free to use, or have their own free to use licensing.

Public domain works are those works that:

1. Automatically enter public domain when created because they are not copyrightable.

2. Their copyright has expired.

3. Their creator has assigned their work to public domain.

Public domain images are free and available for unrestricted use. Attribution should still be given to the owner. Please plan on images being filtered for appropriate content by school devices and network.

Here are some good free and public domain image websites to use in education:

1. Pixabay – A curated repository for finding and sharing public domain images. All of the images on Pixabay can be used freely in digital and printed format, for personal and commercial use. Attribution to the original author is not required.

2. Openclipart is a gallery of clip art images that have been released into the public domain that can be used freely, for personal and commercial use, without attribution.

3. Wikimedia Commons – Media file repository for public domain and freely-licensed educational media content, including images, sound and video clips. Images and other media on Wikimedia Commons are almost all under some kind of free license (usually public domain, CC-BY, CC-BY-SA, or GFDL (GNU Free Documentation license) and may require attribution.

4. The Commons – Set up to help share photos and images from the World’s public photography archives. Once you’ve located an image on The Commons you should click on the ‘No known copyright restrictions’ beneath the image. This takes you to the Rights Statement for the Institution who supplied the image. This is where you’ll find information on how the institution would like the image to be attributed.

5. Getty Open Content images – Are all available digital images to which the Getty holds the rights or that are in the public domain to be used for any purpose. No permission is required but they request attribution.

6. Getty Images – An American Stock photo agency which allows their images to be used for free for non-commercial use. Getty Images have no relationship with the J. Paul Getty Trust and the Getty Open Content images. Getty Images can be embedded into posts uisng their embed code.

7. Morguefile is a free photo archive for creative people. Their photo collection contains thousands of images that anyone can use for free in academic or commercial presentations. The image collection can be searched by subject category, image size, color, or rating. You will find a mix of images that don't require attribution along with some that do require attribution so pay attention to the labels that come with each picture. The Morgue File also features a "classroom" where visitors can learn photography techniques and get tips about image editing.

8. Pics4Learning is a curated image library that is safe and free for education. Teachers and students can use the copyright-friendly photos and illustrations for classroom projects, web sites, videos, portfolios, or any other projects in an educational setting.

9. PikWizard is a free site offering quality images that you can download and re-use for free. PikWizard provides helpful information on how you can use each picture that you find on the site. PikWizard also provides clear directions on how to give credit to the photographers whose pictures you use.

10. Stockio is a website that offers free images to download and re-use in your own projects. Attribution is not required but is appreciated.

11. Pexels allows you to search for pictures according to keyword and download without registering.

District Library/Media Mission Statement: The Elkhorn Public Schools provides a student-centered curricula in which the media program plays a central role in preparing students for life-long learning in the 21st century.

District Mission Statement: The Elkhorn Public Schools unites students, families, educators, and the community to ensure a challenging and enriching academic environment that inspires students to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become responsible citizens and lifelong learners.