What price a picture?

Type any random word in to the Google images search and you will end up with page after page of images associated with that word. When producing documents for internal use, or to assist with a school assignment, the simple copy and paste is quick and easy, and rarely given a further thought.

What happens though when you start picking up images and using them in marketing material, or even on websites? Again when the internet is flooded with images, apparently freely available, it can be all too easy to get caught out. Just because an image appears in the Google search or indeed elsewhere, that doesn't mean that you can use it for your own purposes or in any manner you see fit.

There are companies that compile libraries of images which are available for use by others for a fee. Sometimes the image will be watermarked with company name, other times it may not be. Either way, if you use it without obtaining the appropriate permissions first, you can suddenly find yourself landed with a fairly hefty bill.

There are however ways in which you can obtain images for use without incurring fees. The links below will direct you to the ShareWales website and an article about Creative Commons Licencing. Well worth a read - the few minutes it takes to skim over the pages, could save you hundreds if not thousands of pounds in the long term. Of course if you use your own images then you don't need to pay anyone, but the links will also give you tips on how to protect your images from abuse.

Don't get stung by fees - when you click on an image, think before you copy and paste!

 
ShareWales

Creative Commons