Anyone who has designed a web or print piece can tell you that getting the right art can be a time consuming and expensive endeavor, especially if you plan on being legit about it (which we all should be).
I recently discovered two web sites that offer royalty-free, stock images, illustrations and web elements for very reasonable prices. Gone are the days of $199 images for use on the web.
iStockPhoto.com - All images and illustrations run from $1-$10 each. You purchase credits in $1 increments through PayPal. When you download an image, the appropriate number of credits is deducted from your account. So far I have been very impressed by the wide range of graphics available!
Fotolia.com - Fotolia works a lot like iStockPhoto, but the images are $1-$3 each. You can buy or sell images and there is a great selection with powerful search capability.
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3 Comments»
Anonymous
20. July 2006 | 09:01 hThis is great advice to send along to other designers and freelancers just starting out.
Typically stock photos are sold at a price based on the type of print material, how many pieces will be printed, what area of the layout will the photo be presented (cover, inside, back, etc.), and the duration of the photo’s usage. This can put a huge dent in the designer’s pocket, as most clients are not willing to spend that much for the design in the first place.
I’ve been using http://www.istockphoto.com for almost a year now, and am so happy it exists, otherwise I would have to take out a second mortgage
Essential Keystrokes » Thirteen Things Every Website Needs
8. February 2007 | 17:46 h[...] Images - A picture is worth a thousand words and a well-placed picture or graphical element will save your web site from eternal loneliness. There are plenty of places to get images for free or at a small cost. And don’t forget to tag those images, too!!! [...]
Phil
1. May 2008 | 03:47 hI use flickr to serve my blog with pictures that are licenses by creative commons giving you an insight of what’s allowed with the picture and what not. Non commerical blogs have an easier access to pictures though.
PHA