Where to find stock images

Creative works like art, photographs, text, music, and logos are subject to copyright terms and can’t be used for free. When searching for stock images and media, you should search for media that is licensed with a Creative Commons license or is part of the Public Domain.

Creative Commons (CC)/Public domain

A work released under a Creative Commons license allows re-use by others with certain stipulations, depending on the version of the CC license the author uses. There may be restrictions on commercial usage.

According to US law, a work belongs to the public domain if its copyright as expired. Copyright expires automatically (except for audio recordings) after 95 years.

Sources of CC/Public Domain Images

Wikimedia Commons – Creative Commons assets used on Wikipedia
Openverse – Search engine for Creative Commons media
Pixabay – Free-to-use images and audio
Library of Congress – Public Domain and historical media

Royalty-free/Licensed

A work that is “royalty-free” often still requires the purchase of a license for use, after which the licensee is not required to pay usage royalties to the rights-holder.

Sources of Royalty-free and Licensed Images

Adobe Stock – Temple staff have access to Adobe Stock through Temple’s enterprise subscription.