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Need a free picture for your content? Google has your back with a new Creative Commons search feature in Google Image Search. Full details from the official Google blog are here.
And now, a quick tutorial:
How To Use Google Image Search To Find Free Photos For Your Blog
1. Go to Images.Google.com and click on Advanced Search. You should see this:
Google Image Search's New Creative Commons Feature
2. Enter your search term in the first field.
3. Here is what you will see:
Creative Commons search results in Google for monkeys
You may use these photos as long as you follow the Creatice Commons rules (see below.)
4. Check before you use. Google says the results may not be pefect, and it is up to you to verify. If you have doubts, use Creative Commons search engine instead.
5. Make sure you always credit the author for their work. No matter what the other rules are, this is the standard usage rule for Creative Commons.
The Least You Need To Know: Creative Commons Rules
For the most part, you can use Creative Commons material as long as you:
1. Attribute the photo to the author.
2. If you re-mix the photo, you must allow others to use your re-mix.
3. Some photos will not let you use them if you are making money off of doing so. These photos are usually labeled or say (non-commercial) with the Creative Commons information.
Confused? Have more questions? Check out the abbreviated question and answer page on Creative Commons for more information.
