Stock Image Websites

[adamjblakey]

Hi,

I am currently using dreamstime for my stock images but they have increased their prices. Can anyone recommend a cheaper website to use. I ideally want to subscribe on a monthly basis.

Cheers,
Adam

 

[GeekSRV]

This has free and paid http://www.sxc.hu/

 

[Peartree]

We use Istock mainly

sxc.hu is another one for free images

 

[JayZee]

Look for creative commons images - most of the images on flickr are.

 

[Postforce]

Fotolia is working out cheapest for us.

 

[Seb de Lemos]

Sxc.hu was pretty good until they shifted all the high quality pictures over to stockxpert.com!

 

I notice even iStockphoto increased their prices a bit lately, though I use them mostly. I value my time this weather, and can usually find what I need on iStockphoto quite quickly, so its wirth the little price they charge. I also allow for a set number for any sites we are doing in the price, so it works well here tbh.

 

[bdw]

I agree that Fotolia are quite cheap. They are probably the best deal at present.

If using iStock be very careful. When you select an image for purchase you select from various resolutions worth a certain amount of credits e.g. 1, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 22. This is done by clicking the appropriate checkbox and it used to default to the lowest resolution, i.e. 1 credit. It now defaults to 12 credits. If you don't notice this and you click "buy now" without selecting the low resolution box you end up spending 12 credits instead of one for a high resolution image you don't need.

This is quite deceptive and it has caused me to move most of my stock image purchases to Fotolia.

 

[labcreative]

I used to use iStock for everything but over the last year not only have they increased their prices, they changed all of the image sizes so that you get less for your money!

I usually take a look at sxc.hu first of all to try and find a freebie, after that I go to stockxpert.com and then iStock as a last resort. A lot of the images that are on iStock are also on stockxpert, only cheaper!

 

[biomed86]

When you purchase images form Fotolia and resize them according to your needs, does the quality change much? (in your experience)

 

[That Guy]

Small list of sites here: http://www.blog.chrislowthian.co.uk/stock-images-and-logos/

 

[Dawg]

When you purchase images form Fotolia and resize them according to your needs, does the quality change much? (in your experience)

What you are buying is usage rights at a certain size and resolution. So if you increase the size beyond that you have paid for you will be liable for extra payment, as well as having it look crappy.
Not so good.

 

[biomed86]

What you are buying is usage rights at a certain size and resolution. So if you increase the size beyond that you have paid for you will be liable for extra payment, as well as having it look crappy.
Not so good.

Ah. Thanks Dawg - didn't know I couldn't resize. On fotolia it says "This License does permit - modify image or the use in derivative works" so I thought I could modify the size a little, it'll only be by a few pixels but I don't want to be getting in any trouble!
Thanks for the advice

 

[Dawg]

Ah. Thanks Dawg - didn't know I couldn't resize. On fotolia it says "This License does permit - modify image or the use in derivative works" so I thought I could modify the size a little, it'll only be by a few pixels but I don't want to be getting in any trouble!
Thanks for the advice

To clarify: you can't resize upwards, (make bigger). You can make smaller, and under standard library contracts, change colours, saturation, whatever. You just can't buy, for instance, the V. Small size for 1 credit and use it at the medium size.
(You can buy the medium size and use it at the very small size. This is called giving donations to large corporations and is mostly unfashionable.)

 

[biomed86]

Oh that's good, I wanted to make the images a little bit smaller. Thank you!

 

[richhobson]

I submit to iStock as part of my photography business.

So if anyone wants to sign up through me I get a referral bonus and you get 10 free credits. Good for both of us!

Drop me a PM if you want to.

Richard

 

[mike1337]

Be careful when using sxc alot of the images dont have a model release when the picture has picture of people in it.