June 8, 2026
Do you have a favorite site for free photos to use with your writing?
Or do you use paid photos?
When I first started writing blogs, ages ago, one of the first pieces of advice was to include illustrations. Back then, it could be hard for me to find a picture that wasn’t tied up in copyrights. It’s still hard depending on the topic, but not as hard as it used to be.
In forums along the way, I’ve come across several sites with royalty-free photos. I’ve lost track of some of them, and others shut down. That has left me with only two pages bookmarked.
The first is Pexels.com. It offers a mix of photos, drawings, and AI illustrations. It used to have a wide selection of illustrations, but these days it partners with IStock photos and the user needs to be careful about the pictures they choose.
The second is my favorite. Pixabay.com. It’s my go-to. It offers a wide selection of pictures and artists. Yes, users are requested to make a donation to the creator, but it’s not required. And pictures can be downloaded in different sizes, whichever fits the platform being used.
When it comes to covers, my cover artist uses paid photos. We’ve spent hours going through pictures, picking the perfect ones for her to use to create the design. Then she does her magic.
What sites do our authors use? Find out by following the links below.
As always, until next time, please stay safe.
Goal Update! I did it! I have finished the first draft of the Donovan File, The Edwards Investigations. It took longer than I’d expected, but the it’s also longer than I’d plan. It ended up at just over 64,000 words. I’ll likely lose several thousand of those in my first attack at diting.
June 8, 2026
Do you have a favorite site for free photos to use with your writing? Or do you use paid photos?
I can’t help noticing how everyone uses Pixabay. I was warned away from them over potential copyright issues a while ago.
I did some quick research. A few years ago, there was a scam a happening where someone was putting in false copyright claims about the use of music on youtube and making money from it. I believe safeguards have been put in place to stop the practice.
I sort of got scared away from Pixabay too, Richard. The AI images really bother me. That’s how Unsplash became my favorite “Free” site, but I go to other sites when I can’t find what I want there. It just depends on the story in the book and what’s available. Like Kelly said on her article (which I can’t comment on for some reason), we don’t all live where we can just pop around the corner and take a photo. Sometimes, I can, but most of the time, I’m buying images (or attributing them) or getting them off government websites.
I didn’t know about the government websites. I will have to remember that.
I use pixabay a lot! Theres so much Ai to weed thru. I hope things get handled on that front quickly and favors artists, but big money is a terrible battle….