When using photographs within website design and digital marketing it is important to make sure that you have permission of the rights holders. The easiest way to do this is by using a stock photography website with clear permissions. These are our most commonly used sources.
Royalty Free Images
Unsplash is one of the biggest online venues for finding stock photography that can be used completely free of charge (hence royalty free). The images are often modern, emotive and creative. Often great for backgrounds, editorial support, and generic imagery that may be replaced at a later date.
Creative Commons Images
When images are required for editorial purposes on popular topics you will often find lots available online under creative commons licensing. This typically allows usage as long as you credit the source. The official Creative Commons search engine links to some of the most popular sources.
Paid Stock Photography
When you con't have a specific photo on hand and the free options are limited, it may make sense to use buy the rights for a photo. DepositPhotos have a great selection and every so often they offer credits in a cost effective bulk sale through their site on on AppSumo so we tend to use these where possible.
New Zealand Stock Photography
MyChillyBin is the perfect website when you need stock photography specifically related to New Zealand. They are locally owned and have a large selection of photography that captures things you simply won't find on (often cheaper) American and European stock photography marketplaces.
Still looking for photos?
If a photo is important enough it might not make sense to use fairly generic stock photography, especially when advertising creative services or a business location. You can always ask the business owner to provide some photography or it can even be worth hiring a professional photographer. This process can vary significantly depending on the context and specific project.