Are Stock Photos Copyrighted? (And How to Find Truly Copyright Free Stock Photos) (2024)

Stock Photos

Thomas Choi15 Apr 2024• 5 min read

You might be using free stock images from websites like Unsplash, but have you ever thought are they actually free?<blockquote>"If something is free, you are the product" - Richard Serra, 1973 </blockquote>Generally, people don't buy stock images for content like a video or a blog article. While you are downloading the image from a free stock image site, it is not guaranteed that they are free. Many times, the images are added to sites without the knowledge of the creator. The creators then can sue you for using the image. But how can you use stock images then? Are all stock images copyrighted?We will answer all of your questions regarding stock image copyrights and will tell you about the best way to use actually free stock images in your video content.Here are the questions we will be answering in this blog:<ul><li><a href="#Are_Stock_Photos_Copyrighted?">Are Stock Photos Copyrighted?</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_find_Copyright-Free_Stock_Photos_on_Google?">How to find Copyright-Free Stock Photos on Google?</a></li><li><a href="#Websites_to_find_Copyright-free_Stock_Photos?">Websites to find Copyright-free Stock Photos?</a></li><li><a href="#Can_you_add_Copyright-free_Stock_Images_to_your_Video?">Can you add Copyright-free Stock Images to your Video?</a></li><li><a href="#Can_you_use_stock_photos_without_permission?">What would happen if you use Stock Photos without Permission?</a></li><li><a href="#Do_you_have_to_Credit_Stock_Photos?">Do you have to Credit all Stock Photos?</a></li></ul><h2 id = "Are_Stock_Photos_Copyrighted?">Are Stock Photos Copyrighted?</h2><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/2024/04/Screenshot-of-a-stock-image-website---Unsplash.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="Screenshot of a stock image website" loading="lazy" width="1888" height="814" srcset="https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/size/w600/2024/04/Screenshot-of-a-stock-image-website---Unsplash.jpg 600w, https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1000/2024/04/Screenshot-of-a-stock-image-website---Unsplash.jpg 1000w, https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1600/2024/04/Screenshot-of-a-stock-image-website---Unsplash.jpg 1600w, https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/2024/04/Screenshot-of-a-stock-image-website---Unsplash.jpg 1888w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"><figcaption>Screenshot of a stock image website</figcaption></figure>Stock photos are typically copyrighted. When you buy or obtain a stock photo, you're essentially purchasing a license to use the photo under specific terms and conditions set by the stock photo provider. These terms might vary depending on the provider and the type of license you've acquired, such as royalty-free or rights-managed.You cannot use stock photos without permission or proper licensing. However, the permissions granted and restrictions imposed will depend on the license agreement for each photo. Some licenses allow commercial use, while others only permit non-commercial use. Before using a stock photo, it's crucial to read and understand the license terms to ensure you comply with copyright law.<h2 id = "How_to_find_Copyright-Free_Stock_Photos_on_Google?">How to find Copyright-Free Stock Photos on Google?</h2>Your first move while looking for a stock photo might be to Google a search term and go to the image section. While you do find a lot of relevant images there, it does not guarantee that all of them are copyright-free. In fact, most of the photos are protected and you can get a copyright notice for using them. A good way to filter copyright-free images from Google is to click on “Tools” and select “Creative Common License” from the Usage Right dropdown. You will find a lot of images here. <figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/2024/04/Finding-Copyright-Free-images-in-Google.gif" class="kg-image" alt="How to find Copyright Free CC and Commercial license images in Google" loading="lazy" width="1120" height="630" srcset="https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/size/w600/2024/04/Finding-Copyright-Free-images-in-Google.gif 600w, https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1000/2024/04/Finding-Copyright-Free-images-in-Google.gif 1000w, https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/2024/04/Finding-Copyright-Free-images-in-Google.gif 1120w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"><figcaption>How to find Copyright Free CC and Commercial license images in Google</figcaption></figure>However, you need to know that these images are not totally free for all uses. They have their own terms of how you can use them and require you to give credit to the creator in a specific way. You can check their CC license usually available on the image’s source. <h2 id = "Websites_to_find_Copyright-free_Stock_Photos?">Websites to find Copyright-free Stock Photos?</h2>There are a plethora of sites that provide free stock images, like:<ul><li>Pexels</li><li>Unsplash</li><li>Pixabay</li><li>Freepik</li><li>StockSnap</li><li>FreeImages</li><li>PikWizard</li><li>PicJumbo</li></ul>HOWEVER, there were many cases where the users received copyright notices from the creators.<figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/2024/04/are-stock-photos-copyrighted---Company-replies-on-copyright-notice-user-gets.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="A stock image company replied this when a user received a copyright notice from the creator of the image" loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/size/w600/2024/04/are-stock-photos-copyrighted---Company-replies-on-copyright-notice-user-gets.jpg 600w, https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1000/2024/04/are-stock-photos-copyrighted---Company-replies-on-copyright-notice-user-gets.jpg 1000w, https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/size/w1600/2024/04/are-stock-photos-copyrighted---Company-replies-on-copyright-notice-user-gets.jpg 1600w, https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/2024/04/are-stock-photos-copyrighted---Company-replies-on-copyright-notice-user-gets.jpg 2000w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"><figcaption>A stock image company replied this when a user received a copyright notice from the creator of the image</figcaption></figure>Hence, it is not guaranteed that you won't get a copyright issue with these sites. But there is a better way to add copyright-free images to your video. Keep reading!<h2 id = "Can_you_add_Copyright-free_Stock_Images_to_your_Video?">Can you add Copyright-free Stock Images to your Video?</h2>In most cases, if you have the right to use any stock image, you can use it anywhere including videos. As copyright-free images are often labeled as being in the public domain or released under a Creative Commons license that permits unrestricted use, you can legally use these images in your picture. However, you need to ensure that the images you use are genuinely copyright-free and that you comply with any terms and conditions associated with their use. The best way to add genuinely copyright-free images to your video is to use Jupitrr.Jupitrr uses copyright-free images from platforms like Pexels and it is easy to add them to your video. All you need to do is:<figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/2024/04/Add-B-rolls-using-Jupitrr-2.gif" class="kg-image" alt="You can add stock images to your videos using Jupitrr" loading="lazy" width="636" height="480" srcset="https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/size/w600/2024/04/Add-B-rolls-using-Jupitrr-2.gif 600w, https://jupitrr.ghost.io/content/images/2024/04/Add-B-rolls-using-Jupitrr-2.gif 636w"><figcaption>You can add stock images to your videos using Jupitrr</figcaption></figure><ul><li>Go to <a href="https://jupitrr.com/product/ai-video-generator?ref=jupitrr.ghost.io">Jupitrr’s AI Video</a></li><li>Upload your video</li><li>Highlight the part where you want to add the image</li><li>Click on “Generate image” </li></ul>Jupitrr uses AI to find the most relevant image and seamlessly add it to your video. If you do not like the image, you can change it either by clicking on “Generate again” or by providing your own keyword after clicking “Generate again with another keyword.”<h2 id = "Can_you_use_stock_photos_without_permission?">What would happen if you use Stock Photos without Permission?</h2>Now, let's understand what would happen if you use a stock photo without permission. Stock photos are copyrighted material, just like any other creative work. Using them without proper permission is copyright infringement.Some of the major consequences of doing so would be:<ul><li>Removal of content: The first step in such cases is to receive an informal notice from the owner of the content which asks you to remove the video, blog, website, social media post, or any other content that you have used the picture for. However, this is not always the case and you can receive a formal letter instead as well.</li><li>Cease and desist letters: You may receive a cease and desist letter demanding that you stop using the infringing material immediately. If you do not comply with it, there can be further legal action.</li><li>Legal action: The copyright holder or their representatives may pursue legal action against you for copyright infringement. This can result in financial penalties, including statutory damages and reimbursem*nt of legal fees.</li></ul>Countries take copyright issues very seriously, especially in the US and Europe. Hence, it is not advisable to use stock photos without permission.<h2 id = "Do_you_have_to_Credit_Stock_Photos?">Do you have to Credit all Stock Photos?</h2>If you are using any copyright-free stock image, there are 4 possible CC License:<ul><li>CC0 (CC-Zero) or Public Domain: If an image is in the public domain, meaning it's not under copyright protection, you typically don't have to provide attribution. However, it's still a good practice to acknowledge the source out of respect for the creator. A subtle difference between CC0 and Public Domain images is that CC0 images are free to use but protected by the law, while Public Domain images are not protected by at all.</li><li>CC BY (Attribution): If the stock image has a CC BY license, you must give appropriate credit to the creator, including their name and a link to the source, unless the creator has waived the attribution requirement.</li><li>CC BY-SA (Attribution-ShareAlike): This license is similar to CC BY, but if you remix, transform, or build upon the image, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.</li><li>CC BY-ND (Attribution-NoDerivs): With this license, you can use the image for any purpose, but you cannot remix, transform, or build upon it, and you must provide appropriate credit.</li></ul>Do check before using the stock image what license are they providing. <h2 id="final-words">Final Words</h2>Free Stock Photos can be hard to find. You should check the license it is providing, which determines the use of the photo. But to save yourself from all that hassle, you can just use Jupitrr to add copyright-free stock images to your videos.<div class="kg-card kg-button-card kg-align-center"><a href="https://jupitrr.com/product/ai-video-generator?ref=jupitrr.ghost.io" class="kg-btn kg-btn-accent">Try adding copyright free Stock Photos to your Videos</a></div>