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UPDATE (5/20/26 @ 7:30am AZ time):
The GCU Library's updated version of LopeCat, the library’s online catalog, is live! For more details on what has changed, visit the What's New Guide .
Images, Infographics & Graphics Resources: Finding Images
Searching for Images
With Search Engines
- Enter your search terms and click search.
- Click Toolsnext to Settings.
- Change Usage Rights to Creative Commons licenses.
- Check the license or permissions on the website of any image you find.
- Enter your search terms.
- Change License to the option you want.
- Check the license or permissions on the website of any image you find.
Inside Microsoft Office 365 Apps (Word or PowerPoint)
- Go to Insert > Picture > Online Pictures to open the search.
- Enter your search terms.
- The Creative Commons limit will be checked by default.
- To double check the source of the image, click on the three dots in the corner.
- Creative Commons Search This link opens in a new windowImage search from the Creative Commons organization themselves.
Free to Use, No Attribution Required or CC0 Stock Libraries
These sites provide just images to use.
- Burst Stock This link opens in a new windowBurst is a free stock photo platform that is powered by Shopify.
- CC0 & Public Domain Image Sources This link opens in a new windowFrom Wikipedia, a long and regularly updated list of sites that host CC0 and public domain images.
- Free Nature Stock This link opens in a new windowFree nature photos.
- Gratisography This link opens in a new windowA selection of CC0 images, both photos and vector artwork. Also serves as advertising for Shutterstock, a commercial stock site.
- Kaboompics This link opens in a new windowFree to use, no attribution stock photos by a single photographer. Has a unique added feature of including a recommended hex code palette for each photo to color coordinate your project.
- Pexels This link opens in a new windowA large stock photo site, entirely CC0 no attribution required.
- Picjumbo This link opens in a new windowFree to use, no attribution stock photos, also has an option to download 2,000 images at once as well as tip individual photographers if you like their work.
- Pixabay This link opens in a new windowStock photos. Many are no attribution, check the license box on each image page.
- Reshot This link opens in a new windowEntirely CC0 photos, though attribution is appreciated for works that will be shared or distributed, it is not required.
- StockSnap.io This link opens in a new windowAnother entirely CC0 site, no attribution required.
- Unsplash This link opens in a new windowEntirely CC0 photos, though attribution is appreciated for works that will be shared or distributed, it is not required.
Public Domain Image Sites
- Bridgeman Images This link opens in a new windowThis collection from Credo Reference includes many images out of copyright. Check individual image notes.
- The British Library's Photostream This link opens in a new windowHosted on Flickr, the British Library's scans and photos from the archival collections that are public domain or CC0. Includes many maps and landscapes.
- Getty Open Content Images This link opens in a new windowGetty Museum's Open Content, images of works that are public domain or CC-By and available to download. All Getty images are attribution required.
- Library of Congress Free to Use Archives This link opens in a new windowItems in public domain, CC0, or copyright free from the LOC collections. Each image leads to a themed collection. Some may also be no attribution required, check the individual image.
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art Open Access This link opens in a new windowThe Met's CC0 and public domain images of public domain art in their collection.
- NASA Image Galleries This link opens in a new windowIncludes many high quality space photos. See the usage page for restrictions on content.
- National Galleries of Art Open Access This link opens in a new windowPublic domain images from the National Galleries.
- Rijk Museum This link opens in a new windowRijk Museum of the Netherlands has posted high quality photos of hundreds of thousands of objects in their collections.
- Wikimedia Commons This link opens in a new windowWikipedia's public domain & CC0 archive, which focuses on works of importance or of use in illustrating articles.
