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Want free to use commercial images?

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Bluegrass Homes & Farms Realty, Agent Know How

I just learned something today that is so great I wanted to share. I'm always concerned about the use of images because I would not want someone taking mine without asking...not to mention the legal trouble that could arise!

Well, worry no more...*insert drum roll or eye roll here, whichever you prefer*...Google has come to the rescue once again!

Go to Google, click on "Images" at the top, then click on "Advanced Images Search" all the way to the right.

Google Images

 

then you'll see this screen:

Google advanced image search

 

As you can see, all I put in there was the keywords I was looking for: "Louisville skyline" then under "Usage Rights" at the bottom there is a drop down menu. I chose "labeled for commercial use" because I was not going to alter the picture in any way except to attribute it to the photographer, which was specified in the usage rights.

How did I know this? When I found the image I wanted I clicked on it and the details told me I could use it however I wanted as long as it was attributed to the owner.

So I opened up the image in the good ol' Microsoft Paint program and added the text box with the author's name. If there is another way or a better way I should have done this, please let me know.

Yes, I stubbornly cling to my Yahoo! mail; however, Google is slowly but surely taking over my world.

Lynda White is Administrative Manager for The Brenda Doll Team, Keller Williams Realty Louisville East. Brenda is a licensed REALTOR® and a Certified New Construction Specialist. For any of your real estate needs in east Louisville, KY, Oldham County, KY, and the surrounding areas please give us a call at 502-554-9520 or visit our website at www.brendadollhomes.com.

 

 

 

Lynda White
Bluegrass Homes & Farms Realty, Agent Know How - Louisville, KY
Admin. Mgr., Keller Williams Realty

I wanted to attribute where I learned this as well, and could not remember where as I have read a lot of tech stuff this afternoon...now I know. It came from Free Help For Real Estate Agents on Facebook or fhfrea.org.

Jul 08, 2010 04:54 PM
Bryan Watkins
LRA Real Estate Group - Mesa, AZ

He Lynda, good post. I will for sure check it out. But, I don't care if someone uses some of my images. I am not planning on charging for them anyway.

Jul 08, 2010 05:27 PM
Wade Kawahara
Dominion Real Estate Partners, LLC - Phoenix, AZ

Thanks for the info.  Like you , I was hesitant to use other people's images, but this makes it easy and ok.

Jul 08, 2010 06:03 PM
Lynda White
Bluegrass Homes & Farms Realty, Agent Know How - Louisville, KY
Admin. Mgr., Keller Williams Realty

Bryan, are you also a photographer?

Wade, you're welcome. I'm also glad that I figured out how to put images on posts because it makes them more reader-friendly.

Jul 10, 2010 09:57 PM
Jim Frimmer
HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA
Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

Give Google and Facebook another ten years, and instead of San Diego, California, we might be Facebook, Google.

Jul 20, 2010 01:58 PM
Lynda White
Bluegrass Homes & Farms Realty, Agent Know How - Louisville, KY
Admin. Mgr., Keller Williams Realty

Jim, you really made me Laugh Out Loud!! My first laugh of the day!

Jul 21, 2010 12:57 AM
Cara Marcelle Mancuso
Golden Girls with SW Desert Homes - Tucson, AZ
Call a Marana neighbor, I'm THERE!

Awesome.  I have a few sites I visit, like Picapp.com, but to find non-copy written images elsewhere is always helpful.  I had googled images before, but your instructions give me the step I needed to make sure I avoid plagiarism.  Thanks!!

Jul 27, 2010 08:51 AM
Russel Ray, San Diego Business & Marketing Consultant & Photographer
Russel Ray - San Diego State University, CA

What a great resource. I'm off to give it a try right now. Not sure what I'm looking for, but I'll think of something.

Aug 12, 2010 11:11 AM
Lynda White
Bluegrass Homes & Farms Realty, Agent Know How - Louisville, KY
Admin. Mgr., Keller Williams Realty

I just found out that you can do that on Yahoo!, too, in pretty much the same way. The only thing is most of the photos come from Flickr.

Aug 13, 2010 06:26 AM