Occasionally, a reader inquires as to where I get the various images that fill out Of Zen and Computing articles. Stock photographs are a great tool for adding value to blog posts and web pages, and the combination of Flickr and Creative Commons makes finding those images a breeze.
I find the majority of the stock photos seen on this site on Flickr, by searching for relevant photos with Creative Commons licenses. I do this via the search page for Flickr photos with a Creative Commons Attribution License.
Creative Commons?
Creative Commons is an alternative to “all rights reserved” licensing — it lets the author of a creative work such as a photograph establish a set of rules for those who wish to put that work to good use. I search for Flickr photos with the Creative Commons Attribution License because those photographers have basically said “you may use this photo as long as proper credit is given to the author”.
There are other Creative Commons licenses with different stipulations regarding commercial use, attribution, and modification so make sure you understand each license before you use any licensed works.
Do images help?
Using stock photography is an excellent way to improve almost any article, web page, or blog post. Large blocks of text are imposing — your content is much easier to read when it’s broken up with helpful headlines, and illustrated with relevant images. Plus, rounding out your content with photos makes everything more appealing and “friendly”. Your readers will greatly appreciate the effort you put into publishing well-structured content, which will hopefully pay off as repeat visits.
“Creative Commons logo” drawing by Karin Dalziel.
