• Survey
  • Book Becky to speak
  • The book: Small Town Rules
  • Shop Local video
  • SaveYour.Town

Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource

A row of small town shops
  • Front Page
  • Latest stories
  • About
  • Guided Tour
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • RSS

How to find local photos for your tourism projects

By Becky McCray

Photos help tell your tourism story and make your place come alive. But the catch is that you never seem to have enough photos, or the right photo you need for this story. You could go online to find photos, but what are the restrictions on using photos you find online?

Every photo you see online is copyrighted, unless it is specifically labeled otherwise. That means ask first.  

If you ask permission to use a photo from a local photo sharer, they will likely be flattered and happy to share. If you just use it without asking, you are likely to have an angry person on your hands when they find out.

Creative Commons


With the enormous amount of online sharing, Creative Commons licenses are a popular way for photographers to give open permission for folks like you to use their photos, with certain restrictions. You may see the phrase “Creative Commons,” the (CC) abbreviation, or one of the Creative Commons badges. (There’s a Creative Commons badge in our right sidebar at Small Biz Survival.) On Flickr, you may see the phrase, “Some rights reserved” with a link to the Creative Commons license.

So, what are the “certain restrictions” I mentioned? The photographer can choose to require any or all of these limits:

  • attribution
  • share alike
  • non-commercial, or
  • no derivative works. 

A full description of each restriction is on the Creative Commons license page.

The best place to look for Creative Commons licensed photos is Flickr. Use the Flickr Advanced Search, and scroll down to the bottom of the page. You’ll see the Creative Commons logo. You can search only for photos you can use commercially, or only ones that allow you to edit them.

Public Domain

Some photos are in the public domain. That makes them free for use without any restriction.

Not every photo you find online is in the public domain. Most are not. 

Which photos are public domain?

  • Very old photos, such as those published before 1923
  • Other photos where the copyright has expired due to age
  • Photos where the photographer has chosen to release them and has explicitly labeled them as public domain
  • Photos prepared by an officer or employee of the United States Government as part of that person’s official duties

Because of that rule about federally-created photos, most federal agencies have public databases where you can download photos that are free to use. A few of the most tourism-friendly photo databases are:

  • US Fish and Wildlife Service National Digital Library. Especially look at the categories for Recreation, Wildlife, and Habitats and Landscapes.
  • US Geological Survey Photographic Library. Check out the National Parks section for your local parks, museums and seashores. Lots of terrific historical photos, too. 
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Photo Library. Of course, lots of weather related images. Nice selection for America’s Coastlines.
  • USASearch.gov Image Search. This will let you pull up photos from all across government websites. Use caution, because not all the photos returned are public domain. You have to check on each site to be sure.

 

    Birdwatching photo by the USFWS, of Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Texas.
    Windmill photo by NOAA, near Leedey, Oklahoma. 

    New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Get our updates.

    • About the Author
    • Latest Posts

    About Becky McCray

    Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
    • Zoom Towns: attracting and supporting remote workers in rural small towns - December 10, 2020
    • In an economic crisis, spend your brainpower before your dollars - November 25, 2020
    • Video: How to fill empty car dealership buildings for the holidays - November 6, 2020
    • How has 2020 changed the challenges rural small towns face? Tell us here - October 20, 2020
    • The Idea Friendly Method to surviving a business crisis - October 6, 2020
    • Join me for the Rural Renewal Symposium online Oct 13 - September 26, 2020
    • Cheap placemaking idea: instant murals - September 11, 2020
    • Refilling the rural business pipeline - July 7, 2020
    • Huge vacant buildings: grants to renovate? - June 9, 2020
    • Economic self defense for small towns  - June 7, 2020

    December 29, 2009 Filed Under: tourism

    Wondering what is and is not allowed in the comments?
    Or how to get a nifty photo beside your name?
    Check our commenting policy.
    Use your real name, not a business name.


    Don't see the comment form?
    Comments are automatically closed on older posts, but you can send me your comment via this contact form and I'll add it manually for you. Thanks!

    Comments

    1. Becky McCray says

      December 29, 2009 at 5:31 pm

      Sandra emailed another point to consider:

      Photos are not only copyrighted materials but if one uses without permission, the photographer has the legal right to legal action. There’s a $10,000 fine for using photos without permission.

      Another way of obtaining photos for your area/region…find a photographer and barter for the use of their photos.

      One reason I put a watermark (copyright) on my blog photos is I kept finding my photos on other people’s websites and blog. It was showing knitting patterns I designed and
      they gave me credit but I still want each photo to bear my mark.

      Good article,

      Sandra
      http://www.thistlecovefarm.blogspot.com

    2. Frank says

      December 30, 2009 at 3:19 pm

      Hi Becky,
      I knew about Flickr but the other ones just never entered my mind. Thanks for the info and links to them.

      Frank

    3. Mike says

      December 30, 2009 at 8:44 pm

      Thanks Becky. Like Frank, I regularly use Flickr, but I’ve not checked into the other ones.

      Here’s my favorite resource explaining how to quickly use Flickr’s Creative Commons — “A Complete Guide to Finding and Using Incredible Flickr Images”.

    4. Becky McCray says

      December 30, 2009 at 11:13 pm

      Thanks, guys!

    Howdy!

    Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.

    We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.

    Meet our authors on the About page.

    Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.

    If you would like permission to re-use an article you've read here, please make a Reprint Request.

    Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.

    Shop Local

    Buy local buttonReady to set up a shop local campaign in your small town? You'll need a guide who understands how we're different and what really works: Shop Local Campaigns for Small Towns.

    Best of Small Biz Survival

    What is holding us back? Why does every project take so long in small towns?

    How any business can be part of downtown events by going mobile

    Concert-goers talking and enjoying the evening in downtown Webster City, Iowa.

    Why do people say there’s nothing to do here then not come to our concerts?

    Retailers: Fill all empty space, floor to ceiling

    More of the best of Small Biz Survival

    Copyright © 2021 Becky McCray
    Front Page · Log in