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Free-to-Use Media: AI-Generated Images

A guide to places to find and create free-to-use media

Existing Images

Photos

Pixabay

Use content for non-commercial purposes without having to attribute the author (although giving credit is always appreciated.) Find more licensing information here.

The first row of pictures on each results page is usually made up of sponsored images from iStock which are not free.

Simply describe the type of image you are looking for in the search bar.

Pexels

Content can be used for most purposes, excluding political content. Find more licensing information here. Author attribution is not required but is appreciated. 

Simply describe the type of image you are looking for in the search bar.

Unsplash

Free to use for commercial and non-commercial purposes, but Paid membership is required for images marked with a plus sign in the upper left corner of the preview image. Permission for using free images is not needed, but attribution is appreciated. Find more licensing information here.

Use the search bar or browse by category.

Libreshot

You can copy, modify and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. It is not necessary to indicate the author, but he will appreciate it if you do. Find more licensing information here

A hobby photographer shares his impressive collection of photos for free use. 

Use the search bar or browse by category.

StockSnap.io

Stock photos for almost any use including commercial. Find more licensing information here.

Use the search bar or browse by category.

Canva

Login into Canva and choose the design style that best suits your needs. In the left column, choose “Photos” and search for the kind of content you are interested in. Images without the crown icon in the lower right corner are free-to-use. 

Adobe Express

The easiest way to use photos from Adobe Express is when you are already using it to build the rest of your content. Choose a content type to start with, then choose “Media” from the toolbar on the left side. Choose “Photos” from the selections that will appear at the top of the resulting menu. Content without the crown icon in the lower right corner are free-to-use.

 

Illustrations and Iconography

Pixabay

Use content for non-commercial purposes without having to attribute the author (although giving credit is always appreciated.) Find more licensing information here.

The first row of pictures on each results page is usually made up of sponsored images from iStock which are not free.

Simply describe the type of image you are looking for in the search bar.

Pixabay also features vector images that can be resized without distortion and GIFs

Unsplash

Free to use for commercial and non-commercial purposes, but Paid membership is required for images marked with a plus sign in the upper left corner of the preview image. Permission for using free images is not needed, but attribution is appreciated. Find more licensing information here

Describe the image type you are looking for or browse by category.

AI-Generated Images

Cautions

While images generated by artificial intelligence are a simple way to create images that perfectly fit your project, they should be used with the following considerations:

Professional artists are concerned that Artificially Generated images will affect the demand for their services. Artists’ intellectual property is also sometimes aggregated into the large databases that AIs pull from without the consent of the artists. The images, or even parts of those images, may also have been taken of individuals who have not consented to the use of their likeness as exhibited by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.

It is often thought that people of color are underrepresented or, in the case of Google Gemini, overrepresented, in AI databases.

Using AI images without citing the source of the image may still be considered plagiarism. 

Text to Image Generation Platforms

Adobe Express

If you have an Adobe Creative Cloud account, use that to log in for more Generative AI credits/tokens and other features. If not, you can choose to use your Google, Facebook, Apple, or Microsoft account. 

Adobe Express also has tools for image editing and creating presentations, webpages, videos, social media posts, and print pieces.

Canva

Use a free Canva account or use your Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, or Clever account for limited Generative AI credits.Upgraded Canva accounts receive more credits. 

Like Adobe Express, Canva also has tools for presentations, social media, videos, print products, and websites.

Leonardo.Ai

Sign in with Apple, Google, or Microsoft account or create an account with your email. Free plan offers 150 tokens per day for faster image generation. After tokens are spent, generation is much slower. 

More advanced tools than Adobe Express or Canva

Microsoft Copilot

Sign in with Microsoft 365 account, available at no charge for Fort Hays State faculty, staff, and students

Better for image generation than enhancement. It uses a chat interface much like ChatGPT.

Google Gemini

Sign in with a non-FHSU Google account. 

Currently, it cannot generate images of people.

Like Copilot, it uses a chat interface.

Google ImageFX

Sign in with a Google account.

Part of Google’s AI Test Kitchen, it can generate images of people.

Examples

The following examples of the platforms above were created with the prompt, “Create a photorealistic image of a distinguished, silver-haired gentleman standing in front of an iconic library building.”

Adobe Express

Canva

Leonardo.Ai

Default settings

 

"Cinematic" option turned on

Microsoft Copilot

Google ImageFX

Google Gemini

Gemini cannot generate images of people, so this prompt was “an anthropomorphic black and yellow tiger wearing a graduation cap and reading a book.”

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