The right image for your blog post—or website or PowerPoint presentation for that matter—can help motivate people to read the thousand words you’re about to lay on them. People respond to visuals, even when they’re in search of words of wisdom. Adding photos can help bring your words to life, and avoid the deadly “nothing but text” screen.

As you search for a photo to accompany your blog post, think like an interior decorator: Which coffee table looks perfect with my couch? Which photo looks amazing alongside my words? Check out our list of websites with free or cheap images for where to start your search.

When you search, start with the most obvious keywords and keep brainstorming new ones, each term a little more out there than the next. Try new keyword combinations until you see the photo that makes you shout, “That’s the one!”

As you evaluate your options, keep these six C’s in mind to help you find the perfect photo for your blog:

1. Content

The main concept in the image should clearly relate to the blog’s main topic and title. Literal images are okay, as long as they’re not too literal. Even better is a creative image that evokes the concept without being literal. But, be careful to avoid being too clever, as cleverness can sometimes get in the way of clarity.

Images of people grab attention especially well. Humanity plus reality creates emotional connections, so if you have photos of your organization in action, use them. Show readers who you are and the actual work you do. Pictures that tell a story about your work will help readers bond with your organization.

2. Context

It seems obvious, but make sure your picture works in the larger context of your organization’s brand. Make sure your image is on brand in all ways. It should fit your organization’s personality and convey the right message.

Photos stir emotions, so make sure you’re stirring the right ones. The image’s mood should match both the blog topic and your brand. An upbeat post with a gloomy photo makes as much sense as ice cream on pizza.

3. Composition

Can you make out the details at the size you will use the image? What about when it gets even smaller when you share the link on Facebook? If the licensing allows you to modify the image, crop the picture to zoom in on the essential detail you’re after. Images that follow the Rule of Thirds often carry more compositional and emotional clout (though rules are made to be broken).

Your reader’s eyes will follow the eyes of a person, so consider choosing a photo, or editing it, so that the person in your photo faces the body of your blog post. Design Shack has many more fantastic tips on designing with faces.

Of course, avoid bad quality photography. Make sure that objects that should be in focus are, that the scene has enough light and contrast, and that the image isn’t pixilated.

4. Copyright

This is the Golden Rule of using photos. Use only those photos where the photographer has granted reuse rights. Use the website’s search settings so you only see reuse-allowed or Creative Commons-licensed photos. When in doubt, reach out to the photographer and get permission, and always give credit where credit is due.

5. Chutzpah

Be (at least a little bit) gutsy in the photo you select for your blog. It will help get you noticed, which will do wonders for getting you read. Use an image that stands out, adds humor, or kicks the emotional impact up a notch. Go for some drama—big gestures, bold colors, quirky subjects, an abstract shot, an unexpected angle, a fascinating detail.

6. Cliché – The C to Avoid!

You know the ones: the handshake close up, the child holding a sprouting seedling, the stock photo people with Stepford Wives smiles. It can sometimes seem near impossible to avoid cliché images, especially if you’re stuck with stock photography. But, there’s often a hidden gem if you search a little deeper, or apply a little chutzpah.

(image courtesy Flickr user rorymunro, Creative Commons)
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Lauren Girardin is LightBox Collaborative’s tactical curator. When she’s not helping do-gooders pick the right photo for their blog, website, or presentation, she’s clicking away with her camera in foreign lands and in San Francisco’s Mission District.

Finding images for your digital or print project can seem like a daunting task. You need an image that fills the allotted space, reinforces your message, looks good, and toughest of all, fits the budget. Since most do-gooder’s photo budgets are non-existent, you might think your odds of finding the right image are zero to none.

Don’t sweat it—the internet provides. There are dozens of sites with free-to-use or cheap images, most with smart keyword searching to help winnow your choices. Plus, if you’re a nonprofit or philanthropic organization, your work is likely non-commercial, opening up a larger library of images to choose from.

Before you go on the hunt, it’s important to first understand licensing, model releases, and attribution.

Licensing

Always check the licensing terms of any image you’d like to use. Make sure you read up on the different types of Creative Commons licensing, one of the most common ways for labeling free images for reuse. Public domain (a.k.a. “really old”) and royalty free images (i.e., pay once and use it forever) are also worth considering.

Unless you are given explicit, written permission, never use a copyrighted image. If discovered, best case you’ll be asked to remove the image. Worst case, you’ll hear from a lawyer. It’s better to just not go there.

Model Releases

Associating someone or something (like a product) with your organization, through use of their photo, in a way that implies endorsement could come back to bite you. Particularly if your organization works on controversial issues or gets deep in the political trenches, you’ll want to secure model releases.

If you can’t identify the person shown in the photo, if it was taken in a public place, or if you’re using it in an editorial or satirical way, you’re probably okay without a release. This can be a very sticky area. It’s up to your organization (and its lawyers) to determine exactly what policies it will follow. Many stock photography sites guarantee their model releases.

Attribution

Always give credit—and a link if possible—where credit is due. Even when not required, it’s guaranteed good karma to give attribution to an artist or photographer. It’s also an easy way to thank someone who has given their creativity to you for free, and lets them see where their work has been appreciated and used.

Now to the fun part: The hunt!

Sites for free images:

• Flickr Advanced Search – With more 4 billion images as of 2009, you’re bound to find an image or fifty on Flickr. Great for photos from real life. Be extra diligent about usage rights, as many of Flickr’s users copyright their photos. When in doubt, contact the photographer. In your search, be sure to click the box to “Only search within Creative Commons-licensed content.”
• Google Advanced Search – Good ol’ Google. Qualify your search by picking “labeled for reuse” under “Usage Rights.”
• Wikimedia Commons – Over 7 million free images, most in the public domain. However, since it’s a wiki-based site, you’re relying on the person who uploaded the photo to have gotten the usage rights right.
• denisok – Thousands of images on transparent background, which are especially useful for Powerpoints or when you need to add an object to a scene. The site search is mediocre, so bring patience along on your hunt.
• stock.xchng – Though the keyword quality could be better, their nearly 400,000 stock photos are worth browsing if you’ve come up empty elsewhere. Caution: the site may try to tempt you with pay-images from partner sites.
• Public Domain Sherpa – Has an extensive list of mostly government sites with public domain photos. Useful for historical, cultural, and military images.

Sites if you have a little budget:

• New York Public Library Digital Gallery – Fascinating selection of historic images. Nonprofits and anyone using the images for anything beyond personal or research uses should pay a small usage fee.
• iStockphoto – Get your cheap, royalty-free stock photos and vector art here. Depending on image size and the photographer’s clout, images run between 1 and 70 credits, with credits costing about $1 each.
• Shutterstock – Their subscription service is perfect for big projects that need lots of high-resolution images, like a website redesign or annual report. Some images don’t come with model releases, so check the licensing carefully.

(image courtesy Flickr user dj badly, Creative Commons)
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Lauren Girardin is LightBox Collaborative’s tactical curator, helping clients strategically apply their branding and messaging in interactive venues like websites, presentations, and social media. She’s currently selecting hundreds of photos for a family foundation website.