When posting images on your website or blog, you must be careful not to step on the copyright rights of others. Violating a copyright can be costly. Getty Images and others use software to persistently scour the internet looking for violations of their images, and contacting the sites who posted them.
Of course, “fair use” often allows for posting images owned by others. But there is never a definite answer to a fair use calculation – unless there is a lawsuit and court involved. When using an image under the belief that fair use permits it, it is always safest to note the source of the photo when posting it, and to link to the source as well.
The safest use of images or pictures on your blog or website is to only use those which have been cleared for use. The sites below offer free images where the usage provisions expressly allow other to generally post and use them. (Of course, you should read the terms of use on the sites for details.)
Wikimedia Commons
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Free_media_resources/Photography
freeimages http://www.freeimages.com/
buffersocial article: 54+ Free Image Sources For Your Blog and Social Media Posts
PHOTO PIN www.photopin.com
