SHIFT's eLearning Blog

Our blog provides the best practices, tips, and inspiration for corporate training, instructional design, eLearning and mLearning.

To visit the Spanish blog, click here
    All Posts

    Our Top Picks for Where to Find the Best Free Images for eLearning


    It can be challenging to find images for your eLearning courses that are stunning, high-resolution and most importantly, free. With the availability of current resources, it’s no longer necessary to use clip art or the type of generic (or cliché) images that make training look dated.

    Whether you lack the skill or simply the time to create the images for your eLearning courses, we have compiled a list, of what we consider the best free stock photos on the Internet right now. Each of the following websites contains free high-resolution images that can be used for personal and commercial use.

    We encourage your to visit and bookmark any (or all) of these sites today!


    free-images.jpg

    1. Fancy Crave

    Fancy Crave has an extensive gallery of photos submitted by multiple photographers around the world. The website is updated with two new photos each day, and you can sign up to receive new photos emailed to you on a weekly basis. Pictures can be downloaded free of copyright without signing up. Fancy Crave also offers photo packs that include several photos in one theme, such as a nautical pack.

    fancy crave

    2. DesignersPics

    DesignersPics has a gallery of around 250 high-resolution photos across multiple categories. No signup is required to download a photo. While attribution for photos is not required, it is appreciated.

    DesignersPics.com.jpg

    3. Pexels

    Pexels has over 3,800 free stock photos compiled from a variety of online sources. Up to 70 new images are added each week. This website allows you to search multiple sources in order to find the perfect image for your courses. No attribution is required.

    Pexels

     

    4. Startup Stock Photos

    Startup Stock Photos contains general yet stylized images intended for use by start-up or small organizations. The images are relevant for business and technology related content. The photos are free to download and do not require attribution.

    starupstockphotos

    5. Splitshire

    Splitshire contains very high-quality photos from a single photographer (Daniel Nanescu). The focus is on landscape and people but there are several other categories available. All photos are free to download, and a premium service allows you to access a greater number of images for $20/year.

    splitshire

    6. Negative Space

    Negative Space has a small gallery of high-quality photos with up to 20 photos added each week. The website contains filters that allow you to sort images by category, copy space, and color. There are no copyright restrictions on any images.

    negativespace.co1.jpg

    7. Stocksnap

    Stocksnap’s gallery includes a collection of 25,000 different images from all over the Internet. Hundreds of new photos are added each week, and there are no copyright restrictions. You can search images by what’s trending, date added and number of views. This website can save you time when looking for course images since it compiles photos from multiple sources.

    stocksnap.io

    8. Gratisography

    Gratisography contains very high-quality photos from a single photographer. New pictures across multiple categories are added weekly. Check out the Whimsical category to find images that will add humor to your courses. Attribution is not required, but it is appreciated.

    gratisography.com.jpg

    9. Life of Pix

    Life of Pix contains a gallery of 700 images that are updated weekly. This is an excellent website if you are looking for nature or landscape images. Life of Pix has videos that are also copyright free on their counterpart site, Life of Vids.

    TRAVEL__LEISURE-1.jpg

    10. Stocka

    Stocka has high-resolution photos across over 20 categories. There is an option to become a member but its not required in order to download images. The photos are beautiful, and the gallery is updated weekly.

    stocka

    11. Epicantus

    Epicantus is a large gallery of inanimate objects, including architecture and urban landscapes. New photos are regularly added. A unique feature of this website is the ability to request specific photos.

    epicantus

    12. Realistic Shots

    Realistic Shots is an easy to use website with categories such as architecture, nature, people, travel, and technology. Seven new photos are added each week. All images are free to download, but donations are accepted.

    realisticshots.com.jpg

    13. Find a Photo

    Find A Photo specializes in searching images by color. The photos are collected from other sources, and there are currently 4,000 photos available. A majority of the images do not have copyright restrictions, but you should check the specific image you are interested in before downloading.

    finda.photo-i.jpg

    14. Flickr

    Flickr contains free stock photos for designers. Photos can be searched by key word or color. Many artists ask for their work to be credited so check each image before downloading. Flickr requires an account in order to download images.

    flickr.com.jpg

    15. Freepik

    Freepik collects images and graphics from across the web and saves you time from searching multiple sites. New items are added daily, and all images are free for download. You can mark items as favorites, and promotions are available if you chose to purchase design packages, plugins or special fonts.

    freepik

    16. Hubspot

    Hubspot is a marketing platform that offers a collection of royalty-free images that can be used for multiple types of design. The gallery includes frequently searched for photo keywords from other websites. All photos are free with no copyright restrictions.

    hubspot free photos


    Other sites you might also want to check out:

    Armed with this list of free stock photos you are only limited by your creativity!

      eLearning icons


     

    Karla Gutierrez
    Karla Gutierrez
    Karla is an Inbound Marketer @Aura Interactiva, the developers of SHIFT. ES:Karla is an Inbound Marketer @Aura Interactiva, the developers of SHIFT.

    Related Posts

    6 Proven Principles to Create Memorable eLearning Courses

    Picture this: You've invested countless hours in creating a brilliant, engaging eLearning course. It's chock full of relevant information, interesting modules, and interactive quizzes. You've done your part, but there's one question that haunts you as you stare at your masterpiece:"Will my learners remember any of this a month from now?" It's a fair question. After all, the true measure of successful training is not just the initial understanding, but also the longevity of the knowledge imparted. So, how do we ensure that the valuable information you're providing sticks in the minds of your workforce long after they've logged off the learning platform? Understanding how human memory works is pivotal in this quest. But to truly elevate your eLearning strategies, we need to delve into the ways that can help learners not only acquire but also retain new knowledge effectively. This pursuit leads us to six key premises that can transform your eLearning from a fleeting moment of instruction to a memorable learning journey. Join us as we navigate the fascinating world of learning retention, tapping into cognitive science, cutting-edge research, and proven strategies to help your workforce remember what they've learned. For training leaders like you, this blog will be your guidebook, transforming the way you think about eLearning and its potential to empower your workforce in a whole new way.

    How To Avoid Designing Cluttered eLearning Screens

    How many times have you found yourself sitting through a course, feeling bewildered and lost because you couldn't determine what to focus on? And how often have you strained your eyes during a presentation, attempting to decipher the minuscule content squeezed into a tiny space at the bottom of the screen, from your distant seat in the fifth row? Unfortunately, these dreadful experiences are all too familiar. Even the most well-intentioned instructional designers have been guilty of creating cluttered and chaotic eLearning screens, where the intended message gets drowned amidst a chaotic mix of images, icons, text, charts, and graphs. This mishmash of visual elements not only overwhelms the screen but also tests the patience of learners, hindering their ability to grasp meaningful concepts from the course. To alleviate this issue, here are seven effective strategies to help you declutter your eLearning screens:

    9 Ways to Use Video in Your Online Training Courses

    In today's digital age, attention spans are becoming shorter, and learners crave captivating content that resonates with them. That's why incorporating video into eLearning courses has become more vital than ever before. It's not just a trend; it's a transformational tool that L&D leaders must embrace to engage their learners and drive meaningful knowledge retention