Research Guides: English, Literature & Writing (UNH Durham): ENGL 650

Finding Photographs

Photographs in Library Resources

ArtStor: https://library.artstor.org/#/

Photographs on the Web

Photographs posted openly on the web are not necessarily in the public domain and free to use.

To find reusable images:

Use images from a site devoted to public domain works.

Find images labeled for scholarly reuse via Google Advanced Image Search or Creative Commons Search
- For Google Advanced Image Search, under "Usage Rights" select a category that allows reuse, e.g. "free to use or share"

Consider images created by the US government (.gov), which are generally, though not always, in the public domain

Photography Repositories

Try a few of these photography repositories:

Copyright

Copying, modifying, displaying or distributing the work of others may require determining if

the work is in the public domain,
whether your use of it is covered by fair use (or another exemption)
whether permission needs to be obtained from the copyright owner

The links below provide general information but not legal advice.

Copyright Crash Course (version 2)
Tutorial on copyright created by Georgia Harper, University of Texas System
Copyright & Fair Use
Prepared by the Stanford University Libraries. This part of their site provides a detailed overview.

Using Images Legally and Ethically

Special Restrictions When Using Photographs (from MIT: https://libguides.mit.edu/usingimages)

Photographs of people may involve rights of privacy or may be considered publicity. State and/or federal laws could limit the use of a person's likeness.

Consider:

Using photographs of people taken in larger public scenes
Avoiding photographs of famous people, or people engaging in private activities
Being aware that publicity rights limit commercial uses

Photographs of works of art may involve the rights of the work's creator/copyright holder.

Consider:

Using photographs of 2-D public domain works -- these are usually not protected by copyright

Buildings designed after Dec. 1, 1990 are copyrighted.

Consider:

Using photographs taken from a public place