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Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

Use of stock image on book cover?

Asked by: Carol Holliday

Stock photos are cheap, but not appropriate for use on book covers. If you use a stock photo, you’ll end up with a less original and impactful cover, you’ll be legally and financially vulnerable, and you’ll run the risk of your image appearing on a competing book.

Can I use free stock photos for my book?

You can find images, graphics, and videos for personal or business use for free. Even though you can use the images for free, you are still bound by the terms of use. Many will require attribution to the artist, among other things. Please read the specifications for the photo you wish to use.

Can you use Shutterstock for book cover?

A: Yes! If you subscribe to one of our popular Standard License plans, you can use images on almost any print product, with a limit of 500,000 copies. A Standard License allows image usage on: Editorial or advertising in magazines, newspapers, books, book covers, textbooks, editorials and directories.

Can I use a Creative Commons image on a book cover?

Creative Commons

These are free to obtain, however you must check if the image that you intend on using has any attribution requirements that has been licensed under the license terms.

Can I use Google images for my book cover?

Longer answer: Yes, you may use images described by Google as being free for “reuse and modification” in your book cover, if… there are no other, non-copyright issues (such as, notably, respecting the personality rights of any people appearing in the image) that might prevent you from using the image.

Is it OK to use Shutterstock images?

Yes! You can use Shutterstock images on websites without any restrictions on the number of viewers or hits on the website. Under the Standard License, images can also be used in web video without regard to audience size, provided that the production budget is less than $10,000 USD.

Is Shutterstock copyright free?

It’s a Royalty Free License

Shutterstock operates on the basis of a Royalty-Free license agreement, meaning the fee you pay for an image (whether it is via a stock photo subscription or if you purchase on-demand packs) is the one and the only fee you’ll ever pay for it.

How can you avoid copyright infringement with images?

The only way to avoid copyright infringement is to create original work or by getting permission to use it. Ultimately the only way to know that you have changed enough of the copyrighted image is to get sued. Once in court, the judge will decide if there was enough change between the original work and yours.

How do I know if an image is copyrighted?

How to check the copyright for an image?

  1. Look for an image credit or contact details.
  2. Look for a watermark.
  3. Check the image’s metadata.
  4. Do a Google reverse image search.
  5. Search the U.S. Copyright Office Database.
  6. +1. If in doubt, don’t use it.



How can I legally use copyrighted images?

If you reproduce, publish or distribute a copyrighted work (or a work derived from a copyrighted work) without permission or a valid license – that’s copyright infringement. If you want to use an image that’s copyright protected, first get a license or permission to use it from the creator.

Are stock photos copyrighted?

Royalty-free images are copyrighted, meaning the author of the image retains its ownership. When you buy a license from a stock photo agency, you get Royalty-free copyrights, that enable you as a buyer to use the photo but under certain conditions.

What happens if you use an image without permission?

When an image has copyright protection, no one else can use the image without the owner giving permission. With these rules in place, you need to assume that there is copyright attached to any image you come across. Otherwise, you may face a court order, fines, or escalated legal action.

Can I use copyrighted images if I give credit?

No, it is not legal – you need permission to use a photograph that is not yours – either explicit permission from the image owner, or if the photo has been licenced using a creative commons (cc) licence (which may have various stipulations to abide by).

Can I take a picture of a book and post it?

Book covers ARE copyrighted, but you can post them as fair use because you’re giving commentary or criticism about the book. If you used the book cover to create the cover for own book, however, you’d be violating copyright. You can also use book illustrations as long as they’re necessary for making your point.



What is fair use of images?

Fair use allows certain uses of copyrighted works without obtaining permission from the copyright owner. Fair use allows copying of copyrighted material in an educational setting, such as a teacher or a student using images in the classroom.

Can Google images be used without permission?

17. Can I take an image from Google search? You cannot download or use images from Google without seeking permission from the copyright holder, unless your use falls within one of the exceptions or the work is distributed under an open licence such as Creative Commons.

What images can I use without copyright?

Discover six types of images and how to use them online.

  • Use Public Domain Images (a.k.a. ‘No Copyright’ Images) Public Domain images have no copyright because: …
  • Use Creative Commons Images. …
  • Use Stock Photos. …
  • Use Your Own Images. …
  • Use Social Media Images Only with Permission. …
  • Avoid Using GIFs.

Are Creative Commons images free to use?

Images licensed under Creative Commons Zero which means you can copy, modify, distribute and use the photos for free, including commercial purposes, without asking permission from or providing attribution to the photographer or Unsplash.



How do I avoid copyright on Google Images?

Learn: How to Avoid Copyright Images

  1. Understanding Copyright Law. …
  2. Don’t Take Any Images From the Internet. …
  3. Take Images Free From Public Domain. …
  4. Download From Google Changing ‘Usage Right’ …
  5. Be Creative. …
  6. Don’t Trust on “Fair Use” …
  7. Receive Permission. …
  8. Give Credit.

What images can I use for free on Google?

Luckily there are many places you can find good quality images, which you can use for completely free.

  • Google image search – filter by usage rights. …
  • Flickr Creative Commons. …
  • Unsplash. …
  • Morguefile. …
  • FreeImages.com. …
  • OpenPhoto. …
  • Create your own images.

Are Pinterest images copyright free?

Except in unusual cases, Pinterest is not the copyright holder in the images that users pin on the site. Where necessary, you should get permission to use an image from its copyright owner.