Reference Gathering
Methods for discovering images for reference or use in work.
Image Recon
Finding Images of a Certain License
| Search Engine | Query |
|---|---|
Google |
Images > [search-query] > Tools > Usage Rights > [license] |
DuckDuckGo |
[search-query] > Images > All Licenses > [license] (Free to Modify, Share, and Use commercially) |
Social Media
Social media sites often have their own search syntax, taking Reddit for example:
https://www.reddit.com/wiki/search/
author:<user> subreddit:<subreddit> "<query>"
Discovery Process
EXAMPLE: You're tasked with creating an image with multiple subjects at a high angle.
- Search literally
- e.g. 'high angle'
Searching the usual asset repositories with queries for high angle, birds eye view, or overhead doesn't yeild anything immediately usable.
How else can we think about this to solve the problem?
- Search abstractly
- 'parkour'
- 'skateboarding'
- 'breakdance'
Thinking like this will open new paths in your search.
Real Locations
https://www.google.com/maps can provide granular insights into a real location.
Use Street View by clicking the 'Pegman' in the bottom right of the maps web UI. Streets or locations with image data will be highlighted. Clicking on any highlighted section of a street allows you to navigate them as if you were there, as well as certain internal locations where either Google or a user has captured and submitted image data.
Keep in mind most of these images are subject to copyright or other terms, and should only be used as reference or a proof of concept.
Product Assets
Sometimes you'll be tasked with work containing an existing product, but the client doesn't have any assets for you to work with aside from those in a deck.
In cases like these the references from a deck may already be in situ (e.g. in a frame) and at an angle that isn't what you need.
Using any 2022 vehicle model + manufacturer as an example; you already know the following:
- Exact type or version of the product
- Maker of the product
- How the product should look
To solve this, query the product manufacturer's website directly using google / duckduckgo search syntax:
- site:
manufacturer.com filetype:png - site:
manufacturer.com filetype:jpg - site:
manufacturer.com filetype:gif - site:
manufacturer.com filetype:jpeg - "
model" site:manufacturer.com - "
model" "2022" site:manufacturer.com - "
model" "interior" site:manufacturer.com - "
model" "exterior" site:manufacturer.com
You want to obtain these assets directly from the product / manufacturer's website.
Why?
While not ideal it's the best option you have to gather the required assets when they are not provided.
This is not a perfect solution, there may be cases where a client, product manufacturer, or otherwise may not have limitless rights to the imagery on their own site.
EXAMPLE: If an individual or entity photographs their own vehicle and shares that on social media, the copyright to the image is technically that individual's and not the manufacturer's.
Always check with your point of contact before beginning, for usage requirements and availability of assets.
Image Sets
Direct links to useful or consistent image sets (to prevent hours of searching)
This table is only an example that may or may not grow over time.
Create your own reference library to save you time and keep you focused on the visual problem solving!
| Tags | Links |
|---|---|
| Unsplash - Keyword Trends | https://unsplash.com/trends |
| Unsplash - Awards by Category | https://unsplash.com/awards |
| Laptop, Work, People | https://unsplash.com/@surface/collections |
| Pexels - Most Popular | https://www.pexels.com/leaderboard/all-time/ |
| Devices, Work, Individual | https://www.pexels.com/collections/stock-market-5ycwb79/ |
| Numerous Photosets | https://www.pexels.com/@pavel-danilyuk/collections/ |
| Office, Teamwork, 4K, Video | https://www.pexels.com/@fauxels/?sort_by=popularity |
Image Licensing:
Obtain and archive a copy of the license agreement to every asset purchased, or service you use to generate imagery for commercial / personal work
For example, keep a spreadsheet of assets and sources, or even a simple note with a template of asset, filename, source uri, and license information, which you can reuse for each project to track these.
The following licenses are examples of what you'll want to look for when sourcing or buying assets to use in your work. The Photobash.co license is a particularly great example of the wording you may need to cover your usage requirements.
Keep in mind these licenses were quoted directly at the time this section was created. The exact wording may have changed.
Pexels License
- https://www.pexels.com/license
- https://www.pexels.com/terms-of-service/
For all Content made available for download on the Service, that is not CC0-Content or Sponsored Content, Pexels grants you an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to download, copy, modify, distribute, perform, and otherwise use the Content (this does not include Sponsored Content), including for commercial purposes, without attributing the photographer/ content owner or Pexels ("Pexels License"). The Content made available for download on the Service under the Pexels-License ("Pexels Content") is marked with the reference "Pexels License" next to the respective picture / content.
Unsplash License
- https://unsplash.com/license
- https://unsplash.com/terms
Unsplash grants you an irrevocable, nonexclusive, worldwide copyright license to download, copy, modify, distribute, perform, and use photos from Unsplash for free, including for commercial purposes, without permission from or attributing the photographer or Unsplash. This license does not include the right to compile photos from Unsplash to replicate a similar or competing service.
Photobash.co
- https://www.photobash.co/knowledge/license-agreement
- License Rights & Properties
Content purchased under any License Type grants the licensed user the following rights or contains the following properties:
- Royalty-Free: Rights to use the Content are paid once and there are no future fees or payable royalties to Photobash.
- Commercial: You may sell and distribute any commercial products or Creations made with the Content.
- Perpetual: There is no expiry or end date on your rights to use the Content once a License has been obtained.
- Worldwide: Licenses are granted worldwide without any imposed border restrictions or embargoes.
- Unlimited: Content can be used for any amount of commercial, non-commercial or educational purposes and projects.
- Non-Exclusive: You do not have exclusive rights to use the Content. Photobash reserves the right to license the same Content to other users.
- Ownership: You are not granted title or ownership to Content. The copyright to the Content remains with Photobash.
- No Editorial: Editorial usage of unmodified Content is not permitted under this License.
Content can be used freely and is intended for incorporated use in the following types of Creations: concept art, illustration, matte painting, video games, movies & film, television shows, CGI, 3D scenes and models, arch viz, pre-visualizations, VR products, graphic design, multimedia projects, advertising, presentations, mobile & web design, art books, event flyers, posters, brochures and any other digital or printed media where our Photos or Models are incorporated and do not comprise the primary value of the product's intended sale or distribution.
Pixabay License
- https://pixabay.com/service/terms/
License for Content – Pixabay License
Content on Pixabay is made available to you on the following terms ("Pixabay License"). Under the Pixabay License you are granted an irrevocable, worldwide, non-exclusive and royalty free right to use, download, copy, modify or adapt the Content for commercial or non-commercial purposes. Attribution of the photographer, videographer, musician or Pixabay is not required but is always appreciated.
The Pixabay License does not allow:
a. Sale or distribution of Content as digital Content or as digital wallpapers (such as on stock media websites or as NFTs);
b. Sale or distribution of Content e.g. as a posters, digital prints, music files or physical products, without adding any additional elements or otherwise adding value
c. Depiction of identifiable persons in an offensive, pornographic, obscene, immoral, defamatory or libelous way; or
d. Any suggestion that there is an endorsement of products and services by depicted persons, brands, vocalists and organisations, unless permission was granted.
Please be aware that while all Content on Pixabay is free to use for commercial and non-commercial purposes, items in the Content, such as identifiable people, logos, brands, audio samples etc. may be subject to additional copyrights, property rights, privacy rights, trademarks etc. and may require the consent of a third party or the license of these rights - particularly for commercial applications. Pixabay does not represent or warrant that such consents or licenses have been obtained, and expressly disclaims any liability in this respect.