Save Money, Get Great Images: Free Commercial Use Resources

Did you know that some of the world’s most iconic advertisements use stock images for commercial use? For example, AlamapBBDO, a Brazilian ad agency, used stock photos from Getty Images to create their Endless Possibilities campaign in 2016. The advertising campaign combined photos of random people’s faces to recreate portraits of famous people such as the Dalai Lama and Pope Francis.

Most creative agencies prefer altering stock images in most of their work. This is because it allows them to create campaigns for different companies much faster at affordable costs. Keep reading to find out how to get free images for commercial use in your next project.

Part 1: Download images in loyalty-free sites

Several sites offer free images for commercial use as part of their services. In addition, you do not need to register an account to download the images. The sites typically rely on user contributions and content teams to ensure their databases are fresh and maintain consistent quality. Furthermore, all creative assets they offer fall under the creative commons zero license or a variation of it. Here are some of the sites that offer you images for commercial use for free.

1. Pexels

Pexels.com is a free-to-use provider of high-resolution photos and videos for aspiring creators. The German-based website was started in 2014 by two brothers and has been under the Canva umbrella since 2018.

Currently, the website hosts over 3.2 million images and videos from over 250,000 active contributors. In addition, all the material you find in its library is under the Pexels license, which slightly varies from the creative commons zero license model. Some of the restrictions it enforces include:

You can only use pexels images for commercial use after making alterations to the original image. For example, you can use part of an image to create a collage for your commercial branding.
Furthermore, you cannot use any of the website’s content to promote political ideologies and explicit content, especially if the images contain identifiable subjects.

Pexels is available through the following channels:

Your web browser by typing the URL pexels.com.
The Android and iOS app.
A plugin for other content creation software such as Google Slides and MS Office.
An extension on your Chrome browser.
You can also access the database using the official Canva app.

2. Unsplash

Another website that offers free images for commercial use is Unsplash, a subsidiary of Getty Images since 2021. The website is a favorite among creators boasting over 16 billion photo impressions monthly. In addition, the database consists of over 3.48 million photos from more than 265,000 unique contributors, all under the Unsplash license.

The Unsplash license restricts the sale of its creative assets without incorporating new creative elements, including using them in print media and physical goods such as mugs and caps.

You can access Unsplash from your web browser or request API integration for your application from the site’s owners. In addition, the site also hosts photo walks across different cities, where Unsplash guides show you the best photo locations around the city and the best camera techniques for your work. Some cities to host the event include Boston, Montreal, Tokyo, and Toronto.

3. Freerange

Freerange Stock is an online resource for photos, illustrations, and textures you can download and use for commercial and non-commercial purposes. Since 2007, the site has continued to provide high-quality images to its community of over 800,000 registered users.

Unlike the previous examples, all content on Freerange falls under the website’s Equalicense. It grants you broad commercial rights of its stock images while allowing the contributors to retain control of their copyright, image resale, and distribution. As such, you cannot use the images for bulk distribution or print-on-demand works.

Freerange Stock maintains its steady supply of images for commercial use via the following methods:

It has an in-house team of professional photographers who upload images across the different categories on the website.
Freerange Stock also purchases image rights or directly commissions photos from independent creators.
You can also contribute to the website’s library by voluntarily submitting your work to the platform. Kindly note that you will need a verified account to enable this function.
The website also works directly with photographers through a licensing and distribution model, providing them extra exposure on the site.
Finally, Freerange stock aggregates public domain images from other sources, including similar sites and government institutions. It does so by acknowledging the image owner and sometimes lists the image source when the owner is unknown.

Freerange Stock is accessible through your web browser or as an API integration on your app.

4. Vecteezy

Vecteezy is an extensive online library of free stock images for commercial use. Some of the site’s highlight features include the following:

A best-in-class search engine that incorporates multiple filters to ensure your results are extremely accurate. For example, you can sort images by color, style, number of people, and age of the subjects, something other free stock websites do not provide.
All images, videos, and vector illustrations are free for personal and commercial uses. It does so through a property sign and release model with its extensive network of contributors, which protects users from any legal liabilities.
Finally, it employs a content team that manually reviews each photo submission to ensure consistent quality standards for its offerings.

In addition, you can also purchase design resource bundles by subscribing to its Vecteezy pro for as little as $9 monthly. Some of the resources available include the Ultimate Text Effects Layer Styles Bundle for Photoshop, which costs $39 stand-alone or $4.50 when you subscribe to pro.

Part 2: Buy from stock providers

Another way to get images for commercial use is by buying them from stock providers. Some of the benefits of buying images from stock providers include:

You get a wide selection of unique photos from top-tier photographers. Stock providers always seek collaborations with the industry’s finest to edge out the competition.
You receive exemplary customer service with your purchase. Selecting the right image can be confusing for amateur creators. As such, stock image providers have customer support channels to help you throughout your creative process.
Stock images reduce your delivery times significantly. Buying images from a stock provider eliminates the need to invest in photography equipment and the time you need for post-production. As such, you can deliver projects in a fast and cost-effective way.

Despite the above positive, here are some challenges that buying stock images may present:

Not all stock image providers will have the creative assets you need.
Image overuse is likely since every creator will rush for the most popular contributor.

Below are some of the stock image providers you should consider.

1. iStock

iStockphoto.com is an online database of creative resources, including royalty-free photos, videos, audio, illustrations, and clip art you can use in your creations. The website is a Getty Images subsidiary based in Calgary, Canada. In addition, contributors earn royalties depending on how often users download their content.

2. Alamy.com

Alamy.com is a British-owned stock image provider with contributions from photographers and agencies in 173 countries. It compensates its contributors by offering higher than average payouts every time users download their creations. Some popular brands to use Alamy’s services include M&C Saatchi, Microsoft, and The Economist.

Part 3: Shot a Photo by yourself or create one with editing tools

Alternatively, you can get images for commercial use by shooting them yourself or creating them with editing tools such as Figma and Wondershare’s Filmstock. Here are some benefits of using this method:

You get exactly what you want, provided you have the required skills and equipment. Sometimes, getting the right image for your commercial purpose can be challenging. As such, shooting an original photo may be the only option.
You have full ownership of the image.

Unlike obtaining images from stock photography websites, you are free to use the image in whatever capacity you please without any restrictions. For example, sites such as Unsplash do not allow you to use their images in political statements, a restriction you can bypass when using your own creations.

However, you should also consider the following factors when using this method.

It requires a substantial investment

Getting high-quality images for commercial purposes requires specialist equipment. For example, the Panasonic LUMIX GH6 camera, which has 4K resolution capability, costs $2,197 on Amazon. This makes it extremely expensive for amateur creators.

There is a steep learning curve

Becoming a professional photographer takes time and effort. Unless you are creating as a hobby, it will be a while before you can start generating income from your creations.

Part 4: FAQs

1. Do you need a contributor account to get images for commercial use?

Not necessarily. Stock image sites like pexels.com allow you to download images from their website without creating an account. You will only need one if you want to showcase your work on the platform.

2. Can you use your smartphone to get images for commercial use?

Yes. Most stock image providers have device-specific apps that allow you to access their databases from your mobile device. For example, UnsplashPhotoPicker allows you access to the Unsplash library from your Android device.

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Top 3 MKV Trimmer for Mac 2023

Trim MKV Files with the Best MKV Trimmer on Mac

Ollie Mattison

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Sometimes, videos downloaded from the internet can be way too lengthy, with quite a few unwanted parts. These videos often have an MKV file format and need to be trimmed! Editing unnecessary parts within an MKV video will make it more appealing. If you are a MacBook user, you may not find a lot of video trimmers out there that do the job right. To trim MKV mac video, you need intuitive software with a user-friendly interface. A suitable video trimmer with additional editing features is a jackpot for users who create video content often. In this article, we will suggest some easy-to-use video trimmers to make this task simple for you. Keep reading!

Part 1: Top 3 MKV Trimmers to Trim MKV Files on Mac

There is not much information available out there about the MKV trimmer for Mac. However, we did some research to find out a few MKV trimmers that work exceptionally well. Here you go:

1. Wondershare Filmora for Mac

Wondershare Filmora for Mac is one of the most used software for MKV trimming as it has a lot of customizable options to cut a video into smaller parts. You can trim video to any length and size according to your preference. Filmora also has an advanced feature through which you can cut out repetition automatically.

Wondershare Filmora has both advanced and basic tools that work exceptionally well to create compelling videos. It has an audio ducking feature that one can use to manage sound within the video. You can use advanced features to make your content unique and of exceptional quality.

Among many unique features, its presets for various parameters make it easy to use even for beginners. With the use of royalty-free visuals, you can enhance the quality of the output file significantly. Filmora is fantastic for MKV trimming and has great editing tools to make videos highly professional.

Features

Filmora has an audio ducking feature through which audio fades automatically to highlight dialogues.
Its ability to cut out repetition is commendable as it makes the editing process faster and more professional.
The royalty-free visual effects enhance the video quality and make it stand out amongst other videos.
Through color grading, you can correct the video tone and make it even brighter.
The speed control helps make the video shorter as you can speed up the time-lapse and slow down unique shots.
Filmora also allows you to track moving objects in your video and edit elements to it.

Pros

Color grading
AI portrait
Cloud-based storage
Cuts out repetition
Audio ducking
Green screen effect
Royalty-free visual effects

Cons

The free version contains the watermark

2. Avidemux

Avidemux is known for its simple interface, which contributes to an easy splitting of videos without ruining the quality. With the simple drag and drop motion, you can edit videos without putting in much effort. The editing tools menu on the left side is ideal for selecting tools and applying them to the video.

Avidemux is not only an exceptional software for cropping and trimming videos but also has de-noising filters. The spartan interface has to be one of its unique features as it makes importing videos and photos easier. You can add transitions to the video after cropping to make the video look smooth.

People love to use this software to cut MKV files as it maintains the quality. You can trim the videos with high precision and not lose any significant parts from the actual footage. The software is frequently updated with modern tools to help create aesthetically pleasing videos.

You may also interested in: How to edit with Avidemux

Pros

Easy to trim MKV videos
Functions with various platforms
Automated scripts
Different presets

Cons

No keyboard shortcuts

3. MKVtools

MKVtools are one of the best cross-platform tools that you can use for both Windows and Mac. Through this software, a user can edit, trim, merge, inspect, and mix videos. It has a user-friendly interface through which you can edit videos to make them smaller in size.

MKVtools is easily a user’s most preferred choice as they have all the tools to make a video appear attractive. You can use it to add subtitles, add slow motion, fasten the video and do so much more using the editing tool. The trim MKV tool on mac supports various kinds of formats and can hold multiple audio and video files. The toolbox has various open-source utilities to make the final output HD-quality. Want to know the best part? The error and repetition detection functions are ideal for editing video without losing quality.

Pros

Holds limitless audio and video files
Open-Source utilities
HD-quality video editing
Cross-platform tool

Cons

Complicated to use for beginners

Part 2: Trim MKV on Mac with Filmora

Filmora is one of the best and intuitive tools to edit and trim MKV Mac files. The process to cut out unwanted parts is very easy. You can easily trim any MKV file regardless of its size, even if you are a beginner. Here are easy steps to trim the MKV file with Filmora quickly:

Step 1: Import MKV video from your Mac

The first step to edit an MKV video is to import it into the tool for editing. Click on the File option in the toolbar and tap the import button. Select the MKV file from your Mac and click import to upload the file on Filmora.

Step 2: Trim MKV video

After uploading the video, split it into a few frames and zoom in by moving the slider as much as you want. Left-click on the frame you want to edit and tap on the split option to create further segments.

Step 3: Save and edit MKV video

You can also adjust the video size and make it smaller while maintaining the quality. Tap crop and zoom by clicking right to adjust the frame. Click ok when you are done and save the video.

Trim MKV quickly with touch bar

Spending time editing and trimming MKV files can be annoying, especially if you have to go through extended footage. You can quickly cut video from the touch bar if you have a MacBook pro. Resizing one video multiple times has never been easy, but you can do it quickly with the touch bar function.

Open the video preview by double-clicking on the video in the media archives file. Choose endpoint and source by clicking on the icon. Finally, cut the segment to resize the video and keep repeating the process until you are happy with the size.

Part 3: Final words

MKV files are lengthy and probably have a lot of footage that you should trim. However, the lack of experience and proper knowledge of MKV trimmer mac tools can make this simple task challenging. We have discussed how to trim MKV files with the best MKV trimmer on Mac. The process is quite simple and easy and works well for both professionals and beginners. We hope you find our suggestions easy to follow and use them to optimize your video editing skills.

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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