How to (Legally) Use Stock Photography on Your Website
Unless you’re a professional photographer (or are best friends with one, or have the funds to commission regular photoshoots!), you’re likely in the position of needing to source high quality professional stock photography for your website.
Fortunately, there are two really simple and affordable ways to source professional stock photography directly from the back-end of your Squarespace website (my favorite website platform to build on!):
Squarespace stock photography options
Unsplash free stock photography
Unsplash is a collection of professional photography from photographers around the world—all available for free download under a creative commons license. This means you can use their photos for any personal or commercial purpose, for free, without crediting Unsplash or the photographer. (Pretty sweet!)
One of the things I love about Unsplash photography is that it is notably non-“stock-y.” As you’ve likely seen, much stock photography looks a bit staged and fake, which is usually not the branding aesthetic you’re going for.
Unsplash is also directly integrated with Squarespace, so you can easily search for specific images within Squarespace and pull them right into your website or blog. (Extra sweet!)
Just click Search for image in any image block or image editor. Search for your desired image by keyword, browse the database of options, and click to add to your website. Once added to your website you can crop or add effects to the image as desired.
Getty Images paid stock photography
Squarespace also has a direct integration with Getty Images, a paid stock photography source that sells image licensing for $10 per image.
In your Squarespace image editor, you can also search for Getty images by clicking the Premium tab in your Image Search feature (which you can find in any image block, banner or blog post image editor).
Though you’ll be required to purchase licensing for an individual Getty image to use it on your website, you’re able to preview the image on your site to determine if it works for you before you purchase.
💸 Use code PARTNER10 for 10% off Squarespace
This post contains affiliate links through which I may earn a commission if you choose to purchase, at no additional cost to you. As always, these are products or services I personally use & love!
Tips for using stock photography on your Squarespace website
When using stock photography on your Squarespace website, you’ll want to be sure to follow a few important legal and aesthetic guidelines:
1. Only use photos you have explicit rights to
“Borrowing” photos you like from Google image search is a no-no.
Photographs are protected under copyright law and should not re-used without the owner’s consent (even if you give them credit).
The best way to use other people’s imagery on your website is to either purchase the right to use it (how most stock photography works, like Getty Images—though this can get expensive), or simply stick to photography that is shared under a creative commons license (like Unsplash).
2. Know your aesthetic & be consistent
Know your photography aesthetic and stay consistent in it across your website.
Though it can certainly change over time, at any given time the imagery on your site should feel relatively cohesive—and should contribute to the overall look and feeling of your brand.
It can be helpful to develop a brand style guide to outline the imagery aesthetic you’ll be using for your brand.
3. Be intentional in your searching
Sourcing appropriate stock photography can take time. (Lots and lots of time!) Especially if you’re working solely with free imagery, which is more limited.
But for many brands/businesses, it’s worth it to spend a bit more time searching for the most appropriate image for your needs, rather than settling for something you came across quickly, even if it doesn’t entirely fit the bill.
4. Set up Unsplash collections
Streamline your photo browsing and selection by setting up specific “collections” in your Unsplash account. This allows you to save photos to a relevant collection as you come across them, saving you lots of time down the road! It also helps you easily return to photos you’ve used or have flagged to use.
Though the Squarespace editing interface allows you to search for and pull Unsplash photos directly into your website, it doesn’t allow you to access your collections there, so you’ll need to do that directly in Unsplash.
Create a professional website to grow your business & brand
Get my free checklist for optimizing your Squarespace website:
