Archive for the ‘photographs’ Category

This past week, Google announced some exciting news that will definitely impact your ability to find quality Public Domain Images…for the better! They extended the functionality of Google Image Search (http://images.google.com/) to now include the ability of filtering search results based on Usage Rights. To access this new feature, you will want to click on “Advanced Image Search.” The Usage Rights option is located toward the bottom of the page. With this new feature, Google provides us with a few options:

• Not filtered by license (default)
• Labeled for reuse
• Labeled for commercial reuse
• Labeled for reuse with modification
• Labeled for commercial reuse with modification

The choices are based mostly on the Creative Commons licenses associated with the page. The option WE are most interested in is the final choice, “Labeled for commercial reuse with modification.” This choice provides the greatest return of Public Domain images out of all the selections. One caution though…not EVERY image result is going to be in the Public Domain. The majority of results will be, but I strongly encourage you to read the license on each page.

I performed several searches using this filter and was super pleased with the results. I found some amazing Public Domain images from a wide variety of sources…and I quickly realized that the implications of this new tool are vast for product creation. Below is one example of what I found, along with the included license…indicating that the image was indeed in the Public Domain. I feel confident in saying that this new search strategy will definitely become a regular part of my research and product creation efforts for sure!

My great hope is that more people will realize the income-producing potential of image-based products…especially in these times! I remember back in the mid-80’s when times were tough for my family. There was no internet, only the local flea market in Smithville, NJ. Selling Public Domain image-based products (maps, photos and more) paid our bills and provided the extra spending money we never would have had otherwise. Now with the ease of website creation and sites like CafePress, Zazzle and eBay, the opportunities are ONLY limited by your imagination.

I recently braindumped my years of experience working with images for product creation into a 200+ page e-book titled, “Easy Money Picture Project.” It is loaded with tons of methods and strategies for using images from the Public Domain to create successful, profitable products. These aren’t examples based on theory, they’re actual case studies from successful ventures I created, or that others have used to create additional income from image-based products and services. For a limited time, you can claim your own copy of “Easy Money Picture Project” for a full $100 off the regular price by using coupon code EMPP100.

Click here to get started TODAY!

As a former commercial photographer and graphic designer, I was naturally drawn to the images side of the Public Domain first…even before books! It was from selling images that I made my first dollars from the Public Domain…thousands of dollars actually! Of course, images (photographs, illustrations, fine art, ephemera, maps, etc.) are those images whose copyrights have expired or that did not qualify for copyright protection. For this article, I want to focus on the latter option…how to find images that do not qualify for copyright protection.

Many people do not realize it, but most content created by our Federal Government does not qualify for copyright protection because, when created as a part of a Federal employee’s regular duties, the content is paid for by taxpayer’s dollars and is therefore “owned” by the people. Simply stated, that means that you are free to use Federal Government-created content (books, images, videos, audios, etc.) in any way you see fit because YOU paid for it! So let’s take a quick look at what your hard-earned money paid for in the way of image resources.

There are a TON of image resources available online (and offline) related to images…in this article, I’m going to focus on two of the best. One of my personal favorites is the U.S. Government Photos and Graphics site (http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Graphics.shtml) Most of these images and graphics are available for use in the public domain, and they may be used and reproduced without permission or fee. However, some images may be protected by license, so you want to make sure you thoroughly read the disclaimers on each site before use.

When you visit this page, you will discover that it is actually a directory of government website links where you can locate photographs and graphics. Nice of them to make it easy for us…guess they should since we paid for it! As you scan down through the list, you’ll quickly discover that there are LOTS of photos available to you from this portal…literally hundreds of thousands of them!

Some of my personal favorite websites listed on this page include:

America’s Historical Documents (http://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/)

Earth as Art (http://earthasart.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.htm)

Grand Canyon National Park (http://www.nps.gov/archive/grca/photos/index.htm)

National Park Service (http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/imagebase.html)

Portraits and Stock Photos (http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/pix/)

There is another Government-image site that I really enjoy digging through called “Government “Resources for Science Images” found at the Sciences Reference Services (http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/selected-internet/imagesources.html). This is another image portal site for Government-produced image content specifically related to the sciences. Yes, I admit it…I am a science geek…always have been! Anyway, there are a few sites that were also included on the previous resource website, but there are many new sites listed here as well. One of my personal favorite sites from this portal HAS to be the USGS Maps and Imagery site (http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod/) the very first Public Domain anything I sold (and made a lot of money from) was a USGS map of Atlantic City that was reproduced by the printing company I managed. Having access to big printing presses has its advantages! I was selling these maps 20 years ago at flea markets…now you can download them digitally and sell them literally anywhere! And again…because you paid for their creation, it’s your legal right to do so!

I always say that you can’t find what you don’t know to look for, and I hope that this brief article has peeled back the curtain just a bit to what is available to you image-wise courtesy our Federal Government (and your tax-payer dollars of course). In a future article, I’ll share some ways you can profit from all the image content found on these sites, but until then, let me leave you with one simple thought: Where do you think ALL the books, posters, t-shirts and all the other Obama-related products available out there got their image content from? You guessed it!!

In my popular e-book, “Easy Money Picture Project,” I go into great detail on how to locate and use Public Domain image content to create successful, money-producing image-based products. In the book I share a long list of websites where you can find Public Domain images of all types, how-to sections for actually creating products from Public Domain images, case studies of those who are using Public Domain images in successful business ventures and SO much more. I normally sell this 200+ page e-book for $97, but for a limited time, you can get it for $30 less HERE.