Sourcing an image means linking an image from an external source for a project. There are several ways to source images, including using image libraries which allow purchasing single image rights or subscriptions, using your own photographs as long as you follow local laws, or accessing images from an educational institution. It is important to check the license of any external images to understand the permissions for using them.

1. SOURCING IMAGES
What is it and how do we do it?

2. WHAT IS SOURCING AN IMAGE?
• Sourcing an image basically means to link the image from somewhere, whether it be
from photo libraries such as Adobe Stock, iStock, Veer to using your own
photography that you took in your spare time or for a project.
• You can also source images from educational facilities if provided by School,
University or any places like these, there are also websites that offer images for
people to use but you should always check the licences on these to see if they’re
useable for whatever project you want to use it for.

3. HOW DO WE SOURCE IMAGES?
IMAGE LIBRARIES
• Sourcing an image can be as easy as simply dragging and dropping an image into a project
but let’s get a little more in depth.
• When using image libraries such as iStock there are usually 2 options theses are to either:
1. Buy the rights to the image
Or
2 . Sign up to a monthly subscription
• The rights to a single image is usually cheaper but if you’re someone who likes to use a lot
of images with little time to provide your own then the monthly subscription will usually
work out cheaper in the long run and allow you to have the license to use any images in the
library.

4. HOW DO WE SOURCE IMAGES?
YOUR OWN PHOTOGRAPHY
• Sourcing images using your own photography is pretty self explanatory, it’s using
images you have taken yourself with a camera. There is no need for licensing rights
to use it yourself.
• Depending on the laws of the country you are the in way you can use the pictures
you have taken may vary if there is a subject in the photo. As for the UK there are no
laws against photography in public and the rights of the photo belong to the
photographer.
• As long as you check the laws and follow them such as those about private
property, certain areas in the UK and in court then you’re free to be as creative as
you want with your images and can use them wherever you like.

5. HOW DO WE SOURCE IMAGES?
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
• If you are at School, College or University this will apply to you, check with your
tutors and module/course leaders if there are any facilities or materials provided to
you by the establishment that include images you can use.
• This is even more likely if the institution has an Art or Media type
course/department, the institute will likely have license rights to the images so that
you are able to use them.

6. HOW DO WE SOURCE IMAGES?
PERMISSION TO SOURCE
• So far we’ve looked at what sourcing is and the different ways of doing it but the topic that shows up in each method is the
rights and permissions for using the content, so how do we know the permissions we have concerning images.
• Well when it’s our own photography we have all rights to the images with us not being allowed to photograph on private
property or specific areas in the UK without permission and not at all in court.
• When it comes to images we are sourcing from image libraries such as iStock we need to pay for the license to the use the
image or have a monthly subscription to the service provided for multiple licenses.
• There are also websites out there such as Freepik or Flickr that offer users to upload their images and choose the copyright
on the image such as allowing people to use it for projects but not for commercial use, for anything including commercial
use with credit to them, for anything with credit, not at all or for a fee with a license to use it.
• The creative commons license allows for content creators to distribute their images (or creative work in general) and be
protected with the right to be credited and allow others to use their work, they have the choice out of the license which
include the options we’ve previously discussed about commercial use, crediting, etc.