Best Image Search
Find Quality Images in Royalty Free Image Libraries.
There are a multitude of graphic libraries on the web. If you are not satisfied with the images you have, either your own or the standard images that were included in any template you may have obtained, you can find them in "royalty free" image libraries. Some of the online web site builder programs often include a library for you to choose your images from also.
Royalty Free images allow you to pay a one-time fee to use the image as many times as you want, as long as the usage falls within the license agreement. Licence agreements can, and do change from supplier to supplier, so it is important you read all that horrible fine print so you know where you stand. You can subscribe to an image library and pay a minimal fee, then download the images of your choice. But remember copyright can be an issue, so read the "Terms and Conditions" so as not to fall foul, so to speak.
Be warned that some of these libraries pitch their business to different clients, and their fees can vary dramatically. Do your homework and you will find the solution that suits you. Some providers offer a monthly or yearly plan, which is good if you need many images, and often. Some offer low price CD and DVD-ROM bundles if you purchase a yearly membership. If you want to download occasionally, as your requirements demand, then you may choose an account that is points based. You purchase points to open your account, then download what you need, when you need it. Points are administered relative to different photos and resolutions. Some of these libraries offer quality images for only a dollar or two. That's great value.
Here is a link to an exhaustive list of Public Domain image libraries via Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Public_domain_image_resources. A substantial resource, but remember to check copyright to make sure you are able to legally use the images you find. If you visit this page, http://www.ecommerce-site-builder.com/best-image-search.html, you will find links to some providers of fantastic images at very reasonable rates. You can find plenty of images inside these resources, often several in themes that can be the bedrock of visionary requirements for many sites. And don't forget video. There are sites that sell video backgrounds, among other things like 3D clip art, powerpoint templates, backdrops, extra large animations, and PSD files. Some of these can be great to add to your email messages to clients.
If you can use a graphics package of any form, you can resize images to suit your needs. This is often as easy as "Save As" or "Resize Image". Then choose the size you require. To save some download time, make the image the actual size you want it to display in the page. You can use small "Thumbnail" images, and link them to a larger view of that image in another window if it is important for your application. It is a good idea to keep your images as small as you can, and don't forget to name them with the "Alt" and "Image" tags. Here is some html code from an image called wave-3.jpg. Normally this would be placed inside these tags. < >.
img src="image-files/wave-3.jpg" border="0" width="100" height="70" alt="Wave Image 3" title="Wave Image 3". These tags display the information when the mouse moves over them, and are another way to help the search engines understand what your content is about. Be descriptive, and even use your keywords. Remember to always be relevant.
Created by Mal Huddleston -- Copyright 2006 Ecommerce Site Builder
About the Author
Mal Huddleston from Ecommerce Site Builder has developed the free e-book, the Twelve Point Plan, an overview of the major steps required to build and promote an Ecommerce Web Site solution. At Ecommerce Site Builder, we hope to offer you an easy to follow, simplified guide to help you build your own ecommerce web site design, without the requirement of a professional web site builder. Topics will span design and development, ecommerce and integration, through to final application. It will show you simple ways to accomplish your goals, and save you stress, time and money.
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