09/18/2026
We've all been there. You need a photo for your publication, you find the perfect one online, and you think "I'll just use that".
Please don't.
Images found online are almost always copyrighted and using them without permission exposes your organization to legal risk.
"Free to use" and "free to download" are not the same thing, always check the license.
Screenshots and social media photos are also never print ready.
Always ask for the original file. Photos pulled from websites or emails are almost always too low resolution for print. The gold standard is always the original file straight from the camera or photographer.
Have a question about your images? Ask us before it goes to press.