You’re scrolling through Google Images, looking for the perfect photo to accompany your latest marketing blog post. You find the perfect one, click on it, and then copy and paste it into your drafts folder. Done and done, right?

Wrong. If you use that photo without first getting the photographer’s permission, you could be opening yourself up to a world of legal trouble. Let’s take a closer look at why you can’t just grab any old photo off of Google Images and use it in your marketing and advertising efforts.

Why Copyright Law Matters

Copyright law protects photographers’—and other types of artists’—right to control how their work is used. When you purchase a photo from a stock photography site or hire a photographer to take original photos for your business, you’re usually buying the rights to use those photos in specific ways. For example, you might have the right to use a photo online and in print, but not in TV or movie ads.

If you use someone else’s copyrighted photo without their permission, you’re infringing on their copyright—and that can come with some pretty serious consequences. For example, the photographer could sue you for damages. They could also demand that you take the photo down and pay them a hefty fine. And if they can prove that you willfully infringed on their copyright—for example, by cropping out their watermark—you could end up having to pay attorney’s fees and court costs as well. The wrong photo could cost thousands—and that’s why it’s so important to make sure you have the right to use any photo before you use it.

How to Find Legally Useable Photos

So where can you find photos that you can legally use in your marketing and advertising? Here are a few options:

• Purchase stock photos from a reputable website like Shutterstock, BigStock, or 123RF.
• Hire a professional photographer to take original photos for your business and buy the rights from them directly.
• Use royalty-free photos that are available through Creative Commons licensing. These are photos that photographers have made available for free for anyone to use, provided that they give credit to the photographer. With some effort, you can find Creative Commons-licensed photos through sites like Flickr and Pixabay. And free stock web resource Unsplash also offers a wide selection of high-quality Creative Commons photos.
• Take your own photos! This is especially easy if you have a smartphone with a good camera.

When in Doubt, Ask!

If you’re ever unsure about whether or not you have the right to use a photo, the best course of action is to simply ask the photographer. They may be happy to give you permission to use their photo—especially if you give them credit. If they say no, then you know you need to find another photo to use.

When it comes to using images in your marketing and advertising efforts, it pays to play it safe by only using photos that you have the legal right to use. Otherwise, you could find yourself facing some serious legal consequences down the road. Luckily, there are plenty of places where you can find legally useable photos—you just have to know where to look. So get out there and start snapping some shots!