Royalty Free Images - Free?

[_Bat_]

Hey,

Having been told by my school that I am not allowed -any- photos/drawings of children, staff or anywhere inside the school on the website, I thought that the photos of kids didn't actually have to be kids from our school, therefore getting me off the hook (I think it should work as long as I am selective about the pictures).

Obviously they cannot be kids from any other random school either, so I need them to be royalty free. Having never really used royalty free images before (yeah, i''m ignorant of copyright ) I only realised today that most sites charge for them and the ones that don't only contain very few images.

Does anyone have any suggestions of any sites that contain large databases of royalty free images that really are free?

Cheers

[webman]

stock.xchng

Yep gota love stock.xchng Been using it for some years for website images.

[_Bat_]

Cheers for that.

Been having a browse through, but not able to find anything suitable. Our kids wear a red uniform and I can't find any kids wearing even remotely that colour unfortunately .

I'm really annoyed about the policy of having no pics of our children... but I guess there is a lot of sense behind it.

Maybe I could paste the face of celebs over all the kids faces and hope no-one notices 8)

[Wizzer]

We have an optional section on our AUP for parents to sign giving permission for photos to be used for publicity and on the web site (no names mentioned on the web site).

Would this be a way around it?

[_Bat_]

We have an optional section on our AUP for parents to sign giving permission for photos to be used for publicity and on the web site (no names mentioned on the web site).

Would this be a way around it?

I mentioned this as the other school I work for has done it. Unfortunately though they are determined there is going to be no way they can get into any trouble regardless of what happens, which with todays sue culture, I really can't blame them.

I'm gonna keep browsing the net for any potential images anyway cos I desperately need them to cover up a major area of a site.

[Geoff]

What about photoshopping the images so the kids are wearing the correct colour.

[pete]

why no staff photos though?

*ponders*

ahh - fake myspace pages etc?

[_Bat_]

What about photoshopping the images so the kids are wearing the correct colour.

I wanted them to remain best quality really... the are going to be in a place on the site that you can't really miss them and my GIMP skills are only very basic.

I'm not sure of the reason for no staff photos, its just what I have been told. I'm not sure they really know themselves.

I spent about two hours searching for about three decent images yesterday but failed miserably to even find one. The only decent images come directly from other school websites (i'm jealous... I wanna be allowed to take photos of the kids )

[Stese]

A total ban on images on a website seens highly unusual...

Did they give you any reasons why?

If you can't use school images, I wouldn't bother using any at all, and then see them complain at the state of the site. You might then be able to convince them to allow you to use some pictures, with proper permission.

[_Bat_]

Yep, I agree with you completely. I don't really want to have to redesign the website again though, this one has already been through two makeovers and its not been online at all yet.

I am -still- trying to find decent images for the site.. I found three or four off the site recommended above, but no-where near enough for what I need now. The other school website I am doing is proving much easier simply because they are much more relaxed on the rules. That website is getting closer each day to going live. This one I have been stuck on for about two weeks now simply because of the above mentioned problem.

At the end of the day though, i'm employed to work around their rules as best as I can, not try and change school policies. If they ask why it is taking so long though, this is one of the reasons.

[webman]

If they ask why it is taking so long though, this is one of the reasons.

That's one of the things that annoyed me. I had spent about a year continually asking staff for information to put on (many times publically in morning briefing etc, Head present) .... then once it's all online I find out the question had been asked by the HT "why had it taken so long".

[_Bat_]

That's one of the things that annoyed me. I had spent about a year continually asking staff for information to put on (many times publically in morning briefing etc, Head present) .... then once it's all online I find out the question had been asked by the HT "why had it taken so long".

Hehe, that is exactly my other reason. It is obviously my job to do the website so other staff assume they don't have to do anything for it , even if I plead with them.

This is understandable, websites are a reasonably new thing for schools and if I put myself in their situation, I would also think the same. It'll take quite a while for them to do what i'm asking and it will automatically go to the bottom of the priority list.

[webman]

I agree _Bat_, but at the same time I also think that it's not our job (as website guys) to know how each department works and what topics are covered

[Ric_]

i'm sure that the school in question will soon change its mind when it realises how cr@p the website looks without any pictures!