Free Images from Google

There are times when you want an image to use as a background for a texture in an image that you are working on and don't have the time or where-with-all to go out and shoot for it. There are many sites on the internet where you can buy and download images to use as textures or background replacements.

But a FREE and LEGAL way to get images quickly was just brought to my attention. Google has hundreds of different images in many different subjects that you can choose from, download instantly and they are all FREE.  Click on any image below to enlarge.

Here's how you find them:

1. Open www.Google.com and click on the Advanced Image Search line to the right of the Search Images button.
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3. Once you are in the Advanced Image Search dialog box you'll be able to type in the kind of image you are looking for. In my example I am looking for images of "leather textures". You can search for photos, line drawings, clip art, etc. of your subject under Content Types. You can search for particular sizes of images, etc.
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5. In the Usage Rights dialog box you can choose the type of usage you are wanting the image for. If you want to use a picture for an composite that you are working on in Photoshop that you will modify (like a leather texture, or background using a beach scene) choose the "Labeled for reuse with modification" selection.
6. I would suggest that you read the Google Usage Rights information before using an image. Just click on the "More info" tab to bring up that information.
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8. When you find the image that you like simply click on it. Next you'll get a dialog box like this:
9. Click "see full size image" and then right click on the image. Here you can choose what you want to do with it. To bring the image into Photoshop we'll just choose "Copy Image" and then go to Photoshop and Paste it into a new document or into an already opened document.
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11. Next week we'll look at how to use these downloaded images as backgrounds in an already existing photo.