Hi everyone
 
Can anyone advise me please. As a photographer myself I use all my own photos for my card designs, with the exception of a few Stock Creations. However I've had a custom request for one of my cards but instead of the Jack Russell image I have on the card, the customer would like a Golden Labrador.  I don't have any photos of a Golden Labrador - Golden Retriever yes, but not Golden Labrador.  
 
So obviously I googled the question lol.  I found the free photo website Unsplash, the TOUs seem pretty clear that the images photographers upload to Unsplash can be used commercially but need to be either edited or used in conjunction with other elements. The other elements for my card would be the humorous text that goes with it. My plan would be to create the card, have it in my private gallery only, send the link to the customer for them to either purchase the card or not, and once it is either purchased or enough time has elapsed that it becomes clear that they don't want to purchase the card, I will delete it from my private gallery.
 
Has anyone got any experience with Unsplash, does this sound an acceptable use according to their licence agreement. I think it is within their terms of use but am wondering if anyone could confirm for me.
 
That all said I don't know for sure yet that I will be able to find a suitable photo lol
 
Thanks for any advice anyone is able to offer.
 
Natalie
 
Edited to add that I have indeed found a suitable photo and decided to also message the photographer who uploaded the image to Unsplash to double check about the TOUs. Fingers crossed

Hi Beverly
 
Thanks for that, another good free photos site!  I think I would have the same problem with understanding their TOUs.
 
Pixabay looks very similar to Unsplash re the TOUs, in that the photos can be used commercially but not without some additional element. ie they can't be used just to sell the photo completely as is, as a print, without any additional elements.  Is that how you have understood the TOUs too?
 
Thanks - Natalie

Quote from Doreen_139193 on Apr 9^th, 2019, 11:10am:

 
Awesome, thanks Doreen

Quote from Janet_134086 on Apr 9^th, 2019, 3:03pm:

 
Hi Janet - I wanted to add some clarification as to why I think there is a HUGE difference between GCU's offerings of Big Stock vs someone using a public domain photo with no real added value. The stock card creations on GCU is paying the owner of the image - and GCU is paying the stock site - for this service. This added feature at GCU allows for those who are creative with language - writers vs visual artists - to pair an image and create a unique and professional looking greeting.
 
Public domain images are seen everywhere with no added value other than someone slapping Happy Birthday text on the font and adding a border around it. That's not creative. Anyone and everyone does this on the same images all over the internet. GCU allows the use of public domain AND creative commons imagery, but simply asks the artist community here to make a true derivative, to create something new from these widely used public domain libraries.  
 
To me it makes perfect sense and I hoped it might help you make more sense out your experience.