Colour Your Worlde

There are several sites that have 'large' or even 'xx-large' files. Corbis offers high-resolution files at a premium. Getty Images, a giant in the stock photo industry, also has several subsidiary companies that are narrowed down in to specific genres. WireImage focuses on music, celebrity, and fashion photography, while Contour specializing in the licensing and syndication of high-end celebrity portraiture. iStockphoto, also a subsidiary of Getty, has gained enormous popularity by supplying a variety of subject matter and file sizes. Veer is another source of high resolution commercial imagery. Each site has their own pay structure, depending on file size and usage, via either photo credits or subscriptions.

The most important thing to keep in mind when searching images for large format use is the file size, or pixel ratio of the file. Depending on the final output size, even if you are purchasing the largest version of the file, it still may need to be ran through Genuine Fractals or a similar resizing software to get the best result. A great alternative, if your design allows, is to use vector files because they can be transformed in to whatever size you would like without any image loss. Most sites allow you to specify the type of file you are looking for in the search options.

There are many more websites that offer Royalty Free or Rights Managed stock imagery for your design needs. Stock.xchng is a great place to find free images. Blue Vertigo has a very comprehensive list of sites broken down in to category by use and price, as well as other great references for designers.

With the myriad of sites available, easy search features, and pay options, finding the right image for your large format design became a little less challenging.

Posted via email from Artisan Colour