Is there a website where I can download high quality, large images?

April 23, 2008 11:20 PM

Is there a website where I can download high quality, large images? Without watermarks?

I am interested in printing some art for my walls but I am having trouble finding images with high enough quality to look good printed 11 by 14 inches. I am looking for mostly historical photographs, fashion drawings, old movie stills and pin-ups.

posted by thebrokenmuse to grab bag (15 comments total)

Try Flickr.

There's no stopping you from downloading / printing from anyone's stream if the photographer has set permission to do so.

To be really legal, however, I recommend finding those that are under Creative Commons, then crediting the photographer / artist next to your prints :)
posted by seeminglee at 11:40 PM on April 23, 2008

Like seeminglee said Flickr is good. For historical photographs I would check out The Library of Congress flickr pool. They have plenty of pictures and all pretty decent resolution.
posted by lilkeith07 at 12:05 AM on April 24, 2008

Just use Google image search but set the image size to "extra large" under the Advanced Preferences.

For example,

http://images.google.com/images?imgsz=huge&as_st=y&hl=en&q=fashion+drawings&btnG=Search+Images
posted by long haired lover from liverpool at 2:04 AM on April 24, 2008

sxc.hu is also a pretty good site for stock images without watermarks, and I think may have more ranking options than flickr.
posted by devilsbrigade at 3:01 AM on April 24, 2008 [1 favorite]

EveryStockPhoto?
posted by cwhitfcd at 5:25 AM on April 24, 2008

Top 10 places to find free images
posted by leigh1 at 5:26 AM on April 24, 2008

Some of these these photos are nice. For historical photos, "Shorpy" is pretty cool.
posted by LakesideOrion at 5:26 AM on April 24, 2008

I use sxc.hu all the time for photos to use in web and print design. There are some very high quality items there.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 5:32 AM on April 24, 2008

caedes.net has lots of nice wallpaper, and many of the images are large enough that they should print fine at 11x14. Not sure about the copyright issues.
posted by bricoleur at 6:19 AM on April 24, 2008

Wikipedia Commons has a lot of high quality pictures, and the best thing is: They are ander a license that allows you to do whatever you want with them.
posted by kall at 6:27 AM on April 24, 2008

Just use Google image search but set the image size to "extra large" under the Advanced Preferences.

Google image search is no guarantee that you have rights to use the photo. Sure, no one would know if you used the photo for personal display, but that doesn't mean it's technically right.

For historical photos, keep in mind that any photo owned by the U.S. government is automatically public domain. You might want to search the specific .gov sites of areas that might interest you. Many of them have archive libraries with high resolution images.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 6:44 AM on April 24, 2008

iStockPhoto
posted by designbot at 8:36 AM on April 24, 2008

The Library of Congress is a great site for images. Not all of the collections are viewable but several have hi res scans of art work that will print very well at 11x14.
posted by doctor_negative at 8:41 AM on April 24, 2008

A truly VAST treasure-trove of high-res paintings from art history.
posted by dpcoffin at 8:48 AM on April 24, 2008

Seconding the iStockphoto suggestion - but I'm rather biased...
posted by blaneyphoto at 12:02 PM on April 24, 2008