Photo Resources
Please, remember…
- Do not download and use copyright-protected images from the web. For more information about copyright infringement and liability issues, see Copyright and Libel Primer for Web and Print Publishers.
- Photos: What You Need to Know contains specific information on copyright, Extension policy and procedures and tips about what makes a good photo.
- Be sure you have a signed Photo Release Form before using photographs taken by you or your colleagues.
- Use of Photographs of People, Section A.1.9, UMaine Extension 4-H Policies, Procedure, and Guidelines.
- How to optimize images for the web
Photo Sources
Edwin Remsberg Photos
Remsberg’s photos are available online Contact Michelle Snowden at michelle.snowden@maine.edu or Tracey Ferwerda at tracey.ferwerda@maine.edu for access information. Or let us know what type of image you need and we’ll find it for you.
Edwin Remsberg’s photos must be credited when used anywhere but on our website as per our agreement with him: “Photo by Edwin Remsberg.” Photos are for official UMaine business only; do not share Remsberg’s photos with others without permission (Remsberg holds the copyright, not us).
We’re Looking for Photos!
The Extension Communications and Marketing Team is looking to expand Extension’s photo library, and your images can help! Sending your best photos our way means that we have fresh and exciting images to choose from.
However, Before Sending Us Photos…
You’ll also want to carefully review and consider the essential information on the Photos: What You Need To Know page:
Copyright and Permissions
Instructions for Uploading Photos to Share
- Create a new folder with your name and a 3-5 word description (“Melissa Arndt Aroostook Field Day” or “Melissa Arndt Invasives”)
- Copy the photos you want to share into the folder
- Create a document to include in the same folder that describes the photos using the following keywords:
- Date
- Location: town, the specific county, rural, urban, woods, farm, coast, camp
- Proper name: Tanglewood, Highmoor, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, names of specific private farms or businesses
- People: kids, volunteers, names of staff
- Activity: gardening, farming, STEM
- Program: 4-H, agriculture, aquaculture, beef, blueberry, business & community, compost, dairy, emergency preparedness, energy, equine, family & youth, food & health, food safety, forage & pasture, fruit, garden & yard, grains & oilseeds, insect pests & plant diseases, maine food system, marine, natural resources, nutrition, potatoes, poultry, sheep & goats, soil, swine, vegetables, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
- Photo Releases: Please indicate if photo releases were obtained, and by whom.
- Move your new folder to our shared Photo Submissions Google Drive folder.
Additional free, copyright-free images are available at
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: National Digital Library
- Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Image Gallery
- Forestry Images
- NOAA Photo Library
- Natural Resources Conservation Service Photo Gallery
- SARE’s Library of Cover Crop and Soil Health Images
- SNAP-Ed Photo Gallery
- USDA Photos
Note: Each photo library (and sometimes individual photos) has specific attribution requirements and other usage restrictions.
Please read the terms and credit photos appropriately.
More places to download free images
Become familiar with the terms Public Domain* and Creative Commons** before downloading images and putting them on a website or social media.
Official descriptions of the two types of images:
*Public Domain: “The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of his or her rights to the work worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law. You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.”
**Creative Commons (CC0): “CC0 gives those who want to give up those [copyright laws] a way to do so, to the fullest extent allowed by law. Anyone can then use the work in any way and for any purpose, including commercial purposes, subject to other laws and the rights others may have in the work or how the work is used. Think of CC0 as the “no rights reserved” option.
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