Guides: Urban and Regional Planning: Getting Images

Images for your presentations

You can use the databases below to find images that you can use in presentations and posters under public domain or creative commons licenses.

Image Databases and Web Resources

Image Databases & Web Resources

ARTstor
Contains over a million images in architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, decorative arts, design and more. Note: As of August 22, 2011, ARTstor users are required to register and log in before downloading images.

Dezeen Magazine
An online magazine providing a "carefully edited selection of the best architecture, design and interiors projects from around the world."
Flickr: Creative Commons
Many Flickr users have chosen to offer their work under a Creative Commons license, and you can browse or search through content under each type of license.
Google Images
The most comprehensive image search on the web.
Internet Archive Book Images
2.6 million images from Internet Archive public domain eBooks that span over 500 years of content. Searchable! Public domain!
Pixabay
A site with hundreds of thousands of photos and clipart free to use for any purpose.
Slanted
Slanted is a weblog about typography, published by MAGMA Brand Design from Karlsruhe, Germany.
Society for Experiential Graphic Design
"... an association of people who create content-rich, emotionally compelling, experiential spaces for a wide range of environments, from hospitals and transit hubs to museums and educational campuses."
Symbols.com
Symbols.com contains more than 1,600 articles about 2,500 Western signs, arranged into 54 groups according to their graphic characteristics.
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To explore: Use the Graphic Index to search for the meaning or history of a sign; Use the Word Index to find a sign with a certain meaning; or Check out a random sign if you feel adventurous.
WGSN Blog
The WGSN Blog (formerly known as Stylesight) provides trend forecasting and analysis in multiple design and lifestyle-related markets. Also on Tumblr and Instagram.
Topographical Maps
Published by USGS. They began creating topo maps in 1879. There are various levels of detail (city and region levels) TopoView shows the many and varied topographic maps over time. This can be useful for finding the names of natural and cultural features that have changed over time.
National Map (USGS)
he National Map is a collaborative effort among the USGS and other Federal, State, and local partners to improve and deliver topographic information for the Nation. It has many uses ranging from recreation to scientific analysis to emergency response.