Stop using google image search. Using those images is often illegal and they are not the best images anyway.

Here are a dozen sites that are better and legal.

1. Stock Exchange

Of all of the stock photo sites on the web sxc.hu is the best. It has high quality free stock photos. But be careful. The first row of photos cost money. Clicking on them will take you to a different site where you have to pay. Most of the photos we use here at AuthorTechTips.com come from sxc.hu.

2. Flickr Creative Commons

Flickr has a huge selection of photos mane of which are protected under the Creative Commons which means you can use them legally as long as you attribute the photographer.

3. EveryStockPhoto.com

Every Stock Photo searches several other stock image sites for you. It does not filter offensive images, so use with caution.

4. MorgueFile.com

Morgue File has many photos that you are free to use commercially without attributing the photographer. The photos are mostly snapshots and not true stock photos.

5. FreeStockPhotos.com

Not only does Free Stock Photos have some great nature photos it also has a list of over a dozen other free stock photo sources.

6. IconsPedia.com

Icons Predia has the best selection of free icons. If you want to add a cool Twitter Bird to your website this is the first place to look.

7. BiblePlaces.com

If you need biblical photos BiblePlaces.com is a great place to start.

8. NASA

I’m not sure how this happened but if the U.S. government takes a photo they often release it into the public domain. If you want high quality technology or space photos you can’t do much better than NASA.  

9. StockVault.net

StockVault has 13,000+ high quality stock photos. The photos are high quality but low selection. The site does not offer safe search so use at your own risk.

10. FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Freedigitalphotos.net has high quality photos but the selection is not great and the terms of use require a link back to use the photo for free.

11. FreePhotosBank.com

FreePhotosbank has a lame selection of mediocre photos.

12. HistoricalStockPhotos.com

If you want vintage photos Historical Stock Photos is the site for you. Don’t expect much color here.

Related posts:

1. 9 Premium Stock Photo Sites
2. How to Get Your Avatar to Show Up Everywhere
3. 8 Quick Search Engine Optimization Tips:
4. How This Little Orange Icon Can Save You Time

The biggest contributor to the look of your author website is the quality of the photos. Unfortunately, most author websites have terrible photos.

Here are some tips of what to do and what not to do when looking for a photographer.

Before the Shoot

1. Find a photographer who can capture your personality. You don’t want to look like an insurance agent. A good photographer will get you laughing. A better photographer will want to know all about your book before taking any photos. Remember, your photo needs to “fit” with your book’s theme and cover.
2. Find a photographer who can help with your wardrobe. You want to bring several outfits to the shoot. A dozen outfits is not to many. You may not wear them all but it will give the artist more paint for his pallet.
3. Avoid photo factories. You know those places at the mall? Avoid them. You want the personal touch not an assembly line. If the word “next” is ever uttered by the staff, you’re in a photo factory.
4. Don’t use your brother in law. Yes I know he just bought a fancy new digital camera. Resist. There is a lot more to a good photo than the equipment.
5. Pay the photographer for the session instead of per photo. This way you get all the photos instead of just a few. It will cost more up front but you be be glad in the end.
6. Make sure to buy the rights to reproduce the photos. The last thing you want is to have to track down and pay the photographer every time you want to make a copy of your portrait. Settle this with your photographer before the session.

During the Photo Shoot

1. Use different backgrounds. Get images from both inside and outside. Variety is the spice of life.
2. Get your “portraits” shot in landscape. You can always crop landscapes into portraits but not the other way around.
3. Get shot outside and inside. Remember, you want a lot of photos in different settings.
4. Pose different. If you have the same pose in every shot you only have one image.
5. Get some white background shots. There is a lot you can do with a white background. Photoshop + white backgrounds = all kinds of awesome.

After the Shoot (How to Pick the Best Picture)

1. Get high resolution versions of the photos. Your publisher and web master will thank you.
2. Get a second opinion. It can be overwhelming to go through a thousand photos of yourself by yourself.
3. Realize your husband is biased. Your agent will give you more helpful feedback than your spouse. Your spouse is looking for photos that capture you in a way they love. Your agent is looking for photos that will help you sell books.
4. Send your agent the short list. Once you narrow your images down to about a dozen, send them to your agent or publicist. Don’t send her all thousand photos.
5. Get the photos retouched. You want to look your absolute best. This does not have to be expensive. PicWash costs as little as $7 a photo. ReTouchMax costs $10. Your photographer might offer to do it but chances are they will just send it to one of the discount places anyway.

Related posts:

1. How to Get Your Avatar to Show Up Everywhere

We’ve all seen this orange icon. But did you know that in 5 years it will be more important than email? It reworks the internet saving people massive amounts of time.

You are an author and your time is at a premium. We guarantee reading this post will be a good time investment or your money back :-)

Surfing the web is so 1999.

Back in the olden days people would “surf” over to one website and then “surf” over to another website. It was fun but it had a problem. Surfing wastes time switching between sites. Even at high-speed, surfing was lame.

What if the new stuff on sites (blog posts, news events, new pages) could surf to you?

Well that is what the little orange icon does. It represents a technology called “RSS” which brings the new stuff to you. Now, instead of checking dozens of sites for updates you only need to check one.

Here are some sort videos that make using this new technology super easy.

So, what is that little orange icon anyway?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Setting up an RSS feed is not hard and so worth it. If my mom can do it, you can do it. My mom can do it.

How to setup an RSS Reader.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This video gives a step by step guide to setting up an RSS reader. Best of all, it comes with a pause button.

How to use Google Reader.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Even if you have already been using Google Reader for a while, I think you will find this post helpful.

What do you think?

Do you use a blog reader? Why or why not?

Related posts:

1. Why Internet Explorer is Bad for Authors
2. One Easy Answer to 90% of Your Tech Questions
3. Where To Find Free & Legal Stock Photos Online