Alamy logo
Graceful ballet dancer dancing with white cloth, fabric isolated on green background. Art, motion, action, flexibility, inspiration concept. - Image ID: 2JTR01C (RF)

STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

Discover over 400 million high-quality diverse stock photos at your fingertips.

Homepage / Image homepage / Photography

Trending this month

Walk out to winter in our latest 'Fresh Picks' collections featuring animals that inhabit the coldest of environments, wonderous frozen landscapes, and comforting seasonal cooking.

Alamy trends

Winter Wildlife

Winter is a time of snow, ice and biting winds. Much of the natural world is perfectly adapted for this harsh environment. From the eyes of our expert wildlife photographers this collection features some of the animals that you may be lucky to see if you leave the comfort of indoors and venture outside on the short, cold, crisp days of winter.

Alamy trends

Winter World Wonders

Explore the natural world through a snow covered lens and discover mesmerising spectacles from Norway, Greenland, Canada and more. In this collection we look up to the skies to be enveloped in the beauty of the Aurora Borealis, travel on foot to find frozen lakes, ice caves and rare wildlife in their natural habitat.

Contributor spotlight

The Picture Pantry

Our seasonal food collection from the Picture Pantry is perfect for nights in away from the cold. Filling, hearty and comforting recipes are the perfect inspiration for a Winter feast.

Why licensing stock photos matter

Shoot global, think local

Need stunning visuals for your next campaign? Cut down on air travel and emissions by licensing photos from Alamy. Explore our vast collection and find the perfect images for your project.

Instant access, endless possibilities

Need photos fast? Skip the photoshoot and download high-quality images from Alamy in seconds. Find the perfect visuals for your project without the hassle.

Beyond the ordinary

Expand your horizons with Alamy's diverse community of photographers. From established professionals to rising stars, you'll find unique visuals that stand out from the crowd.

Curated photo collections

Our creative experts have used their wealth of knowledge to create these photo collections, helping you discover exceptional visuals quickly. Explore a treasure trove of over 50 curated collections below.

Level up your knowledge with trending articles

Alamy blog

What is localised content, and why is it important?

We explore the importance of localisation and how it helps you market your brand globally.

Alamy blog

Why you shouldn’t just use imagery you find on Google

Because it can be all-too-easy to save an image and insert it into your own marketing.

Alamy blog

The comprehensive guide to buying stock photos

We take a deep dive into licensing, releases, pricing, file sizes and much more.
Aerial view of Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) lunge-feeding, with mouth open and throat pouch distended, southern Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Baja California, Mexico.

Can't find what you're looking for?

Search our full collection of photographs

Stock photos frequently asked questions

What are stock photos? 

Stock photography (or stock photos) refers to images that are licensed to buyers based on the intended usage. They’re usually uploaded to a stock library-such as Alamy-where users can search for images based on keywords.

Are stock photos copyrighted? 

Yes, the photographer still owns the copyright to the image. The purchased licence simply serves as formal permission to use an image for the specified use.

Why do people use stock photos? 

Stock photos are used because they’re cheaper and faster than booking a bespoke photoshoot. Furthermore, stock libraries can provide an abundance of choice to ensure you can find the perfect picture.

In summary, these are just some of the reasons why you’d use stock photos:

  • Cheaper than a bespoke photoshoot

  • Faster than doing it yourself

  • High-resolution quality suitable for printing

  • Seemingly unlimited choice

  • Peace of mind regarding any legal concerns

  • Easier to get the right licence

  • Constantly updated

  • Useful for mock-ups to check if the picture you chose works for you or your client

  • Some libraries have additional services like picture research

What does royalty-free mean? 

RF image licences are broad and don’t have any restrictions besides the size of the image. They offer great flexibility as they can be used multiple times across different projects without incurring any extra costs.

You simply choose the image size you need and away you go! You can now use that image anywhere you want, however many times you want. This versatility is what makes RF images so popular today.

Furthermore, if you think you’ll be using the image in multiple places but not sure where or when, then RF images give you freedom as you don’t have to commit to any licensing decisions besides the image size.

What does rights-managed mean?

Rights-managed image licences require you to specify exactly how, where, and for how long you’ll be using any particular image. So the licence agreement is much more specific and if you discover that you need to use it in another way that isn’t specified in the licence, then you’ll need to get a new one. RM images are efficiently priced due to how specific the licence is.