Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 2.9 billion monthly active users as of the first quarter of 2022. With so many people using Facebook, posting engaging photos is a great way to connect with your friends, family, and followers. However, finding suitable photos to post can sometimes be a challenge. Here are some quick answers to common questions about where to find great photos to post on Facebook:
Stock Photo Sites
Stock photo sites like Getty Images, iStock, Adobe Stock, and Shutterstock offer a huge variety of high-quality, royalty-free images that you can license and share on Facebook. While there is often a cost associated with licensing photos from stock sites, they offer a diverse selection of photos on any topic you can imagine. Just be sure to check the license terms to confirm you have permission to share the photos on social media.
Your Own Photos
Posting your own photos you’ve taken yourself is a great option if you want original, personal content. You can take photos specifically to share on Facebook, or look back through your camera roll and photo archives for old gems you want to rediscover. The photos don’t need to be professionally shot – candid, fun snapshots often do well on Facebook. Just make sure you have the right to post any photos with other people in them.
Friends and Family
Ask your friends and family if they have any fun photos to share and post those with proper photo credit. This is a good way to incorporate more variety into your Facebook feed and show your connections with others. You may even spark some new conversations when tagging the people who appear in the shared photos.
Facebook Groups
Join Facebook groups related to photography, visual arts, graphic design, and more. Many groups allow members to share photos directly within the group, and some may even have photo contests you can enter. Always check the rules of each group before posting. Some may require you to be the original photographer before sharing photos.
Creative Commons/Public Domain Images
Sites like Flickr, Pexels, and Pixabay offer photos licensed under Creative Commons that you can share for free, even for commercial use. Public domain images from sources like the Library of Congress are also fair game to repost. Just check the specific license for any requirements, and provide proper attribution when necessary.
Where to Find Great Photos on Specific Topics
Beyond general stock photo sites, there are some great specialty resources for finding photos on specific topics to share on Facebook. Here are a few to check out:
Travel Photos
Sites like TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet, and AirBnB offer collections of high-quality travel photos you can share to show your wanderlust side or inspire future trips. Travel magazine sites like Conde Nast Traveler also have gorgeous travel photography.
Food Photos
Mouth-watering food photos tend to grab attention on Facebook. Browse sites like FoodieCrush, Serious Eats, and Taste of Home to find tasty images to share of recipes you’ve tried or dishes you’re craving.
Pop Culture Photos
For the latest entertainment, celebrity, and pop culture news, check sites like Entertainment Weekly, Variety, Billboard, and more. Many will have artsy red carpet photos, concert pics, and candid star shots you can post on Facebook.
Quotes and Typography Photos
Sites like BrainyQuote, Goodreads, and Typography.com offer libraries of inspirational quotes, book excerpts, and typographic designs you can share as engaging graphics.
Nature and Landscape Photos
National Geographic, Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, and outdoor tourism sites often have stunning nature photography you can borrow for Facebook. These vibrant landscape shots show off the beauty of the great outdoors.
Important Things to Keep in Mind
When finding and sharing photos on Facebook, keep the following tips in mind:
Copyright Rules
Respect copyright law and only share photos you have explicit permission to use, such as those under a Creative Commons or public domain license. Avoid simply taking photos from around the web without checking terms first.
Privacy and Consent
If you want to share photos with identifiable people, get their consent first. And never share sensitive information or compromising photos of others without permission.
Credit Photographers
Whenever possible, credit the original photographer by name and link back to them so you give them exposure as well.
Relevance
Make sure the photos you share relate to the accompanying text and are relevant to your audience. Random unrelated photos may confuse or distract viewers.
Quality over Quantity
One meaningful, compelling photo is worth more than flooding your feed with lots of low-quality images. Curate the photos you share carefully.
File Size
If uploading photos directly to Facebook, be mindful of file size limits. Compress larger images to keep file sizes optimized for web sharing.
Check Before Posting Publicly
Review photos closely before sharing publicly on Facebook. Look for any potential issues or unintended details that could be embarrassing or offensive.
Photo Editing Tips
Basic editing can help make your photos stand out on Facebook. Here are some quick tips:
Crop for Focus
Crop your photos to highlight the main subject and cut out unnecessary background objects that distract.
Adjust Brightness/Contrast
Boost brightness and contrast just a touch to make colors and details pop. But don’t overdo it.
Sharpen Details
Give your photos a subtle sharpening effect to make edges and outlines more crisp.
Saturation
Turn up the saturation slider slightly to make colors seem more vivid.
Straighten Tilted Horizons
Fix any crooked tilted horizons in landscape photos using the rotate tool.
Remove Blemishes and Imperfections
Use the cloning stamp or healing tools to gently erase any unwanted spots, dust, or flaws.
Ideal Photo Types and Subjects for Facebook
While you can share any photos you like, some subjects tend to consistently grab more likes and engagement on Facebook.
Cute Animals and Pets
Photos of adorable animals are universally loved on social media. Share your own pet pics or super cute shots of wildlife.
Funny and Viral Memes
Humorous memes and viral sensations almost always get big reactions on Facebook when shared in relevant contexts.
Inspirational Quotes
Aspirational and motivational quotes overlaid on pretty images resonate well with many Facebook users.
Food Photos
Vibrant shots of delicious looking meals and recipes make mouths water. Food is hugely popular on Facebook.
Travel Destinations
Share wanderlust-inducing photos of beautiful vacations spots from your own travels or aspirational locations.
Relationships and Families
Show off your loved ones! Photos with family, friends, significant others, and children tend to do very well.
Ideal Photo Dimensions for Facebook
Facebook automatically resizes and crops images to fit different parts of its interface. But posting photos already sized for Facebook can ensure they look their best. Here are the ideal dimensions:
Facebook Cover Photo
820 x 312 pixels
Facebook Profile Picture
180 x 180 pixels
Facebook Photo Thumbnail
130 x 130 pixels
Facebook Shared Link Preview
1200 x 630 pixels
Facebook Event Cover
1920 x 1080 pixels
Facebook Ad Image
1200 x 628 pixels
| Use | Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Facebook Cover Photo | 820 x 312 pixels |
| Facebook Profile Picture | 180 x 180 pixels |
| Facebook Photo Thumbnail | 130 x 130 pixels |
| Facebook Shared Link Preview | 1200 x 630 pixels |
| Facebook Event Cover | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Facebook Ad Image | 1200 x 628 pixels |
Choosing the Right File Format
JPEG and PNG are the best file formats for sharing photos on Facebook:
JPEG
JPEG images use lossy compression that results in smaller file sizes. This makes them fast to load on Facebook while still retaining a high image quality if compressed properly. Use JPEG for most photos.
PNG
PNG images are lossless and preserve higher quality, but result in larger files. Use PNG format for detailed graphics or icons where quality is paramount. The transparency of PNGs also helps for overlays.
Avoid sharing GIFs and BMPs when possible as they produce very large files that are slow to load on Facebook. TIFFs and RAW photo files are also not well supported.
Stick to JPEGs and optimized PNGs for the best looking, fastest loading Facebook photos.
Tools to Find, Edit, and Manage Photos
Here are some helpful online tools and apps for sourcing, editing, and managing your Facebook photos:
Canva
Canva makes graphic design simple, with many templates for social media. Easily edit, resize, and polish photos for Facebook.
PicMonkey
PicMonkey is an intuitive photo editor with touch up tools, graphics, templates, and more for sprucing up images to share.
Buffer
With Buffer you can collect photos, graphics, and videos from across the web to share on social accounts like Facebook.
PhotoPea
PhotoPea provides advanced free photo editing capabilities right in your browser. Fix up pics for Facebook without needing desktop software.
BeFunky
BeFunky’s online editing platform makes the photo editing process fast and fun with its many optimization tools.
Adobe Photoshop Express
Adobe’s Photoshop Express packs the power of Photoshop into an easy online photo editor optimized for social sharing.
FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about finding and sharing photos on Facebook:
How many photos can I upload to one Facebook post?
You can share up to 100 photos in one post on Facebook, either as a traditional photo album post with thumbnails, or a slideshow-style carousel post.
What image file types can I upload to Facebook?
The supported image formats for uploading photos directly to Facebook are JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP and TIFF. JPEG is recommended for most photos.
Can I post copyrighted images on Facebook?
No, only share images on Facebook that you have explicit rights, licensing, or permission to use from the copyright holder. Avoid copyright infringement.
How can I upload high-resolution photos to Facebook without quality loss?
Upload the original maximum resolution version of your photo to Facebook. Although displayed smaller onscreen, this preserves the full quality for zooming & sharing.
How do I Give photo credits on Facebook?
When sharing a photo you didn’t take, credit the photographer in your caption wherever possible. Tagging and linking to their profile is ideal. You can also watermark the image with their name.
Conclusion
Sharing engaging, relevant photos is a great way to boost your Facebook presence and connect with your audience. Take advantage of the many sources available for finding free-to-use photos or create your own original shots. Apply proper attribution whenever using photos from an outside source, and always get permission before posting identifiable images of others. With so many options for sourcing photos, basic editing tools, and Facebook’s powerful sharing capabilities, it’s easier than ever to add visual interest to your profile and posts. Just use photos thoughtfully, stay optimized for Facebook’s formats, and watch your likes and comments grow.