Terms of use / the important info:

Can I use these images for my art?

Yes! Artists are given blanket permission to use / reference these photos to create derivative or transformative art or artistic works. This includes commercial use, such as selling a painting you made using a combination of references from this site.

Training AI or using AI to generate images does not fall under the copyright exemption for “art” or “artistic works” on this website.

Do I need to credit this site when I use the reference images?

Please do, if you’re posting your art online. I’d like to see what is made using these images, and it will help other people find the site!

The best way to credit the site is using the full name or URL.

  • “Art references from www.animal-photo-references.com”

  • “Art references from the Exotic Animal Photo Reference Repository”

Can I repost/share the images on this site?

Nope! Copyright is retained for the original version of the images on this site, and they cannot be shared or reposted in their original form without permission.

(This site is a labor of love, please don’t make it suck by scraping content for internet clout.)

Are these images made or edited with Generative AI?

All images on this site are of real animals, and were taken by a human being. Generative AI has not been used to edit or alter them in any way.

Can I use these images to train an AI model?

Absolutely not. No. Not in the slightest. Nope.
Generative AI steals copyright and uses it to create soulless voids in the guise of art.

It is explicitly against the terms of service for this site for any content or images to be used in any type of generative AI model training or content production.

Do you ever give the media/academics/authors/non-artists permission to use or reproduce images?

Please ask! Contact page link is here.

Non-commercial uses will most likely be approved, if appropriate credit is given and permission is asked prior to use. Commercial use requests will be assessed on a case by case basis, depending on context and scope.

Don’t be evil and just yoink the images without asking.