ChristianPhotos.net Launches Free Stock Photography Service

ChristianPhotos.net announced last week the launch of a new stock photography service that is targeted for small to medium sized churches, and Christian individuals who have limited resources to produce graphics for publications.

While large churches can budget thousands of dollars to acquire graphics rights, smaller churches do not have such financial leeway, according to ChristianPhotos.net.

“I was surprised to find that there were no free stock photography services available for churches through the Internet,” said the site's founder, Jukka Paavilainen.

“Printed publications require high resolution graphics, and ChristianPhotos.Net is the only service that offers these free of charge.”

The photos on the website, which can be downloaded for free with registration, can be used in flyers, posters, websites, and other forms of publication – filling a need that is common for many small to medium sized resource-strapped churches.

According to Paavilainen, the idea for the site arose when he was asked to shoot photos for a local church's monthly newspaper. After taking the photos, Paavilainen realized that thousands of other churches could benefit from his photos. After searching and finding no other sites that provide free Christian photographs for churches, Paavilainen decided to create one on his own.

"Churches want to develop and maintain a positive image within their local community. ChristianPhotos.Net helps churches around the world to create this image by providing photos for all their promotional needs," said Paavilainen in summarizing the goals of the service.

ChristianPhotos.net has plans to expand the reach of their service by adding more languages to its website. Paavilainen hopes that other photographers will begin submitting photos, and that an active community of photographers will arise to provide quality graphics for the Christian community.