The site was launched in February 2001 by Peter Hamza, and allows users to contribute, share and download high-resolution photographs and illustrations free of charge.

Contributors are encouraged to submit material to enhance their photography career through wider public exposure.

Since its acquisition by Getty Images in 2014, the site was renamed FreeImages in 2014 and the web address now redirects to a freeimages.com URL.

Although images are free, contributors still retain moral rights and photographs are still subject to usage restrictions.

[7] In December 2009, fhe founders decided to sell their remaining interest in the sites,[8] and later started a similar service, Stockfresh.