I understand the appeal of wanting clean, watermark-free images, but I need to be careful here: Watermarks exist to protect the work of photographers and artists.

Support the artists. Respect the law. And enjoy images that look great—without the legal headache. Have you ever been tempted to remove a watermark? Let me know in the comments—or share your favorite free stock photo site.

But here’s the hard truth: without purchasing the image.