Hehe thanks for the reference to my website Casey I missed it from my mentions when you commented last month and still busy finalizing my move. In response to this poll I use a dual approach for free and premium stock. All the stock I offer is free at limited resolution (typically 1800 px on the longest side) so people can still use it on websites and personal artworks. Then my newest and most popular images I include a paid premium version at much higher resolution for people to download once they purchase with points.

For me it's the best of both worlds. I want to make a living eventually by pursuing my creative ambitions. I still like to give back to the community and hence the free limited res images, but I don't think I'd be able to fulfill my dreams if I gave everything away. Besides all the expenses related to camera gear and computer accessories, plane trips across the world are very expensive too... so I think it is perfectly fair for you to expect something in return if you're providing useful resources that others might profit from.