# Pexels Alternative MCP > Pexels Alternative retrieves millions of high-quality, royalty-free photos and videos directly through your AI client. This server lets your agent search for media using text queries, filter assets by specific criteria—like landscape orientation or hex color codes—and pull content from curated collections. You can also retrieve videos or photos individually using their unique IDs. It’s a direct API connection to Pexels, making visual asset discovery part of your natural workflow. ## Overview - **Category:** design-creative - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** stock-photos, royalty-free, video-search, visual-assets, creative-workflow ## Description Yo, listen up. This server hooks your AI client straight into a massive library of royalty-free photos and videos—it's like having an entire visual asset vault built right into your workflow. You don't need to open a web browser or mess with any external APIs; your agent just handles the heavy lifting. **Searching for Media Assets** When you gotta find visuals, you can search both photos and videos using text queries through `search_photos` and `search_videos`. You don't have to pick one. When you use `search_photos`, you restrict results with filters like specific orientations—you want portrait or landscape?—or even hex color codes. It lets you filter the entire photo library down to exactly what you need. Similarly, if you hit up `search_videos`, you can narrow your search by duration and resolution specifications against a text query. **Browsing Curated Content Streams** You wanna see what's popular or what other creative people are liking? You've got a few ways to browse. To check out content that the whole community thinks is killer, you can call `get_popular_videos` to pull a list of currently trending clips. For photos hand-picked by the Pexels crew, use `get_curated_photos`. When you need inspiration from top-notch groupings, you'll want to hit up `get_featured_collections`, which fetches a rundown of recommended photo and video collections available right there on the platform. **Managing Your Collections** The server lets you manage your own private stuff too. You can first call `get_my_collections` to get a list and IDs of all the personal media collections you've set up. Once you have that ID, you use `get_collection_media` to pull every single asset contained within that specific collection. This lets your agent work exclusively with your private libraries. **Retrieving Single Assets & Metadata** If you already know what you want, why search? You can grab the full details on a single item using its unique ID. To get everything about one picture, `get_photo` pulls all the metadata for that specific photo ID. If it's a video you need, `get_video` fetches all the metadata tied to that unique video ID. These calls give you more than just the file; they hand over the whole backstory. **Structured Content Access Summary** * For photos, use **`search_photos`** to search by keyword and filter results with orientation or color hex codes. * Use **`search_videos`** to search video content by keyword and apply filters for duration and resolution. * To see what's trending, call **`get_popular_videos`**. * For community picks, hit **`get_curated_photos`**. * To list available groups of media, use **`get_featured_collections`** or **`get_my_collections`** to see your personal IDs. * To pull content from a specific group you own, run **`get_collection_media`**. * For the deep dive on one piece of media, call **`get_photo`** or **`get_video`**, passing in the unique ID for either asset. ## Tools ### get_collection_media Retrieves all media assets contained within a specific user-defined collection ID. ### get_curated_photos Pulls a list of photos hand-picked and grouped by the Pexels community. ### get_featured_collections Fetches a list of top or recommended photo/video collections available on the platform. ### get_photo Gets all metadata for one specific photo when provided with its unique ID. ### get_video Gets all metadata for one specific video when provided with its unique ID. ### get_my_collections Retrieves a list and IDs of personal media collections you have created. ### get_popular_videos Retrieves a list of videos that are currently trending or highly viewed on Pexels. ### search_photos Searches the entire photo library using a text query, applying filters like color or orientation. ### search_videos Searches the entire video library using a text query, filtering by duration and resolution. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Search for landscape photos of 'minimalist architecture' with a white color theme. ``` **Response:** ``` I've found several landscape photos of minimalist architecture with white tones. Here are the top results from Pexels, including a stunning shot by photographer 'X' (ID: 12345). ``` **Prompt:** ``` Show me the most popular videos on Pexels right now. ``` **Response:** ``` Fetching current popular videos... I've found a selection of trending clips, including nature timelapses and urban drone shots. Which one would you like to see details for? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Get all media from my collection with ID 'abc123xyz'. ``` **Response:** ``` Accessing your collection... I've retrieved 12 items (8 photos and 4 videos) from your 'Project Assets' collection. Would you like the download links for any of them? ``` ## Capabilities ### Search Media by Keyword Your agent searches both photos and videos simultaneously or separately using a text query. ### Filter Assets by Visual Criteria You restrict results based on technical parameters like orientation (portrait/landscape), size, or specific color hex codes. ### Browse Structured Content Your agent accesses pre-defined content streams, such as popular videos, featured collections, or your private media libraries. ### Retrieve Assets by ID You fetch a single photo (`get_photo`) or video (`get_video`) using its unique Pexels identifier. ### Manage Collections The server lists your owned collections (`get_my_collections`) and pulls all media from a specified collection ID (`get_collection_media`). ## Use Cases ### Campaign needs visuals matching a strict brand guide. A marketer needs 10 assets for an ad campaign. They can't afford random colors or shapes. Instead of scrolling through thousands of images, they ask their agent: 'Find landscape photos of nature using the hex color #FFD700.' The agent runs `search_photos` and applies both the keyword and the specific color filter, delivering only usable results. ### Building a content library from existing work. A designer finished a project and now needs to archive all assets used. They run `get_my_collections` to see their IDs, then use `get_collection_media` on the 'Q3 Marketing' ID. The agent pulls every photo and video into one list for review or download. ### Quickly populating a mood board with trending clips. A videographer is starting a new project and needs inspiration. They ask the agent to find the top 10 cinematic videos. The agent calls `get_popular_videos`, instantly giving them a curated list of highly-viewed, relevant B-roll footage without needing to browse category pages. ### Finding supporting visuals for an article. A writer needs an image for a blog post about 'remote work' that must be square format. They ask the agent: 'Search photos for remote work, constrained to portrait or square orientation.' The agent runs `search_photos` and applies the shape filter, delivering immediately usable dimensions. ## Benefits - Stop wasting time switching tabs. Instead of manually opening Pexels, your agent runs `search_photos` directly in the chat, pulling visual assets right into your workflow without leaving your client. - Target specific aesthetics immediately. Use filters to narrow results by orientation (e.g., 'portrait') or even a precise hex color code. This is far better than relying on generic keyword searches. - Manage content like a pro. Need everything from one project? Run `get_collection_media` with just the collection ID, and get all assets—photos and videos—in one call. - Stay current on trends. Don't rely on memory for popular content; use `get_popular_videos` to instantly pull a list of trending clips, perfect for mood boards or social media planning. - Deep dive into metadata. If you find an image but need the photographer’s details or source URL, simply run `get_photo` with the ID to get all that information. ## How It Works The bottom line is: Your agent handles all authentication and API calls; you just talk to it like you're asking a human assistant for visual assets. 1. First, you subscribe to the Pexels Alternative server and input your required Pexels API Key. 2. Next, you ask your AI client (e.g., 'Find a video of urban life with blue tones'). 3. Finally, your agent executes the necessary tools (`search_videos` or `search_photos`) against the API key and returns actionable metadata and URLs. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How do I find images that match a specific color hex code using search_photos?** You include the filter in your prompt. For example: 'Find photos of nature with blue tones, filtered by #0000FF.' The agent runs `search_photos` and applies both the keyword and the precise hex color constraint. **Can I use get_popular_videos to see what's trending?** Yes. Running `get_popular_videos` pulls a list of currently popular clips. This is great for quickly finding B-roll footage or current trends without having to manually browse the site. **What if I only have the ID? Do I use get_photo or get_video?** You must use `get_photo` or `get_video` depending on what the ID belongs to. These tools retrieve all metadata for that single asset using its unique identifier. **How do I search videos with specific filters? Do I use search_videos?** Yes, you use `search_videos`. This tool allows filtering by video duration and resolution, giving you much more control than a simple keyword search would. **How do I authenticate my client when running a search using `search_photos`?** You must provide your Pexels API Key during setup. This key authorizes your AI agent to access the media library. Without it, calls to `search_photos` will fail because the server can't verify your credentials. **If I only have an asset ID, what information do I get using `get_photo`?** It returns detailed metadata about that specific image. This includes the photographer's name and the source URL, which is crucial for proper attribution or deep linking in your final project. **How does `get_my_collections` differ from viewing general content?** Using `get_my_collections` accesses only the media groups you have created and saved. This keeps your private assets separate from public listings found via `get_featured_collections`. **If I search for videos using `search_videos`, how do I retrieve results beyond the first page?** The API handles large result sets through pagination. You must check the response data structure to find the next page link or offset value and call `search_videos` again until no more pages are returned. **Can I search for photos that match a specific brand color?** Yes! Use the `search_photos` tool and provide a hex code or color name in the `color` parameter to filter results by that specific palette. **How do I get the highest resolution link for a specific video?** Use the `get_video` tool with the target Video ID. The agent will return all available file qualities and their direct download URLs. **Can I see the media inside my own Pexels collections?** First, use `get_my_collections` to find your collection ID, then use `get_collection_media` with that ID to list all photos and videos stored inside.