Choosing Stock Photos

Are they right for you?

The Pro's and Con's

Why they might work for you

Why use Stock Photos? Simply put, images are a very important aspect of your branding and marketing. For this reason, you should always spend some time making sure you have the correct images to represent your company clearly and in the highest quality possible. Stock Photography is a very common way of doing this as there are millions of stock images online that you can pick up for a relatively low cost, which will fit well into your website.

This may be the easiest option but it’s not always the most efficient or productive. There are a few pros and cons to this method and it’s very important to think about whether you want to go with stock photos for your project. Here are our pros and cons for stock photography use…

Choosing stock photography - Cons

The Pro's

Very Low Prices – If you are planning to start a website on a low budget then stock photos are probably the best way to go. All images are very affordable and some can be bought in bulk packages. When it comes to stock images most sites will determine the cost of the image or images based on the resolution, so lower resolution images can be picked up for very cheap and will probably be great for websites.

The Fastest Method – If you are ever in a rush for images then stock photos can be a good choice. All images are instantly available to download. You can browse, choose and pay – and usually instantly download them, which can be a huge time saver.

Variety – The variety of stock images available is fantastic. Once you search you will find there are many options. Photographers contribute to these websites from all over the world so if you live in the countryside but need images of mountains or palm trees then this will be easily achievable.

High Quality – Stock photography websites usually have strict requirements for the quality of the images. This means that when you purchase a stock image you can expect them to be high quality.

The Con's

Not exclusive to your website – Due to the fact that all stock photos are readily available for download at any time, you must be prepared that other companies may have used the same images for their websites. This means that your competition or another business in your market, could be using the same image meaning that your website may appear a little less appealing if people have seen the image before. If you are trying to stand out in your market then using a stock image may not be the best way to go. This is where using a professional photographer can give you an edge, but at a cost.

They can be predictable – All photographers that contribute to stock image websites will look to take photos that stand out to the buyer and will be used by many people. They try to make each and every image appeal to businesses to attract more purchases. As a result of this problem, a lot of the images can be seen as a little cliché. This means that you may not be able to capture the individuality of your company by using stock photos, and the consumer may just see your company as the same as all the others.

Less freedom – Limiting your web designers with stock images gives them less freedom to create unique and outstanding concepts. This is because the photographer taking the photos for the website won’t be taking that picture with your business in mind, and most importantly your product may not be quite as well represented by your marketing material.

Choosing stock photography - Pro's

Be patient

Decide what is the best option for your business

After looking through these tips you may find that using stock photos is the route you would like to go down for your project. If this is the case, make sure you spend a lot of time looking at all of the images to ensure that you have picked the correct ones for your business. Spending more time looking for images may result in you finding an image that is correct to your business and may not be as frequently used by other companies.

You could also consider approaching local photographers for advice; maybe they have a budding apprentice who wants to boost their portfolio by offering cut-price shoots which will still give you that pro look!

Web Design

We enjoy learning about you, your businesses, and your unique selling points. You are experts in what you do and we are experts in website design making sure we will represent your business perfectly online. We build a working relationship so we can provide an outstanding website solution

Graphic Design

Good Design is essential, in every touch-point for your customers. Eye-catching website design is just the beginning. A good design needs to be consistent across social platforms, documents, online presence, printed goods – all which help keep you visible

Illustration

From custom characters and illustrated brand assets, to personalised infographics. We can help breathe life into your project whether it be purely aesthetic or creating engaging visuals to communicate complex information. Speak to our in-house illustrator today to talk through your project

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As creative designers we understand the impact that a well thought out design, and high quality piece of print or promotional material can have on potential customers. It is important to make a great first impression and the look and feel of a piece of printing can influence peoples perception of your business

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Your site needs to rank as highly as possible, more now than ever – so that when people are searching they will find you! This goes without saying. Not only does this mean you will generate more traffic, but it will also generate more enquiries and lead to sales

Brand Design

Whether you are a new business in need of a Brand Identity, or an existing business looking for a refresh or new direction, we can help. Your Brand defines you and your business and helps you to stand out from the competition. Competitor Analysis and Market Research for your sector and target market are a key part of the process

Want to break the ice?

If you have a business that would benefit from more online traffic, increasing customers, or a stronger brand presence – don’t hesitate; talk to the professionals and let’s get creative!

Web Design

We enjoy learning about you, your businesses, and your unique selling points. You are experts in what you do and we are experts in website design making sure we will represent your business perfectly online. We build a working relationship so we can provide an outstanding website solution

Graphic Design

Good Design is essential, in every touch-point for your customers. Eye-catching website design is just the beginning. A good design needs to be consistent across social platforms, documents, online presence, printed goods – all which help keep you visible

Illustration

From custom characters and illustrated brand assets, to personalised infographics. We can help breathe life into your project whether it be purely aesthetic or creating engaging visuals to communicate complex information. Speak to our in-house illustrator today to talk through your project

Print

As creative designers we understand the impact that a well thought out design, and high quality piece of print or promotional material can have on potential customers. It is important to make a great first impression and the look and feel of a piece of printing can influence the perception of your business

SEO & Marketing

Your site needs to rank as highly as possible, more now than ever – so that when people are searching they will find you! This goes without saying. Not only does this mean you will generate more traffic, but it will also generate more enquiries and lead to sales

Brand Design

Whether you are a new business in need of a Brand Identity, or an existing business looking for a refresh or new direction, we can help. Your Brand defines you and your business and helps you to stand out from the competition. Competitor Analysis and Market Research for your sector and target market are a key part of the process

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