When some people think of stock photography, they think of the painfully corny images you might find on social media as a meme. Most people may not realize that stock photography can be a useful tool. Brands might not have the budget to hire someone to stage, shoot, and edit images for a particular campaign, and this is where stock photography comes in handy.
In addition to stock photography being budget-friendly, it also saves time. There are many stock photography websites that you can visit to find precisely what you are looking for. Some of our favorites are Shutterstock, iStock, and Adobe Stock. These platforms offer a paid subscription to download as many high-quality images as needed, eliminating the worry of copyright issues and royalties.
Having a subscription to a stock photo site allows you to save time in searching for the perfect image. You can find images quickly, and in the style or aesthetic you are looking for. When people see a picture of something they relate to, they are more likely to trust your brand. In addition to humanizing your brand, stock photos help diversify what type of content your audiences see.
For designers, stock photography is a great tool to help enhance designs. Stock websites aren’t just limited to images. There are stock vectors, music, and videos – endless options to create something visually interesting without breaking the bank. However, It’s imperative to choose what you are using wisely.
If you choose an image that looks like it came from a meme on Facebook, chances are people will not engage with your content as you would like them to. It is crucial to pick images you know your audience can relate to. If an image is not going to complement or enhance what you are creating, then you shouldn’t use it.
Most importantly, stock photography offers you the convenience of instantly downloading whatever image or images you need. You don’t get that convenience if you schedule a photoshoot. Typically, you won’t get edited images back from a photographer until a week or so after the shoot.
While stock photography may have a bad rep among some designers, it is a valuable resource that can save you time and money.
If you are looking to graduate past stock photography and truly take your brand to the next level, then partnering with a production team or agency is a great place to start!
Interested? Give us a shout!