Stock photography is a type of photography that is licensed for use in commercial projects.
Stock photos are available as digital files or physical prints, and they can be purchased individually or as part of a collection.
Stock photographers typically sell their work through stock photo agencies, which act as intermediaries between photographers and buyers.
The most popular stock agencies include Shutterstock, Fotolia and iStockPhoto (owned by Getty Images).
Where Can You Find Stock Photography?
There are several ways to find stock photography.
The most obvious is to search for it on the web, but there are also paid sites that offer this service.
You can also look for free and Creative Commons sites, which will allow you to use images without paying royalties or licensing fees.
How to Choose the Right Stock Photography?
If you’re looking to hire stock photography, there are a few things to consider.
First and foremost is your audience. Who are they?
What do they want from the images?
Are they primarily looking for something that will help them sell products or services, or do they just want something beautiful and inspiring in their marketing materials?
If the answer is either “yes” or “both,” then it’s time to think about what kind of brand identity you have.
Do your customers expect high-quality images that reflect professionalism and reliability–or would something more casual work better for them?
Does this differ between industries (e-commerce vs retail)?
If so, then be sure not only look at styles but also make sure each photographer has experience working in those fields before hiring them!
How to Use Stock Photography?
Blog Posts
Social Media Posts
Website Pages
How to Credit Stock Photography?
Include the Photographer’s Name
It’s important to credit the photographer whenever you use stock photography.
Even if you don’t know who took the photo, there are ways to find out.
You can often find this information by looking at the image itself or searching for it on Google Images (or another image search engine).
If you still can’t find out who took the photo, contact us and we’ll help!
Include a Link To The Photo
If possible, include a link back to where you found our images so other people can see them too!
This is especially important when using our images on websites or social media platforms like Facebook,
Twitter or Pinterest where we cannot track how many times our photos have been shared across these sites due to privacy settings preventing us from seeing what happens behind closed doors 😉
Tips for Choosing the Right Stock Photography
Look for high quality images.
If you’re going to use stock photography, it’s important that your images are of the highest quality possible.
If an image doesn’t look good, it won’t sell your product or service well enough to justify its use.
Look for unique images.
You want people who see your site or social media page to notice something different about it–and one way to achieve this is by using photos that aren’t common in other places online (or even offline).
The more unique your content is, the more likely it will stand out from competitors’ websites/social media pages and attract attention from potential customers!
Look for relevant images
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Stock Photography
Not reading the license terms.
Not following copyright rules.
Not crediting the photographer.
Why You Should Consider Using Stock Photography
You may be wondering why you should consider using stock photography.
We’ll go over the main reasons below:
Cost savings.
Stock photos are a great way to save money on your marketing materials, especially if you’re just starting out and don’t have much cash in the bank.
You can get some great images for free or at a low cost, which will help keep costs down while still giving your business an attractive look.
Time savings.
If you’ve ever tried taking professional-quality photos yourself, then you know how time-consuming it can be–and even then there’s no guarantee that they’ll turn out well!
With stock photos already done for us by professionals who specialize in this field (and who have access to expensive equipment),
we can spend our time doing other things rather than worrying about whether our photo will come out blurry or pixelated due to poor lighting conditions
The Benefits of Using Stock Photography
Wide Variety of Photos
Stock photography is an excellent way to add variety to your website or blog.
With the right images, you can tell a story with each piece of content you create and keep readers engaged.
Easy Accessibility
Stock photos are easy to find and purchase online; all you need is an internet connection!
You don’t have to worry about driving around town looking for the perfect picture or spending hours in a library researching stock photo websites because they’re all accessible from one place:
your computer screen!
Professional Quality
Many photographers take pride in their work and strive for perfection when capturing images that will become stock photos.
This ensures that every photo has high-quality resolution so it looks great when printed out on paper (or viewed online).
Stock Photography – Wrap Up
Stock photography is an affordable, accessible option for your business.
You can use it in many ways: to illustrate blog posts or social media content, as part of a marketing campaign or website design, or even on product packaging.
Consider your audience when choosing stock photography for your brand.
A small business might want something more casual and friendly than a multinational corporation might–and vice versa!
If you’re targeting a specific demographic (say, young women), then consider how they would respond to certain types of imagery over others.
When using stock images in marketing campaigns or other materials that will be shared with others online (like on social media), always credit the photographer by linking back to their website or portfolio page so they get credit for their work!
