There are two main sources of photographs licensed for business use: stock photos and hired
photographers. Stock photos are generic photos of people, places and things licensed for commercial
use and available to anyone who wants to use them. Hired photographers shoot unique photos that
personalize a client's brand, business and projects.
Benefits of Stock Photography:
There's no doubt about it, stock photos are appealing to many small businesses because they fit tight
budgets, are available fast if you're on a tight timeline, and they're great for references. But they have a
dark side and some serious cons.
Cons of Stock Photography:
1) REPUTATIONS AND BRAND RUINED
Stock photos aren't such a great option when your competitor is using the same photos. If you're
searching for stock photos using key words like "happy customer," or "satisfied clients," chances are
your competitor is too.
Two leading computer companies found out the hard way that looking like your competitors was a bad
thing. They bought the same stock image to brand their ad campaign and ended up being ridiculed and
humiliated in public. The photos may change, but the article stays online making them a case study in
what not to do, forever.
It's not hard for people to track what photos they see from one website to another.
2) FALSE VALUE
You save money by using stock photography; but then you end up spending those savings on having
your designer spend hours in front of a computer trying to design around available stock photos that
don't fit the vision, the message or the brand. You can save money and lose value when you only look at
the bottom line or the dollar sign. True value is the value your customers see because you've invested
your money wisely, and where it shows to the world.
3) COMPROMISED CREATIVITY
When you hire a designer based on their portfolio, style and vision, you hire them because you trust
them to visually interpret your message and brand. They can't do that if they're limited by using stock
photography.
· You wouldn't hire a chef and limit them to leftovers and week old vegetables and expect the best meal
they were capable of producing.
· You wouldn't hire a massage therapist and limit the number of techniques they could use to relieve
your pain.
· Don't hire a designer and limit them to using stock photos.
4) SENDING MIXED MESSAGES
Does any of your marketing copy say 'customized', 'unique', 'trustworthy, 'relationship'? These are some
of the power words businesses use to describe their relationship with their clients. How then will these
values be translated when you pepper your website with canned stock photography? If you give your
clients customized service with unique products, why not treat yourself as well?
5) STOCK PHOTOS ARE GENERIC
Professional stock photographers try to reach the greatest number of buyers, not to create the best or
most unique photo for any given individual.
Stock photographers:
· Make their money by creating and shooting photos that appeal to the greatest number of buyers. The
more popular their photo, the more people buy it and the greater the saturation of that photo in the
market.
· Want to ensure their designs are not unique or one-of-a-kind. One-of-a-kind photos don't sell. By being
as generic and non-descript as possible they appeal to the most business because they "fit" a cliché,
mood or message those businesses with tight budgets and no concern about branding want.