The Truth Behind Stock Photos: What Works and What Doesn’t

What are stock photos?

A stock photo is an image or other visual content for which users can buy a license for creative or commercial use. Stock photography is appealing because you can search a stock photo site for an appropriate image immediately. The alternative is to hire a photographer to create original content, which can be expensive and time-consuming.

Marie Brown, founder of the business website building agency Beyond the Kitchen Table, told business.com that stock photos can be a great option for cash-strapped companies.

“Sometimes, the budget doesn’t stretch to a professional photoshoot,” Brown told us. “Sometimes, you need more images than you might have from a professional photo shoot — stock images are great filler content. And sometimes it just isn’t worth getting professional photos because stock images are just as good, if not better.”

How do stock photos work?

In stock photography, the artist uploads a photo ― or other visual content, such as illustrations, video clips or vector files ― that they have taken, edited and finalized for creative use elsewhere. Usually, the artist submits the images to a stock photo agency, which splits license revenues with the photographer. In other words, stock photos provide users with the images they need, often without attribution requirements, and give photographers an easy way to generate revenue for their work.

What kinds of stock photos are buyers purchasing?

The most commonly purchased stock photos are of people, animals, food and travel destinations. Across all categories, stock photos come with licensing terms, which you should examine closely.

“Most providers offer a variety of licensing options, and it’s crucial for businesses to evaluate how they will be using the photos and understand the limitations on how the images can be used,” said Ryan Waite, an adjunct marketing professor at Brigham Young University-Hawaii. 

“Make sure you also check for proper releases if individuals are prominently featured in the photos,” Waite said. “Most stock photo providers typically have that covered, but it’s smart to double-check.”

Stock photos that buyers purchase fall into four main categories:

• Royalty-free images: When you buy a royalty-free image from a stock photo site, you can use it as often as you’d like. Royalty-free images have no right to exclusivity, whereas other stock image categories might.
• Extended-license images: This is an upgraded version of the royalty-free license that extends your usage rights to any images you purchase. This one-time-fee model allows buyers to use the image in product resale items and unlimited print runs. 
• Rights-managed images: For competitive reasons, there may be exclusivity terms in the stock image license that prevent other entities from using the same photo. Rights-managed images may fluctuate in market value based on size, exclusivity rights and usage.
• Public-domain images: This category includes free stock photos that you can use without buying a license. The free images in this category have no usage limitations and generally do not require attribution.

What can stock photos be used for?

Stock photos for commercial use can be placed on websites, in marketing materials and in editorial work; some stock photos can be used only for editorial purposes. One caveat is that they cannot be used in materials related to illegal or morally sensitive areas, nor can they be resold or distributed.

How much do stock photos cost?

Some stock photos are free, but the better ones usually are not. Most stock photo sites charge less per image if you buy a subscription for a number of photos. For example, iStock and Shutterstock plans start at $29 per month for 10 images. Stock photo experts point to iStock, Shutterstock and Adobe Stock as the most affordable stock-photo sites.

What are the pros and cons of stock photos?

Before you start using stock photos, it’s important to understand their pros and cons. 

Pros of stock photos

These are some of the advantages of using stock photos:

• It’s quicker and cheaper than hiring a photographer.
• Stock photos are versatile enough for many uses.
• You can easily edit stock photos to fit your business’s needs. 
• Site subscriptions give you access to a variety of high-quality images.

Cons of stock photos

These are some of the problems associated with using stock photos:

• You could unintentionally violate the image license.
• The aesthetics may be intended for general use and, by extension, feel inauthentic to your target audience.
• Depending on the image license, there is a risk that other companies will use the same images you purchase.

Why people don’t like bad stock photos

Although stock photos are convenient and can be an inexpensive alternative to custom photography, here are some reasons why people don’t like bad stock photos.

They are low-quality or impersonal.

Bad stock images are cliche and might be poorly shot or downright ridiculous. By their nature, stock photos are meant to be “one-size-fits-most,” which means they weren’t created to fit your brand aesthetic. Bad stock photography makes that abundantly clear. The subject is usually vague, and the models may look unnatural, overly stylized or too corporate. The pictures could be from anywhere and of anyone, which won’t help cultivate brand awareness and recognition for your company.

Jasmeet Singh, owner and lead photographer at the corporate photography studio 415Headshots, said businesses should prioritize brand consistency if they use stock photos.

“Ensure that the stock photos you choose match your company’s color schemes, tone and overall aesthetic,” Singh said. “This creates a cohesive and professional look across all platforms. Modify stock images to incorporate your brand elements, such as adding your logo or adjusting colors to better fit your branding guidelines.”

They make your website look less professional.

Depending on how far down the stock photo rabbit hole you fall, you may come across stock photos that look spammy or unprofessional. Choosing these types of images can cheapen your brand aesthetic and reputation.

Some site visitors may not take stock photos seriously. So, if you’re trying to establish an online brand with a refined, elegant aesthetic, be careful about which stock photos you choose. [Learn more website design tips.]

They may be used by many companies.

Stock photos can be recognizable, and some are overused consistently. Consider the case of Jennifer Anderson, the internet’s “Everywhere Girl.” She posed for a photo shoot sometime in 1996, and her face was subsequently used by some of the biggest brands in the world, including Microsoft, the BBC, Greyhound Lines, Hewlett Packard and Dell. Without meaning to, these brands diluted their unique messaging by using the same stock photo as several other companies. 

Although stock photos are more varied now than in the 1990s, any image you choose from a source like iStock or Shutterstock is bound to come up on thousands of other websites. 

“If not well-selected, stock photos can look obviously staged or outdated,” said Melissa Carmichael, founder of the custom branding and website company Spread Good Design. “When you’re using a communal resource for imagery, those images become overused. This means the imagery representing your brand is used by someone else, which you have no control over and could potentially hurt your brand in the long run.”

Why good visual content matters

Here are a few important ways good visual content benefits businesses.

Visual content is attention-grabbing.

Since the onset of social media, our attention spans have dwindled. This means marketers have only a few seconds to capture their target audience’s attention before they lose interest. However, the right visual content can get viewers to connect with your content.   

Visual content is memorable.

The right image can help complete a conversion or make a sale. Most people retain visual information much better and longer than written text, so investing in the right images can help convey your brand message more efficiently and effectively than written content might. 

Visuals can communicate information quickly.

Visual messages make it easier to convey your brand message or highlight certain aspects of your products and services. Whatever message you’re trying to deliver, make sure it provides value to your target audience. 

There are methods your business can use to determine how much value you’re providing. “A/B test various stock images to determine which visuals resonate most with your audience, informing future custom photography decisions,” Singh said. “This can also be used for website engagement.”

Visual content can convey your brand’s aesthetic.

Consider whether the image will match your brand and website aesthetic. Incorporating the right images into your website can also improve your site’s responsive design.

“Stock images should be consistent with your branding — so using the same color palette and certainly not clashing colors,” Brown said. “They should also look like they belong together and belong with any other images on your website. There should be a consistent aesthetic that, again, reflects your brand.”

How bad stock photos hurt your bottom line

Your website is one of your business’s most important conversion tools, and cheesy stock photos will only hinder the cause. Bad stock imagery can also drive people away from your website and, by extension, your company.

Bad stock images aren’t friendly and inviting. Customers don’t want to be talked at; they want to learn why and how your business can meet their needs. Stock photos can come off as too sales-focused and drive away potential customers.

“Avoid stock photos that are commonly used or depict unrealistic scenarios, as they can make your brand appear generic and inauthentic,” Singh said.

What to do instead of using bad stock photos

People rely on other people to meet their needs, and stock photos, much like an automated customer service recording, can be impersonal and uninviting. Fortunately, there are a few ways to solve this problem.

Choose better stock photos.

You don’t have to rely on iStock or Shutterstock. Consider using a different stock image site, such as one listed by Creative Boom. These sites have a more modern, artistic feel, and many images archived on these sites are free.

Wherever you search for images, use specific terms rather than the abstract concept or blog topic the picture should represent. People connect much more readily with concrete images than with abstract ideas.

Make creative edits to stock photos.

You can use Photoshop or other photo-editing software to put your creative spin on an image, depending on the image’s license. Before you begin, though, you must ensure that you have the creative rights to modify the image.

Then, you can overlay text or graphics, make tonal edits using filters, crop the image or reposition elements to help you deliver your message. [Read related article: How to Compress Photos]

Use your own photos.

If you want to feature people’s faces on your site, stay far away from stock photos. Instead, show images of your employees. 

“Incorporating images of actual employees alongside stock photos can enhance authenticity and trustworthiness,” Singh said.

While some great stock photos are available, nothing can replace your unique, custom images. Using images that align with your style, colors and overall messaging is an important part of establishing your brand aesthetic, which helps separate your company from competitors. 

Sites that sell stock photos

If you do choose to use stock photos, you can get them from these sites:

• iStock
• Shutterstock
• Adobe Stock
• Getty Images
• Pexels
• Depositphotos
• Stocksy
• Unsplash
• Pixabay

Carmichael suggested another source of high-quality, affordable photos: artificial intelligence (AI).

“New to the scene is AI-generated imagery,” Carmichael said. “There are public sites like Lummi and Stockimg.ai, but what’s also available are designers-for-hire who can create fully custom imagery, centered on your brand and aesthetics, through AI software. The good news is, most of these options require modest budgets in comparison to custom in-person photoshoots with a photography professional.”

Ultimately, you may choose to use a combination of image sources. If you do decide to use stock photos, always choose authentic, relevant and realistic images. 

Max Freedman and Anna Johansson contributed to this article.