Should You Use Stock Photography or Customized Organic Photography?

Should You Use Stock Photography or Customized Organic Photography For Your Website?

Which visuals will capture the unique personality and values of your brand? We believe there are good reasons to use both, but each can also have it’s unique disadvantages.

The Best Imagery for Websites

Sourcing Visuals For Your Website

When it comes to selecting images for your marketing materials or website, one of the primary decisions you will have to make is whether to use royalty free stock photography or organic, custom photography. Both types of imagery have their unique advantages and disadvantages. For example, utilizing stock photos can be especially useful in situations where time and cost are a concern. On the other hand, if cost is not a concern, customized photography can represent your brand uniquely and authentically and can be an invaluable marketing resource. Along with considering your needs, your brand, and your budget, the following list of pros and cons of each will help you make the best decision about which option is suitable for your project.

Often more cost-effective than hiring a professional photographer or commissioning customized photos.
Offers a wide vast range of images covering a diverse range of subjects, styles, and moods.
Easy to access and download, making it a convenient option for time-sensitive projects.
Many are taken by professional photographers and offer high-quality resolution and composition.
You can create a consistent look and feel across your website or marketing materials.

Royalty Free images can be used by as many people who buy the license, and, sometimes, using popular stock photos, even those of the highest quality, undermines brand credibility due to their common usage across multiple sites.
Stock images can lack uniqueness and quality, unlike your business identity.
Risk of copyright infringement can occur occasionally.

Allows you to create unique images that reflect your brand’s personality, values, and message.
Capture real people, products, or environments, helping to convey a sense of authenticity and trustworthiness.
Tailor the images to your specific needs and goals, such as highlighting certain products or showcasing a particular event.
Unique to your brand and reinforces your brand’s visual identity and create a strong connection with your audience.
Cannot be used by competitors or others in the same industry.

Obviously cost. The old adage that a picture is worth a 1000 words is true, but it can also cost you. Today’s top custom web photographers can charge as high as $500 an hour. Average is $100 to $300.
Another con is time. If you need to pull your project together quickly, commissioning customized photography or artwork can bring it to a standstill.
Choosing the wrong photographer. Photographers abilities vary immensely and just by hiring one doesn’t mean you will get quality work. Different subjects demand different skills in addition to having a mastery of lighting.

Why Webwerx Design? We take photo selection extremely serious and it accounts for probably half of our design time. Occasionally, a client may ask us to find alternative photos, however, 95% of the time we hit the target with our selections. While we have our favorite vendors we work with, we have subscriptions with multiple stock photo vendors (Adobe®, Shutterstock™, iStock™ to name a few) which is how we include high quality stock photos in our design package pricing.

Call 888-355-0305 or reach us online.