Like clip art, stock photography can come with a bad reputation. Bright, smiling office workers pointing blandly at a chart, anyone? Then again, it's usually usage rather than the images themselves that are the problem.
We don't do stock photography. But for our corporate clients, we often recommend they use stock images rather than commission us. Why would we do that, when we stand to lose out? It's simple: there is a right place and time to use stock photography - and we would rather ensure our clients make the best decision for them, rather than line our pockets for no reason. (Although we're not averse to people giving us money...) Working in partnership to get the best for our clients benefits us both in the long term.
What is stock photography good for?
We'd recommend stock photos for standard images, where it doesn't matter if the picture is of your people, office or equipment. This is especially true for presentations or on your website. For example, if you want a photograph of a telephone to go with your phone number on the website, a stock image is perfect. Nobody cares whether it is your actual phone (in fact, they'd probably think it odd if you were taking a photograph of your own phone. And we bet your desk isn't as tidy as those in stock photos...).
The other benefit of stock photography is that the quality is usually exceptional - almost definitely better than doing it yourself - and usually fairly cheap. And there are plenty of providers, so you can find the image you want.
So why commission bespoke photography?
Now that we've talked you out of hiring a photographer (and that photographer, we hope, is us...), let us change your mind. There are occasions where stock photography is definitely the wrong choice.
The downside of stock photography is that it can be obvious, bland, unrepresentative and impersonal. And there is a very real chance it will appear elsewhere (Oh!). You don't want to give off the impression that you are the same as everybody else.
You definitely don't want to be using stock photography when you want to show off:
- Your people
- Your work
- Your products
- Your (company) personality
- Your brand
This is where commissioning a professional comes in. You'll get a unique photograph (or photographs) that do represent you and your business. And a great photographer (hello!) will work with you to understand your vision, your goals and your brand to create imagery that promotes these.
The best approach is to mix the two. For the general things, ones that don't define your business or your team, go with stock. But for the important things - who you are, what you do, what makes you different, even where you are - then you need a professional.