Photography Information

Selecting Good Stock Photography in the Age of Digital


The business of stock photography has drastically changed over the last few years. Ten years ago, selecting photographs for your brochure or newsletter meant spending hours pouring over stock photography catalogs and ordering photo research to find the exact image. When the order came in a giant overnight package, designers would spread transparencies out on the light table, squinting through a magnifying loop to check every detail.

Enter the digital age.

High speed Internet connections. CD's. Searchable Archives. Royalty-free stock. These elements have changed the face of communication design forever. The quality, quantity, affordability and accessibility of stock imagery have made it the resource of choice for many organizations.

The advantages of instantaneous access to searchable archives of good images are numerous.

  • Speed :: We can never have enough of it. Search. Download. Import. It's remarkable.
  • Choice :: Searching "stock photography" on Google delivers 1,470,000 results. You can find pretty much anything out there.
  • Price :: While there are free resources, unless you are doing a school report, you may need something slightly more exclusive. Also, many of the free images are only good enough for online display and the selection is very limited. Royalty-free images are reasonably priced, you pay for only the size you'll use and images can be used as needed with no extra charges.
  • Flexibility :: Image selections can be grouped, saved and emailed to others in the review cycle. People in different locations can simultaneously review ideas.
  • Archiving :: Some companies even keep a record of your buys that you can re-download whenever you need them. To use this resource effectively, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
  • Plan ahead :: Will you ever need the picture to be printed? The low cost of "low resolution" images can lure you into costly mistakes. Images need to be 300 dpi (dots per inch) at the size they will be printed.
  • Low-cost tradeoff :: Pictures are now so affordable, everyone's buying them. That means your image could show up in your competitor's brochure. Some projects call for more exclusive imagery.
  • Image-enhancement :: When you need something totally unique, such as your product in the shot, it may be more economical to hire a photographer than to have your designer spend countless hours in Photoshop trying to get it just right.
  • Availability :: Good images still cost money. While many firms have images on file, don't expect your designer to have a database full of images right for your project.
When searching on the web, search for "stock photography" rather than doing an image search in Google or another search engine. Google returns all images from the web -- including those that are the property of others and not legally usable.

About The Author

Beth Brodovsky is the president and principal of Iris Creative Group, LLC. Brodovsky earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design from Pratt Institute, New York. Before launching her own firm in 1996, she spent eight years as a corporate Art Director and Graphic Designer, providing a sound foundation in management and organizational standards and structure. Iris Creative specializes in providing marketing and strategic communication services to clients in service industries and small businesses. For more information contact Beth at bsb@iriscreative.com or 610-567-2799.


MORE RESOURCES:

CNET News

'Yang-Ying' digicam captures Tao of photography
CNET News, CA - 8 hours ago
We're not sure if we can attain enlightenment with this Yang-Ying digital camera from Polish designer Kubasek Krzystof. It was designed so it could be taken ...


Data Robotics Partners With Aperture Nature Photography Workshops ...
MarketWatch - 14 hours ago
"Our support of the Aperture Nature Photography Workshop is an example of our commitment to make simple, safe, and expandable storage technology available ...


Sydney Morning Herald

Australian Institute Of Professional Photography Exhibition
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia - 18 hours ago
A set of dog portraits is the overall winner in the Australian Professional Photography Awards. Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm and Saturday from 9.30am to ...


The Oregonian - OregonLive.com

Portland's Booming Photography Scene
The Oregonian - OregonLive.com, OR - 4 hours ago
A few years ago, it seemed like the city's perennially strong but middleweight-sized photography scene was in a funk. Portland's marquee photography gallery ...


The New Nation

Int’l inter university photography exhibition ends
The New Nation, Bangladesh - 8 hours ago
The International Inter University Photography Exhibition was held at the National Art Gallery of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy from August 3 to 9. ...


Fotosearch Stock Photography Turns 10 Years Old
PR-CANADA.net (press release), Montenegro - 8 hours ago
Fotosearch Stock Photography, a leading provider of premium stock photography based in Waukesha, Wisconsin, is celebrating its 10 year anniversary this week ...


What Digital Camera (press release)

Park Cameras announce 'School of Photography'
What Digital Camera (press release), UK - 12 hours ago
By Paul Nuttall Renowned camera retailer Park Cameras has announced the inception of the 'Park Cameras School of Photography. Based in its new retails ...


Black's Photography launches Canada's newest and best destination ...
Canada NewsWire (press release), Canada - 14 hours ago
21 /CNW/ - Black's Photography, Canada's premier imaging and digital retailer, is excited to announce the opening of its first Black's Pro store, ...
Media Advisory - Black's Photography opens its very first Black's ... CNW Telbec (Communiqués de presse)
all 2 news articles


Paul snaps up top marks in photography
Glasgow Evening Times, UK - 17 hours ago
by Tristan Stewart-Robertson A SCOTS teenager with dyslexia has finished among the top five students in England for his photography skills. ...


Dentist charged after employees find potty pix
Houston Chronicle, United States - 5 hours ago
Improper photography is a state jail felony punishable by a maximum sentence of 2 years behind bars and a $10000 fine for each count. ...

Photography - Google News

home | site map | Seashell Photography
© 2006