Choosing the Right Concept Stock Photo For Your Business

How to choose the right concept stock photo for your business

When was the last time a page of type caught your eye? Whether in print, on a billboard, or on the Internet, getting people to stop and read your message is paramount. Photographs provide a quick, universal and powerful message.  The right photo can get a viewer to stop and read that all-important copy.   On the Internet it can be even more important to have an image that reads quickly and clearly even at thumbnail size.  Finding the right photograph to advertise your business can be the most crucial step to success with your enterprise.

Hiring a Photographer

Finding the right stock photo can be a daunting undertaking.  Countless hours can be spent sifting through literally millions of images.  How can you be efficient with your time and come up with a special image?  To answer that we have to look at the different ways there are to come up with photos.  You can hire a photographer, which introduces an element of uncertainty, lengthens the time and hassle, and almost certainly will be more expensive. 

Micro Stock, Royalty Free and Rights Managed

On the other hand you can turn to stock photography, which can range from free right on to incredibly expensive.  On the low end are Micro Stock sites, in the middle is Royalty Free, and at the top end is Rights Managed.  And yet, despite its reputation for being expensive, Rights Managed imagery can actually be less expensive than Royalty Free depending on the use you need.  Some Internet uses are only $49.00.

Researchers and Hidden Gems

What is actually most important, however, is finding the right image.  With Rights Managed you can enlist the help of an agency researcher who will prepare a “lightbox” selection for you.  Such researchers have an intimate knowledge of their collections and can not only speed up the process but can often also find the perfect gem that otherwise you might not stumble across.

Recouping Investment

Great imagery can be found in all the categories of stock, though it is generally acknowledged that the best images can be found in the Rights Managed category.  It does make sense that images that have a more unique application, and that can take much time, effort and money to create, will tend to end up in the Rights Managed collections where the photographer can have a better chance to recoup his investment.

Concept Photos, a Good Option

Whether you search for your photos in Micro Stock, Royalty Free, or Rights Managed, you don’t want boring.  Think about it.  Your image has to catch the attention of the viewer; it has to stop people, get them interested, and pull them in.  A good option can be found in concept photos. 

Find an image that is clearly about the message you have to communicate.  Not another pretty person on a cell phone, a generic smiling face, or a beautifully lit still life, but a dynamic, message specific image probably employing humor, but definitely making an emotional connection to grab that viewer’s attention.

In choosing your photo, choose value over cost, choose boldness over safe, and choose success over another face in the crowd.

Good places to search for concept stock photography can be found at www.GettyImages.com, www.BlendImages.com,  www.Corbis.com, and www.iStockphoto.com. Many other agencies exist, but these can get you off to a good start .