Avoiding cliched stock photo images

[vgarcia]

I think it's funny that you all poke fun at these images and you say AVOID! Let me be the first to say most of these are for CORPORATE AMERICA. These photos are great for them, if you are coming from some small company or perhaps you free lance and you don't do large scale design you may never use such photos. When an average browser logs on to a site they want these types of images with a simple layout. They don't want something that is over detailed they will get lost on your site and it will fail. I think the point of my post is to design the site for the client you’re catering to. So unless you can higher a photographer to go out and shoot your custom photos this is what we have to work with it. I love to see some of the designs you've created that you feel are so unique and better than everything else.

Wow someone's on the defensive.

Look, it's just a bunch of designers poking fun and letting off steam. Most of us have used one or more of these types of images in our designs and most of us have done some kind of corporate site in the past, if not multiples of them. I work for a "corporate america" company now and sent this link around at work and everyone had a good laugh BECAUSE IT'S TRUE that they're overused.

[SG1]

well, even if some of these images are for corporations, it doesn't mean they can't be unique and use something else. there are tons of companies out there that can find something to make their online presence stand out more.

[Unit7285]

Oh thats much cheaper than I thought. Do you know if IStockPhotos images are Ok for reselling as part of unique designs/templates though please?

You can use iStockPhoto images in a template for resale if you purchase an Extended License rather than a Standard Licence. Many photographers on iStockPhoto offer an Extended License on their photos. You are shown this option (and the pricing) once you enter the buying process. But it's not cheap.

For example, the (randomly chosen) image below would cost 1 unit (typically a dollar or less) for a Standard License one-time website use, or 350 units with an Extended License to obtain specific permission to use it in 'Unlimited Run - Templates for Web Development'.

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_clos....php?id=494281

Paul

[glenngould]

Any other cliches that we should avoid?

How about animated slogans written on landscapes (blue sky, clouds) - with moving horizontal/vertical lines of course? I have seen some outstanding instances of that though.

[HAWK]

Taking the annoying "pictures of people looking like they're doing something" subject even further - it annoys the hell out of me when I see these images on a site. Unless you are selling people, they aren't relevant. I'd rather see images that tell me what you're actually about.

[linkin99]

The classic handshake picture just drives me nuts. I've seen too many of these too. Guess there are too many hand models out there. Even George Constanza can do that. His hands are milky white.

[HAWK]

there. Even George Constanza can do that. His hands are milky white.

[mp.Designs]

lol, this thread cracked me up, especially Vinny's #2 post, lol.

[seraph_alpha]

Well I do certainly agree with your comments, but on the other hand there is a small amount of the internet users that understand as we do, most people are not aware of how readily these iamges are or where they come from.

Bottom line is if they are used with purpose and a context such as a bussiness consulting firm, it is important to provide images to customers that help sell your product, though I do understand how obvious some of these images are to us, but when put into context with a site and related content they can help sell the product.

On that note it is not always practical to design new images that could take hours that your client is not going to appreciate or pay for. Obviously if it is your own website you should take the time, but if you build website for a living as I do, my clients will not pay for the hours it takes to create unique images.

So my bottom line is they have there time and place in any website, and the skill is selecting ones that compliment the site and should not be the sole focus of the page they are on.

Thanks

[Hal9k]

I find Apache Friends overuses stock photography. From the fashion it looks like it was done in the 80s. I'm just looking at their pages and thinking wtf?

I also find the cat/dog/corporate-exec-with-glasses looking into a fish-eye lense shot annoying. Actually the whole "with glasses" thing is annoying altogether, ok, not that they wear glasses, but because they somehow think that wearing glasses means you're an intellectual.

[glenngould]

Well I do certainly agree with your comments, but on the other hand there is a small amount of the internet users that understand as we do, most people are not aware of how readily these iamges are or where they come from.

Bottom line is if they are used with purpose and a context such as a bussiness consulting firm, it is important to provide images to customers that help sell your product, though I do understand how obvious some of these images are to us, but when put into context with a site and related content they can help sell the product.
...

I agree, this is actually how stock images are used by big agencies. The keypoint is; if you are running a promotional campaign and using stock images is much more cost effective than shooting new photos (hiring photographers, models etc.), use stock images.

But, better not base a campaign/website concept on overused ideas like handshakes (Unless you find a unique way of using that cliche. Some unique ideas may be distorted cliches.). This proves, you should always build a strong idea before working on the design.

[vgarcia]

I find Apache Friends overuses stock photography. From the fashion it looks like it was done in the 80s. I'm just looking at their pages and thinking wtf?

Actually it looks like a bunch of raver kids. So install Apache = dance all night?

[amitjoshi]

Actually it looks like a bunch of raver kids. So install Apache = dance all night?

i dont think they are dancing there. They are sitting on chairs that doesn't exist.

May be it means, if you install Apache, you will be able to use datbase that doesn'e exist. lol.

[rosem]

hehe.

[Hal9k]

Actually it looks like a bunch of raver kids. So install Apache = dance all night?

Ah, man, so that's what it reminds me of: the "Sprockets" Mike Myers sketch off SNL.

[linkin99]

Actually it looks like a bunch of raver kids. So install Apache = dance all night?

But of course...I just got back from an all-night Apache dance party. It was more thrash style though than rave.

[rageh]

If the client pays you good money, you would not resort to Istockphoto. You would take your digital camera and get raw images and process it and the rest of it...But for those thrifty client who still want flashy website....they would have settle for istockphoto images. If the images are overused, what the heck? that is what the client paid for. Nothing is cheap in this life. As simple as that.

[jobr700]

Exactly! I always recommend to my web clients that they use their own staff for their site photos if possible, it's usually not too expensive to get a professional photographer in, and the staff have fun getting dressed up and being photographed for most of the day. It makes a site look much more unique and personable because you can tell they're photos of real people.

Yes, that is much more personal. But a problem I've encountered is when people leave the firm and the photos stays on the web. Can be years after. It is strange when half of the persons on the web site has left.

[mcsolas]

It sounds so obvious, but I think alot of designers usually end up going for these cliched stock images rather than trying to be more creative.
Any other cliches that we should avoid?

The fisheye overhead crowd of people that is just so darned happy shot.

Using stock photos makes your product look generic. The way I look at it, at some point, at least one person is going to clame the stock ( mediocrity ) of your business and go to a different site. Thats enough to stop me ..

Stock photos Im standing over here on the opposite side of that world. I just went on a photo shoot first before I began a redesign. I was somewhat involved in the process of obtaining the photos .. Im on the green board

There is a quality line .. your either a real designer or a cloner

[daedalux]

How about this one:

[linkin99]

How about this one:

"You've got mail."

Another message from my girlfriend! Me so happy.

[vgarcia]

How about this one:

My v1@gra order has shipped yay!

[linkin99]

"Your order has been sent. Since this is your 30th order this month, you now qualify for our super-saver-big-spender discount."

[agcic]

I think everyone should cough up the money and buy a camera and take their own picture wohhoo.

($5.00 disposables)

[Karl]

I think everyone should cough up the money and buy a camera and take their own picture wohhoo.

($5.00 disposables)

Problem is, your average man/woman/child in the street takes bad to average pictures and that can be worse than using overused stock.