yStyled stock photography is a specific type of photography. Talented photographers who specialize in the stock photography genre are excellent at placing everyday objects into advertising or promotional images. These visuals are aesthetically pleasing and complement the advertising text without distraction.
It’s a balancing act.
Stock photography is characterized by clean images, with proper lighting and open space for inserting text into the image. For bloggers, these photos serve as background images but also enhance your social media presence when used correctly.
I get it. You are busy learning how to be a blogger. Who has time to learn about photography at the same time?
Styled stock images may be your best solution – and a huge time saver as you are building your website and blog platform. When you have a vision of the ideal “look” for your site, conduct research for styled stock photos to complement your first few blog post ideas.
With 5-10 similar photos in a file folder, you will have enough photos to use for several weeks of blogging. As you are looking for stock photos, think like your reader. Choose photos that are consistent with your color palette and the overall theme of your blog. I like soft images that have a bit of modern technology and are in my brand color tones.
I’ve dabbled with shooting styled stock photos for my crochet blog, Crochet Getaway, simply because I need specific photos for this niche. As a result, I spent time with my camera and was pleased with the result. However, when I don’t have time to do my own photography, Etsy.com and Dreamstime.com are invaluable resources for stock photos.
Stock Photos on Etsy.com
Etsy.com is known for its unique handmade and vintage items. However, I’ve uncovered a surprising variety of artistic and unique stock photos. When I search for “stock photos for crochet” on Etsy, I see images that range from cozy home scenes to minimalist designs. Once I find the right photo, it is so easy to purchase and download from the Etsy site. What I love most is how this company supports independent artists and photographers.
On Etsy, include the words “digital download” along with your theme word to filter out some of the handmade products and receive relevant results.For example, if you search Etsy for “yarn,” the search engine delivers 320,000 search results. Using “digital download yarn” will generate about 1,400 results for digital download products related to yarn (photo images, clip art, etc). Be sure to include the quotes in your search query.
Stock Photos on Dreamstime.com
Meanwhile, Dreamstime.com is another favorite source for professional-grade images. After setting up a free account, dive into their extensive library using specific keywords related to your blog’s content. Dreamstime’s user-friendly interface and helpful filters make the search process efficient and enjoyable. It’s important to note that Dreamstime meticulously labels every image with standard or extended licenses, which provides legal clarity on how you can use them.
Integrating images from Etsy and Dreamstime into my blog has been a game-changer. The unique charm of Etsy’s offerings, combined with the professional quality of Dreamstime’s collection, allows me to consistently find quality images that match the tone and style of my blog. This visual enhancement has not only captured my readers’ attention but has also perfectly complemented my written content.
More Ideas for Styled Stock Photos
There are dozens of other sources available all over the web, but the few described in this blog post are a good place to start without becoming overwhelmed by the volume of possible selections.
As you can see, in this beginner blogging series, I have used 3-4 photos with different cropping in my images for Facebook and Pinterest.
These few photos give me a consistent look and are true to the vibe that I want for the site.
Right to Use
Remember to read the Rights or Terms and Conditions for every photo that you source. Some photographers will require photo credit, and some have additional restrictions on how the photos are used. Some will prohibit cropping or restrict enhancements to the photo with color filters. Others may give you full rights to use the image as you wish.
When I sold stock photos directly to end users, I provided the following information about how to use the photos.
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THE IMAGE?
My styled stock images can be used in many ways to enhance your branding. With a little creative cropping, a single image can transform into several styled backgrounds. Cropping, rotating, and resizing are all okay. In addition, a single image can be used for branding in promotional materials, product displays, blog post images, and social media. You may use this image without photographer credit. However, reselling the image is not allowed under this license, and please do not represent the image as your own.
It is your responsibility to read and understand the rules before using the images. Be professional and know the rules.
Can I Help?
Are you looking for specialty photos or a different look than on these sites? Send me an email at info@gwyngoodrow.com,and I’ll try to help you out!
What’s Next?
Follow along as I blog about resources available for novice and experienced writers. We all get by with a little help from our friends. My writing journey has been incredible. Therefore, I’m paying it forward by sharing information about products, services, and educational resources that I use.
