A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words. (Or A Thousand Dollars?) – Part 1 of 2

Do you effectively use photos to market your business? Choosing the right images for your project can improve chances of successful communication to your target audience. Two possible roads you can take when developing a piece of marketing material are: choose from an archive of royalty-free stock photography, or hiring a photographer for custom work. Both routes have their pros and cons (one does not outweigh the other). It all depends on the scope of the project, available timing and budget.

Royalty-free Stock Photography

Pros

• Many professional websites to source from
• Pricing to match budget (pay-per-image or subscription-based)

Cons

• Can take hours to find what you are looking for
• Finding the ‘right’ search terms
• Found images may not convey your message
• Same images can be used by your competition

Custom Photography

Pros

• Ability to achieve unique results
• Explore different ways to present your brand/product/message

Cons

• Can be cost-prohibitive – More planning involved (shots required, scouting location, weather/timing, props/models)
• Finding the right ‘fit’ (photographer/portfolio/style)

If you are on a limited budget and tight deadline, royalty-free stock photography may be a good option. Think carefully about your search terms to improve your results/findings.  If you have the resources then invest in custom photography. This gives you the opportunity for original (and creative) ways to convey your message.

At Tribe Design, we are equally skilled in working with either option. We welcome the challenge of searching for royalty-free photos to produce creative work. We also enjoy the opportunity to work with professional photographers to deliver custom imagery to enhance our client’s visual brand.