The current trend of using stock photos from the internet is a threatening prospect for corporate photography. Since they are almost always cheap, several companies have taken this opportunity to save on marketing expenses. Little did they know that instead of helping to improve brand image, they are actually ruining the credibility of their businesses through such cost-cutting technique. To be fair, stock images have their extensive applications in many commercial dealings. It is just that they are not deemed suitable for use in the corporate world for so many reasons.
Stock Photos are Unoriginal
A company that values integrity should put in all efforts to make itself known in the industry. Being the one at the helm, your principal goal is to establish the image of your company; and by establish, we mean starting from scratch. The brand must be well-thought-out and unique. This is why stock images basically do not qualify for any corporate use. They are simply hoarded from several agencies and photojournalists and later sold to clients. Don’t be surprised if you happen to find out that some company out there has been using your photos for its advertising arm—that’s really not impossible.
Stock Photos Demand Royalty Fees
Because you are using someone else’s photos, you are required to pay the owner a portion of your income. The fees can get really high especially if you want to purchase “exclusive rights” for the stock images. Hence, it is either you get the photos exclusively at a high cost, or compromise originality and make do with low-priced photos, which may have been previously used by others. Alternatively, if you opt for corporate photography, you don’t need to waste a lot of money for your business campaigns.
Stock Photos are Amateurish
Even if the stock images portray a similar concept as yours, using them is a stark sign of unprofessionalism. Sure, there are readily-available photos depicting men in business suits and looking respectable. However, none of those “businessmen” represent anyone from your company. The images are also too clichéd to be of any remarkable use: men shaking hands, representatives wearing headsets and so on. Clearly, they are posing for the sake of concept and not exactly to convey the spirit of the company.
Your corporate photos should be able to capture the values and vision that your company uphold. This can only be achieved through taking the images of your own people—perhaps including yourself. Corporate photography does the job better through its personalized approach and unique concepts.
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