Where to Find the Best Stock Images for Your Website
You know that feeling when you’re perusing your competition’s website and see their beautiful, custom brand photography images? You know, the ones where they’re smiling and holding a cup of coffee in their gorgeous home office that MUST have been designed by a pricey interior designer? And your heart just sinks because your photos don’t even come close to being as captivating and personal?
Just me?
Nah, I didn’t think so.
Look, in a perfect world we would all be able to afford custom brand photography twice a year to capture the perfect images to use on our websites and social media. But, it’s not always in the cards. First of all, it can be pricey. And as small business owners, we’ve gotta watch our expenses! Second of all, if you’re in a smaller city like I am, there’s not a ton of photographers who know how to take brand photographs that aren’t a boring headshot.
Sure, you can take your own, or have a friend take them, and mess around with Lightroom filters to get them just right, and that’s a great option if you have the skills and the time. But, again, not always realistic.
So, what’s a girl gotta do to get some pretty images for her website?!?
Luckily, there are plenty of options out there for both free and paid/subscription-based stock images. Here’s a peak at some of my go-to sources:
FREE STOCK IMAGE SOURCES
Note: Many of these sites have the same images, so it isn’t necessary to search all of them. Be advised, there are lots of other people searching for free images, so you might see the same picture used on other sites. But, still a good place to start, nonetheless :)
SUPER IMPORTANT Note #2: Most of these are free for commercial use, but always double-check the terms and conditions before using them yourself.
PAID STOCK IMAGE SOURCES
If you have the budget to buy photos or subscribe to a membership, these sites have a variety of beautiful (and usually non-cheesy!) images. Many of these options are small, independently-owned businesses, which means you can’t purchase their photos anywhere else. This is a great way to find high-quality photos that aren’t over-used.
So, that’s my list! Hopefully you can find some images that are in line with your brand style and work well for what you need.
Let me know in the comments of your favorites that I didn’t include!