You probably already know that the design of a website is not an easy task. It is a challenge of organization, information, architecture, data, etc. To produce a site with easy, intuitive navigation (called User Experience – UX), and clear and persuasive information, you may need to be imaginative.
If structure and UX are paramount, it also requires that the site is consistent with what the client wants to convey. And for that, the images and text are what have the greatest impact. The images give the site a tone, seriousness or a fantasy that must signify the position and the state of mind of the company.
The use of stock photos often proves to be an easy and effective solution. These photos are inexpensive, available in seconds and work everywhere. In other words, it is an ideal option for a web site, where budgets and time constraints are often important.
But, again, these photos are clichés (in the figurative sense). A handful of manly handshakes, beautiful and serious people smiling, close-ups during meetings on technological tools and so on. And that’s not counting the number of risky, unnecessary and – it must be said – quite ugly photos!
We must take the time to choose the right pictures within the vast ocean of stock photos. We should find a suitable visual to get the right message across and send the right message to site visitors. Search time is far from negligible, and it often also takes time to work these images and adjust them for the site. In the end, the website will be great, but will certainly lack a bit of character.
We must not delude ourselves though. Stock photos will never have the impact that original photos have; as they are thought out and created especially for the site. Yes, spending on photo shoots can have a significant cost, but when you think about it, the time to research stock photos already takes a considerable budget. Maybe, for just a little more money, your site may have a personality that will make all the difference.
