Are you looking for cheap stock photos for your projects in web and print? Millions of photos are available online, waiting for you to discover them. Some can be found in elite stock photo sites, while others are available in microstock agencies. That being said, some stock images can be a little expensive. Thankfully, others can be within your budget. You just have to find the right image bank that will suit your creative needs and your hard-earned money.
2 Tips in Buying Cheap Stock Photos
Why is buying stock photos such a good idea? Well, for one, conducting your own photoshoot can be a tedious, time-consuming and expensive task. You have to spend time, money and effort to shoot a certain image. You may even have to secure a permit. This isn’t a problem if you are shooting in a location near you. What if you want to get the aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef? Do you have to fly to Australia to capture the image you need? With cheap stock photos from these sites, you don’t have to.
Another reason why buying cheap stock photos is a good idea is because they include the right license that will give you the rights to use the image and protect you from copyright issues in the future. Free photos are also available in the market. Many are tempted to use them because well, they’re free. However, they also come with a level of risk for copyright violation. You don’t know where you can use these photos and if they include model releases and property permits.
- Before you finalize any cheap stock photos in your design, make sure they are not overused. Check if the image has been used multiple times. If the graphic is too popular in the web, find another one. Most people use the first images they see during a search in stock photo site’s library. To make sure you’re not using an overused image, dig deeper into the page results. Try getting the images from page 7 rather than page 1.
- Some images are available in multiple stock photo sites, but the pricing will be different. Although there are not sites that compare prices, you can visit the website and check out their pricing and plans. You can also look for websites that offer stock photo coupons, so you can save more.
Some websites offer better deals than the others. Make sure you check them out before you finalize your purchase. Some of the most famous and reputable stock photo sites in the market include Shutterstock and iStock. They offer cheap stock photos without compromising quality. If you are looking for more sophisticated images, Getty Images and Corbis have some of the best images in the Internet.