Where to Get Good Photos for Your Website, So You Look Legit Online
“As aesthetically orientated humans, we’re psychologically hardwired to trust beautiful people, and the same goes for websites.”
-Dr. Brent Coker, University of Melbourne, Business and Economics Faculty Member
Photos Can Make or Break Your Website
Dark, blurry, poor quality photos will detract from your website’s aesthetic appeal. It is pretty much impossible to have a gorgeous website with crappy photos. Go through an inventory of your favorite website designs. What do you notice about the photos? Chances are, they are quality, colorful, crisp, beautiful photos.
BEFORE AND AFTER
To illustrate the difference between low and high quality photos, look at the difference between a photo from last Halloween taken with my crappy phone camera and no editing vs. a photo from this Halloween that was taken by a professional photographer (Jonny Eberhard).
What do you think looks better? If you were looking for a mommy/crafting blog, which one would you be more drawn to? Which photo looks more professional? Like I said before, photos can make or break your website!
Where to Get High Quality Photos for Your Website
Now, you may be wondering, “How do I get beautiful photos?” You’re in the right place! This post is all about getting stunning, professional-quality images for your website. When it comes to getting high quality images for your websites, you have a few ways to go:
Option 1: Hire a Photographer
Using a professional photographer will give you unique photos that are specific to your brand. Here are a few ways to find a photographer:
FACEBOOK - Join a local Facebook group, then ask for photographer recommendations.
INSTAGRAM - Search by #yourcityphotographer and see what you find!
LISTING WEBSITE - My favorite is Lenslance.com. It is an up and coming listing site for photographers that’s easier to use than other ones I’ve tried TBH. (BONUS for you photographers out there, the first 100 profiles are free for the first year. So list yourself quick!)
ASK A FRIEND - If you are local to Arizona (my home state) some of my favorite photographers are:
Option 2: Stock Photos
You may be tempted to just do a quick Google search and use the best image you find, but PLEASE DON’T DO THIS! Most images are protected by copyright laws and are not up for grabs. In fact, just assume that all photos are off-limits, unless they state expressly otherwise. Instead, you can either use a free stock photography website to find stock photos that are free from copyright restrictions or you can purchase stock photos.
Free Stock Photography Websites:
Unsplash - Hands down my favorite of the free stock photography sites. It has a broad range of stunning imagery from generous photographers.
Pixabay - Another free stock image site with a broad range. This site also has free illustrations and graphics.
Pexels - This website also rounds up images from other free stock photography sites so that they are all in one place.
Jay Mantri - Many of the stock photos on this website make good background images, as they are more abstract or textural.
Cupcake - A smaller collection of stock photos, but with a cohesive style.
Travel Coffee Book - Gorgeous collection of travel photography.
Purchase Stock Photography:
IStock - A broad selection of high-quality, royalty free images, graphics, and video.
Creative Market - This is a personal favorite of mine that I love and use regularly. This is kind of like Etsy for graphic designers, photographers and artists to sell their work. Not only does Creative Market have stock photos, but they also have beautiful textures, graphics, illustrations, etc. (This is an affiliate link, if you make a purchase, I get a small percentage at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping me support my little family!)
Etsy - You’ve probably heard of Etsy, but did you know that they have stock photos for purchase too? Sweet!
Her Creative Studio - A small collection of beautiful, feminine, styled shots.
Wellness Stock Shop - Calming images focused on health and wellness.
Styled Stock Society - Feminine, styled stock photo bundles that are perfect for achieving a cohesive look. They also offer a membership with unlimited downloads of over 1500+ stock photos.
*Quick tip for using stock images - try to use images from the same photographer to have a cohesive style for all your images.
Don’t let bad photos ruin your website design and your credibility! Get some high quality photos!
Now that you know where to get your photos, let’s get started on that website design.