Finding photos for your website - Stock Photo Tips for Everyone

Finding great photos for your site can be an expensive and long process. Why you will get a kick out of iStockphoto is that it allows you to find affordable images quickly and cheaply. As low as $1 for a size suitable for the web makes this an option even for not-for-profit or hobby sites (or a lens for that matter!).

Why are photos important?

Ignore the whole "picture says a 1000 words" cliche. In some instances you can rely on images to tell your story, but most of the time images contribute to a site by giving context to your copy. They are an important part of the impression visitors to your website form about the quality of the website itself, and also the products, services and content on offer.

Communicating the benefits of a product visually, allow you to sell more effectively. Images help us imagine using a product, how we might feel using it and the impression given to others.

Articles that detail how photographs can be used to enhance the way your website communicates and sells.


eBags learns that lifestyle images work better than product images
Interesting case study on the use of "lifestyle images" by an ecommerce store. Images showing products in use, rather than images of products, demonstrated a higher clickthrough rate.


How Changing Your Product Image Can Boost Sales by 147%
Your product images can't merely show the product; they need to tell a story.

Do too many graphics reduce sales page conversion rates? by Nick Usborne
Use images in a way that contributes to the sales message.

Photos and Buttons for your osCommerce site
Article on using iStockphoto to improve web stores built with osCommerce.

1. When you search use the various sort order filters in the left column. As well as "best match", you can view search results ordered by newest first, highest rated, most downloaded and more. You might not always want to choose an image that 400 other people have already downloaded.
2. Find a photographer, model or image you like? Try browsing from a photo to the photographer's portfolio with the "View Member Portfolio" link. There are often other related images that can be accessed from a photographer's portfolio.
3. Be specific in your search. The iStockphoto search feature is quite powerful and the database of images is huge. It is easy to return alot of results if the search is too general. Do you want a photo of a man reading? Be more specific, in your ideal scene where would the man be? A shop? The beach? A desk? If you can't find a good image there try more general searches, "man reading" or "reading beach".
4. Want an image containing people? Use the Result Filter in the left hand column to filter search results to just show photos featuring people.
5. Use the lightbox feature. Once you are a member you can add images to your personal lightbox (think "bookmarking the photo"). The link to do this is accessible below the images in search results and on photo pages. Lightboxes allow you to quickly compare the various images and also share the images with other interested parties. Here is an example of a public lightbox for medical photos.
6. Can't find a great photo? You don't have to stop there. You may be able to crop, filter, and otherwise manipulate another photo to fit your website and purpose.
7. More iStockphoto Tips: Check out this recent article from iStockphoto Word Power, which includes lots of information on using the iStockphoto search engine. Also check out the profile of iStockphoto's chief evangelist, Lesa Snider King. She writes regular articles on manipulating images and produces a video podcast, "Graphic Secrets for Business".

Make sure you check out the bonus tip below.

You can easily add images to your Squidoo Lens via the Write! and Introduction Modules.

Add an eye-catching photo to your Introduction. This is one of the first things your visitor will see, so this is your opportunity to draw them into the content of your lens and communicate what your lens is about. This image is also used when it is included in the lensroll area, so it is an important way to draw attention to your lens.

Use images to create a more attractive or stylish lens. This lens details how iStockphoto images can be used as a cheap way to enhance a website, and how this contributes to the psychology of communication and selling. Images can be used in the same way in your lens. Engage and involve your reader, illustrate your points, and above all create a lens you are proud of.

iStockphoto.com: Quality images for "the rest of us"
Presentation Zen on why iStockphoto is a great source of photos for presentations.

iStockphoto talks with Guy Kawasaki
Guy Kawasaki on why he likes iStockphoto:

I like iStockphoto because I like companies that help "the rest of us." This goes back to my Apple heritage. I like that you help photographers who are trying to break into the profession and that you help designers and companies that can't do $10,000/day photo shoots. iStockphoto is a democratization play.