When to buy and when not to buy photos from the photobank.
Photo banks are almost a part of our lives and besides paid ones you can also find quality photos on free photo banks. One of the reasons why people choose to buy from photo banks is the fast availability and many times the price.
For example, you are creating a website or a flyer and you need a photo right away. And in the photo bank you have it in print quality. If you don't mind that photos from photo banks can also appear in your competitors, then this is an easy and cheap way to get a good photo.
Of course there are a few drawbacks. By downloading photos from a photo library, millions of other people will be invaded. By doing so, you don't have original content, and clients will never associate the photo with your service or product.
Another exclamation point is licenses. In a photo agency, you never check if the author of the photo is the one providing the photo for purchase, and you also don't know if the person in the photo has given permission. It could easily happen that you build a brand on a photo from a photo library, but the author signs up for it and you have to download the photo or pay extra for the copyright.
In your defense, there are of course photo agencies that verify this, but then the cost can equal the cost of taking your photos. Here photos start from $300 depending on the license
Having your photos taken is of course the best way to go. You'll not only control the quality, licensing, model releases, brand standard but also the assurance that the photos won't appear elsewhere.
As a photographer, I of course recommend that you have your photos taken, but if you need a photo quickly, contact a vetted photo agency and read carefully how you can use the photo.
What you can find in photo banks.
Actually almost everything, from product photos, advertising photos, illustration photos, landscape photos and food photos.
Advantages of photos from photo banks.
Quick access to photos.
Price.
Wide selection of photos.
Some photo banks offer free photos just for tagging the photographer.
Great for use on mockups.
Disadvantages:
Not original photos, your competitors may use them.
Anyone can buy them.
You don't know who really owns the rights to provide the photos.
It's up to your discretion whether it's appropriate and profitable for you. For example, we use photos from photo banks to create moodboards for presenting a project to a client.
I sell some of the photos on photobanks myself as they have a wide range of uses, you can take a look here.
Hiring a professional photographer is not equal to the price and originality of a photo bank. Everything has its pros and cons. Wish you luck in choosing both.
