What’s a picture worth?

{by Dana Mabey} - February 7, 2012

In our experiences we’ve seen photography turn otherwise mediocre advertisements into an award-winners. On the other hand, a less than perfect photo can take a brilliant idea and render it forgettable.

As we see it, there are two categories of photographers that service the advertising industry. Those that focus on custom solutions tailored to their clients needs, and those that promote their existing photographs through Web-based stock photography “warehouses” (The lines can blur a bit since there are some photographers that play both games). The main difference, and many times the deciding factor between the two, is price. The cost for stock photography of the past was on par with that of custom photography session, and for good reason. Many times it was possible to locate the almost perfect stock solution with comparable quality to that of the product offered by a custom photographer, and have it delivered the next day simply by making a phone call to a reputable stock photography resource. Today a similar scenario can play out. But, vendors that offer low cost stock photography are a dime-a-dozen and each offers hundreds, if not thousands, of possible solutions. Due to the overwhelming amount and varying quality and prices of stock photography offered today, it’s easy to exceed budgets by spending hours attempting to locate the perfect stock photo.

True, there are situations where budget or time constraints make a limited search for stock photography the only solution. Other times, due to the need for a unique photograph or one that is product or service specific, only a custom solution will do.

The Visualab is here to help you make a qualified decision whether your project is best accented with stock photography, or if it calls for the touch solution that a great custom photographer can bring into the equation.