Who Uses Stock Images & What Do They Look For?

Stock photography is something loads of different creative job roles use and to help stock photographers get a little insight into what and how they use them, Alamy has done a little bit of research. 

You can see the full report over on the Alamy website but to give you a quick overview, we've picked out the type of images picture editors, art directors and more look for in stock images. 

We also have a couple of articles on image trends to help you capture images that are more likely to make you a pound or two. These include advice on what 'colours, subjects and styles' to shoot as well as tips on particular themes that should feature in your photos. 

Here's what Alamy says: 

Art Director

What They Look For In Stock Images

• It depends on what client they’re working for, but the main concern is how good it looks
• Images need to be believable - a natural snapshot of a moment, rather than a staged situation
• High-quality imagery that looks unedited 

What They Look For In Stock Libraries

• Something different, not the usual stock
• Believable and authentic imagery
• Content that is beautifully shot, and conveys a sense of intimacy or realness

How Does Stock Photography Help With This Job Role 

• Helps visualise the end creative – stock imagery is great when you’re pitching an idea to your client
• Handy when timeframes are tight – stock images are always ready to go
• Helps with conceptualising campaigns
• Saves time and money by removing the need for a custom photo shoot

Picture Editors

What They Look For In Stock Images - Images that are a good match for the feature and work within the magazine as a whole. They need to be relevant, high quality and reasonably priced.

What They Look For In Stock Libraries

• Broad choice of images with good keywording and access to downloads
• Competitive price
• Easy to use website – simple search and easy to find the right image
• Strong customer support

How Does Stock Photography Help With This Job Role 

• Great for finding images to enhance a feature
• Can use images in layouts to make sure they work
• Variety of images means they can find what they’re looking for
• More time and cost-efficient than commissioning a shoot

Book Publishing 

What They Look For In Stock Images

• Creative, high-quality images that meet the brief
• Original images – the cover of a book is what sells it 

What They Look For In Stock Libraries

•  High-quality imagery
• A good selection of images to choose from
• An easy-to-use website  

How Does Stock Photography Help With This Job Role 

• Increases the range of images available to choose from
• Images can be tested in layouts to make sure they’re the perfect fit
• Images with the right releases make life much easier
• It’s much quicker and cheaper than commissioning a photo shoot 

Picture Researcher 

What They Look For In Stock Images

It really depends on the project but in general…

• Visually striking images
• Images that are accurately keyworded (so they can find them)

What They Look For In Stock Libraries

• Easy to find high-quality content quickly
• Simple, easy-to-use website
• A wide range of images for different briefs
• Friendly customer service 

How Does Stock Photography Help With This Job Role 

• Makes researching easier because of the huge variety of images in one place

Picture Buyer For Newspapers

What They Look For In Stock Images

• Live news images that tell the story
• Editorial images that can support an article
• Copy space if text or artwork is being placed over the image 

What They Look For In Stock Libraries

• Good content that matches the newspaper’s drive to have the best stories
• Accurate and relevant news stories delivered fast
• Prices that can be negotiated 

How Does Stock Photography Help With This Job Role 

• Lots of variation in the type of images, newspaper articles cover a range of subjects so need a variety of images for each edition
• Stock images often inspire new ideas
• Images are easy to access and can be used instantly which fits in with the fast paced world of newspapers