How to Buy Stock Images

Stock images, or stock photography, are a collection of photographs that can be licensed for various uses. Many publishers use stock photography to create powerful and visually appealing content. A customer who uses stock photography saves time and money, but also sacrifices some creative control. Stock images are often found in searchable databases and can be purchased online.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Find a quality stock images website by searching for "stock photos" in Google. There are many good ones, some of which are listed in the resource section below.

2. Sign up for a membership with the website. Many websites require you to register before you can purchase. Some sites are free and others require a monthly subscription.

3. Enter the word or phrase that best identifies the picture you are interested in. Scan the archive for the picture(s) you want to purchase. There could be a fews as five or as many as 100. Be sure to be as specific as you can with your search terms for the best results.

4. 
    
   Buy Stock Photos

   Select your stock images you want to buy and make your purchase. Be sure to read the crediting details so you are sure to give proper credit to the photographer.
   
   Additionally, some websites offer free stock photographs, though they generally have a smaller inventory.

Tips & Warnings

• If you enjoy photography, you can post your own photos online as well.

Resources

• Every Stock Photo
• Image Source

[rosburk]

on 8/19/2009 This is a wonderful article, and a great idea for sprucing up a few eHow articles! Thanks for posting, 5 stars!