What is Cheap Stock Photos?

Cheap stock photos have nothing to do with buying shares or investing in Wall Street. They are professionally and artistically created by photographers and artists all around the world. The creative community owes them their success in attracting customers, conveying their message, and getting more shares in social media sites. They come with the right license so buyers can use them legally. Some of the most popular shots include city skylines and buildings.

There are many stock photo websites in the market. Some are cheap, while others are expensive. There are also some that gives prices right in the middle.

  • Cheap Stock Photos. Some of the most popular cheap stock photo sites include Shutterstock, Depositphotos and Dreamstime. Compared to other stock sites, they offer less expensive pricing and plans. They offer subscriptions and images on demand, too. Determine your creative needs and choose the right plan for your project.
  • More Expensive Stock Photos. You may already have an idea which stock sites are more expensive than the others. Want to take a guess? Yes, that’s right! Getty Images and Corbis are two of the most popular stock sites that offer more elite pricing and plans. But they have lived up to their standards, too. Their collection are pristine – filled with very high quality and unique images.
  • Average Pricing. If you are looking for something in the middle, you may want to check out iStock. Purchased by Getty Images, it provides creative professionals with a cheaper alternative to the more expensive image selection of Getty. It offers flexible plans that suit every budget, so you can explore millions of high quality images at ridiculously great prices.

Many creative professionals use stock photos to jump-start their projects. Bloggers, web designers and business people alike use cheap stock photos to enhance their work. When you purchase a stock photo, you are also purchasing a license that allows you to use the images legally. There are two common types of license:

  • Royalty Free allows you to use the cheap stock photos multiple times without paying for royalties each time you use the image. But there are certain limitations with the license. You should check the terms and conditions in the license agreement to make sure you are not breaking any of them.
  • Rights Managed are generally restricted in terms of different factors such as usage, location, duration of using the image and exclusivity.

If you are not sure which license to purchase, check with your cheap stock photo site. They will help you find the best license for your creative needs and budget. Majority of companies who use cheap stock images do not have legal issues. So, you do not have to be scared. When you make a purchase or subscribe to a plan, you will have proof that you have every right to use the images within the context of the license agreement.

 

Where to Find Royalty Free Photos for Blogs

Many creative professionals are looking for royalty free photos for blogs, social media, and graphic design. They want to find the right photos that will enhance their project and help convey their message. But, where can you find legally-safe royalty free photos in the Internet? A number of stock sites are available. You just have to find the one that suits your creative needs and budget.

If you are looking for royalty free photos for blogs, you can visit many websites. However, not all of them full cover specific points that are important for blogging. It is important to use photos on your social media accounts. And, you want to be able to use the same photos on your articles. Not all stock photo sites allow this. What you need is a Custom Digital License.

PixelRockstar – a new stock photo site created by Amos Struck and his Stock Photo Press team – offers Custom Digital License. It features over 4 million high quality photos in its library. You can use these photos on any publication you own, including the supporting materials for it:

  • Email campaigns
  • Social media posts
  • Newsletters

Take note that Custom Digital License is Digital Use only. You cannot use them in print and physical products. If you are planning to use the photos for your blogs, this is the license for you. You don’t necessarily need to buy royalty free photos for blogs.

Why should you consider PixelRockstar’s Custom Digital License instead of buying royalty free photos for blogs? You can save a lot more on these amazing photos. The stock photo site’s pricing starts at $9 for 10 images. If you have greater creative needs, you’ll be happy to know that you can get one image for only $0.57 each with the Star Package.

5 Main Reasons Why You Should Choose Rights Managed Photos

rights managed photos

While royalty-free stock offers great value, there are a number of reasons why you should choose rights managed photos instead. This type of photo license holds its respective place in the field. Surely, there is no right or wrong when choosing between royalty-free and rights managed, but the latter provide a higher level of protection that you cannot have with the former. Here are 5 main reasons why you should choose the RM photos:

  • Higher Quality. Rights managed photos usually have higher quality than its royalty-free counterparts. Why? It’s because photographers tend to sell their works under RM so they can have control over how their photos are being used. Moreover, the topics and shots are not common and easy with this type of photo license.
  • Reduces Imitation. Imitation is a fact of life, especially with industry leaders. Advertisers, editors and designers all follow style and trend closely. Trendy and current styles get a lot of play, putting them at higher risk for overexposure. When it comes to stock photos, buyers in similar fields can search for similar keywords that will lead them to the same search results. This can lead to overall exposure of a specific image, most especially the best ones as they will be naturally selected more often.
  • Exclusivity. Purchasing the exclusive rights of stock photos may cost more, but you can justify the higher price by reducing the risk of a similar image being used by your competitors. With an exclusive license, you can gain assurance against duplication as the rights managed photos can only be used by the buyer.
  • Protection. RM photos protect you. Since the contributor is aware of your intended use for the image, he or she can make you aware of any likely conflicts in the use of his or her photo. You can bypass the brand confusion by making use of this type of photo license.
  • Reuse of the Same Image. Once you purchase RM image, you will be guided on how, where and when you can use the image. You can be assured that no one will cash in by using the same image. Unlike its royalty-free counterpart, there are certain limitations on the number of times the image can be used.

There are many other reasons why you should choose rights managed photos over royalty-free. They have wider range of topics. They are sold by top photographers. They weed out inferior images. They are cheaper than commissioned work. And, they are not always expensive. It is no wonder that rights managed continues to be the number one choice for professionals. Royalty-free generally appeals to small players, but RM offers a number of good advantages that should not be overlooked.