What are the benefits of buying images versus simply finding free images online?
Well the obvious reason is because the “free” images are likely someone’s property. That alone is pretty important.
But as it relates to designing your graphics for your own personal product, it simply is not very smart for several reasons.
First and foremost is that they are usually of very poor quality. The images that are displayed on the web generally are very low resolution. This alone limits alot of the options that I would have when I designing your graphic.
By purchasing an image at a higher resolution it allows the greatest flexibility when designing the other elements to your site as well. Some of my clients even wanted to go to print with their designs so they opted to buy a resolution that would allow for it.
Also there is the fact that t is likely that a bunch of people have already used that same image you found for something else. Yes I know that this is very possible as well with stock photography, but the amount of people that buy their images versus finding in google is huge.
I don’t have any surveys or studies to prove this. What I do have is experience where I have found the free images on numerous sites and product. Yet I have never found a stock image I purchased for myself or one of my clients anywhere else. EVER!
Many of my clients are trying to develop their brand and market their unique services, as I imagine many of you are doing right now.
There are many sites out online where you can buy stock photography but always recommend istockphoto.com because of the price and the 
thought that I am supporting another artist. 
All of the work you see on this site for my clients uses stock photography that was found on istockphoto. Judging from their reactions after I showed them the final design, they were very pleased with their decision.
I have also found a great site for free stock photography called Stock Exchange. You can use the images found on there but the selsction is limited. Despite that there have a few occasions where I found just what I needed there and saved myself a couple of dollars.
Regardless of what you decide to do, I always recommend finding stock photography. And if you have the budget, I HIGHLY recommend you go through istockphoto where the selection is so much greater.
Your brand deserves that extra effort.
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