Professional bloggers are like any media, newspapers, magazines, websites or designs. It is important to follow the rules of your trade for you to be successful and stock photos is one of the rules of the blogging trade.
It all comes down to the legalities of copyright, but more importantly, it is a mutual respect for a person’s work and art. As a blogger, how you feel if people just took your content without asking, without credit or without payment. You have put a lot of time into researching, planning and formulating your blog posts. Photographers do the same. Professional bloggers respect and adhere to the legality of copyright and buy stock photos that provide them with the right to use the photo on their blog. Content, whether it be photos, information or a quote, needs to be verified and used legally in order to be a legitimate and trusted news source.
Stock photos provide the correct and legal rights
Blogging is a full time job, and most bloggers do not have the time to create or obtain the exact photo that they need to enhance their content. Stock Photo agencies are in the business of obtaining large libraries of photos contributed by photographers for the sole purpose of resale. Stock photo agencies obtain the correct rights from the photographers so you can use them and explain how each photo purchased rights can be used. The final product is a photo that you can use safely with the correct rights and a way to credit the photographer for a very small price.
Internet photos are a no-no
It seems much easier to go to your browser and find a photo that you like. And it is for free, right. No. Photos found on the internet are missing an important factor in the equation of copyright and legal photo use. You do not have permission to use that photo even though it seems to be in ‘the public domain’. The public domain does not mean it is there for easy download. The public domain refers to items that are no longer protected by copyright.
Using internet photos could cost you a lot more money
More and more photographers are finding their photos being used without permission and are submitting legal complaints against bloggers who are searching and using internet based photos on their blog. The cost of a lawsuit far outweighs the use of a photo. Stock photos can be purchased from $1 USD and if you are purchasing in bulk, stock photos can be as little at 39 cents. That is a small fee for a stock photo that you can legally use and not have the hassle of a lawsuit.
A bloggers job is to build trust
Bloggers build trust through their content. This is their job and how they become successful. Part of that trust is making sure that you are legally using images as they are to be used. Stock photos provide the legal rights for your blog and shows your readers that you are a trustworthy source of information. Respect for other creative work and the legal rights to this work is part of your trust building with your audience.
Buy Stock Photos is an online resource for the growing stock photography and stock images world. The website reports on agency news, Stock photo buyer needs and licensing overviews, Stock photo and stock designer advantages. This online community is a one stop stock photo news resources that benefits all participants in the world of stock photography making it easy to navigate, contribute and use stock photography.