iStockPhoto Review

Intro

iStockPhotos.com is a community of independent photographers and artists who provide royalty-free stock photos and imagery. Designed as a cheaper alternative to the high priced photo vendors, iStockPhotos has seen rapid growth in the past few years. Anyone can join and contribute, either by providing photos for a decent royalty or purchasing those photos at a very inexpensive price.

Positive

Low, low prices! A purchase cost of $1, $3 or $5 to acquire a great stock photo has made iStockPhotos a personal favorite. Purchasing $1 photo on iStockPhotos compared to spending $50 on another website amounts to an enormous saving. Plus, there is never a shortage of photos to select from.

Negative

Finding the right photo can require a little more searching. The contributors to the iStockPhotos community are casual artists, not production companies. At times you will find a nice photo that unfortunately will contain a tiny defect. For example, a nice scenic photo that upon closer review has a tourist standing in the far background. You may need to decide whether the photo can be touched up, cropped or if it is better to keep looking. However, at the price of a $1 a little touch up work isn’t too much to ask.

Recommendation

Always check iStockPhotos to see if a cheaper alternative to a stock photo can be found. The potential savings are just too great.