Comments on: Top 7 Most Cliché Stock Images Used in Web Design

By: As Stock Photos mais usadas no webdesign | Blog Lecom

As Stock Photos mais usadas no webdesign | Blog Lecom — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:03:36 +0000

[...] Algumas dessas imagens são realmente bem conhecidas, e mesmo que não seja usadas exatamente essas, o conceito é sempre bastante semelhante, como mostra o site JustCreative Design: [...]

By: Gina

Gina — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:56:49 +0000

Lol. I can see a lot of these being like “tackiest images of the 2010’s” someday. You picked a lovely selection here balancing cheesieness and earnestness. Unlike the trends article, I do think that stock photos have had a negative effect on graphic design, and almost wiped up illustrators.

By: Robert

Robert — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:47:07 +0000

@eCommerce Designer: One could also argue that because they are so regularly used, that they are also instantly recognised and subsequently put the visitor in no doubt that the website is what they were looking for.

Cliche’s become that because they are instantly recognised and associated – not always a bad thing. Cheap sure, but if cheap were bad, Macdonalds would have been out of business years ago.

By: eCommerce Designer

eCommerce Designer — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:00:59 +0000

Good post. When you see a website with these type of images you really do know, right off the bat, that typically its a templated site or at least these images make the company look like they didn’t spend much on the site. Hopefully more of our clients will realize this!

By: Plastic Dog Beds

Plastic Dog Beds — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:14:47 +0000

Always love the stock image of a girl with the headphones on working in a call center. Lovely happy smile, ready to help the whole world. Anyone that I’ve ever known that works in a call center are miserable souls that want another job so bad.

By: MrKarl

MrKarl — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:13:58 +0000

Wow, Those pictures are everywhere, despite vector monsters and 3D white blob people attempting to take over.

Also the “person leaning over a laptop user’s shoulder while pointing”

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 01:00:59 +0000

I think the image I see overused all the time is the close up of a pair of hands holding a pile of dirt, out of which sprouts a hopeful green plant…blah…

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Tue, 05 Jul 2011 05:00:40 +0000

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By: Delusions: 74 « yasminesoa

Delusions: 74 « yasminesoa — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:00:25 +0000

[...] BOSS MAN BIG LOVEBIG HEARTACHE BITTER THEY ARE HARDER THEY FALL BLACK STAR BLESSED JESUS HOLD MY [...]

By: Jane

Jane — Mon, 23 May 2011 19:48:17 +0000

I am not a web designer but I am trying to lead my boss away from these images (when I found this blog). Can you offer any alternatives I can present to make my case? Our page looks so generic it kills me.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:44:17 +0000

Yea but when it sells, you make what sells. I’d make these images all day if it paid the bills. Plus you’ll never have a client requesting round after round of changes to them.

By: medyum

medyum — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 20:16:34 +0000

I have seen these images countless times on different websites – especially the hand shake! Great post! Thanks for sharing!.

By: Nathan Eanes

Nathan Eanes — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:29:18 +0000

So true! I’ve used stock photography, but always attempt to use it tastefully. Also, try as hard as you can not to use the first-page results when searching a stock photo site, because those are generally the most-used pictures.

By: Top 8 Web Design Mistakes To Avoid

Top 8 Web Design Mistakes To Avoid — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:55:25 +0000

[...] Top 7 Most Cliche Stock Images Used In Web Design [...]

By: Antoine

Antoine — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:06:47 +0000

The “holding the planet in my hands” series is starting to drive me crazy too…

By: Mondo Print

Mondo Print — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:22:32 +0000

Nice. I’ve seen everyone of these soo many times. I’m all for originality.

By: Business Process Outsourcing

Business Process Outsourcing — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 06:15:57 +0000

Yes, the above images are important to develop the website but based on the client requirements we change the requirements.

By: Ah, nee zij weer! | Traffic4u - Online marketing weblog

Ah, nee zij weer! | Traffic4u - Online marketing weblog — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:49:07 +0000

[...] (e.g. stock art) zullen dus niet goed overkomen op de bezoeker. Bekende graphic designer Jacob Cass schreef twee jaar geleden al eens over de top 7 meest cliché stock art afbeeldingen gebruikt in webdesign. [...]

By: Xaby Web Design

Xaby Web Design — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 02:45:26 +0000

Totally ! But sometimes the client wants it. We always try to find other pictures to replace this kinda overrated pictures though. Thanks for sharing

By: Design Tweets of the Week #8 | Blake McCreary Freelance Designer

Design Tweets of the Week #8 | Blake McCreary Freelance Designer — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:23:14 +0000

[...] 3. Top 7 Most Cliché Stock Images Used in Web Design “Sometimes clients ask us to implement ‘not-so-unique’ elements into our designs and sometimes it seems almost impossible to convince them otherwise, however, hopefully this post can suggest some reasons why not to use the old web design stock imagery clichés.” [...]

By: guzel sozler

guzel sozler — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:56:25 +0000

Stock photography should rarely ever be used. It’s good when the client is on a budget, but there are ways around using photography at all if it isn’t accessible. Stock photography always looks fake and disconnected if it ever contains people, because your audience will always try to associate it with your client when there isn’t a connection at all. “Who are those people? Do they work there?” The answer is “no” and the client comes off as cheap and lazy…

By: medyum

medyum — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 17:11:35 +0000

By: Xavi Esteve

Xavi Esteve — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:23:22 +0000

worst thing is that people keep using them nowadays… found another one: business people running a “race” http://twitpic.com/230vk4
love how the senior guy delegates to the junior

By: ziggy

ziggy — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 07:59:01 +0000

you left out anything with starbucks

By: Design Tweets of the Week #8 | Blake McCreary Design

Design Tweets of the Week #8 | Blake McCreary Design — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 03:39:34 +0000

[...] Top 7 Most Cliché Stock Images Used in Web Design “Sometimes clients ask us to implement ‘not-so-unique’ elements into our designs and sometimes it seems almost impossible to convince them otherwise, however, hopefully this post can suggest some reasons why not to use the old web design stock imagery clichés.” [...]

By: Karaoke Creativity: the trap all good product designers should avoid « Breaking Glass by Rishi Dean

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:21:45 +0000

[...] design tools and how-to tutorials. For instance, how many corporate websites are littered with meaningless stock photography? A better take than I can ever write can be found here in Smashing [...]

By: Cara Dixon

Cara Dixon — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:29:51 +0000

I have seen these images countless times on different websites – especially the hand shake! Great post! Thanks for sharing!

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Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:54:30 +0000

[...] 7 dieser Fälle findet ihr hier. [...]

By: sloan

sloan — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:59:23 +0000

uhh…. you encompassed TONS of images with this. It’s neat but:
1. People standing
2. People sitting

Ok… I’ll never use images of people standing or sitting again!! The list is neat tho thanks!

By: Douglas Bonneville

Douglas Bonneville — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 08:11:27 +0000

Don’t forget the angled shot of the address bar in a generic browser with “http://www” zoomed in nice and close. After all, nothing says “internet” like a giant fuzzy pixelated angled “http” to help the hapless get clued in to your savvy message