Say it with pictures - how to get pro photography for your website wihtout breaking the bank!

In the theme of "Providing value" to your website visitors, another important (and very overlooked) aspect of a good website is the use of photography. Good quality photography can make your website sparkle and add a level of professionalism that carries a very positive image.

I once worked with a client that insisted that his picture be on the website (which is ok) but it had to be cropped out of some "bad" snapshot at a function he had attended. The quality was poor, the lighting was poor and the background horrible. The picture screamed "amateur" so bad that there was no way we could use it. The reason: photography can make or break a website! This picture would have destroyed this website - no matter how good the design or the content.

You might be thinking, then, that you have to spend a fortune having pro photos taken, hiring models, staging photo shoots and the like. I suppose you can spend a fortune if you want to, but that's absolutely not necessary in this digital age. Why? Here is my top list of websites where you can license photography for use on other websites for very little money:

• iStockPhoto.com - starting at $1 a picture for some pictures, this site provides the most value for your buck - although you may not "exactly" find what you are looking for.
• GettyImages.com - also a good source. The images are a little bit more expensive, but the quality is superb.
• ShutterPoint.com - another good source of photography. Highly search able and you can even "post assignments" which photographers may fulfill with their own photography.

The above all license photography in various ways, usually royalty free for use on websites, but you should read each web site's terms of use and license.

You may spend anywhere from $10 to $100 depending on the size of your website and the exact photo choices.

For even more choices, be sure to Google "online stock photography".

If you have NO budget for pictures, you may want to try some "free" stock photo alternatives:

• freefoto.com
• Stock Exchange (sxc.hu)

Just be careful with the concept of "free" and be sure to read the Terms of Service and License on the free sites. For instance, "Royalty Free" is NOT "free" (as you may have to pay an initial license fee before you can use the photos).

For even more choices, be sure to Google "free online stock photography".

One final thought, if you do license photography (or use free photography) be sure to keep a record of where you licensed / downloaded the photography from and the copy of your "rights assignment" (copy of your order, etc). These same sites that provide ample access to photography also protect their rights aggressively and you should be well documented in case anyone questions your usage of any photos.