Stock images.  Why is it important to include them on your website?  What will you gain?  Picture this, you have a website with stellar writing, quotes from the most respected in your field.  Your mom has read it, she’s excited!  Even Dad gives you the thumbs up.  But when you put it on the web it looks drab, just black text on a plain white page.  No matter how good the information is that you’re sharing with your audience if it looks boring you’ll lose readers.  And who wants to lose readers?

What to do?  Here’s where stock images from online websites come in.  Stock images are photographs, including cartoon pictures, film clips and illustrations sold to the consumer for their own use.  Many stock images are used commercially.

There are many stock image companies on the web.  Some are small mom-and-pop type businesses while others are huge selling millions of images.  In fact, Bill Gates owns one of the biggest sites.  He’s been buying collections for years.  Some are delicate and valuable.  He houses those in Iron Mountain near Pennsylvania in a cave 200 ft. underground in a refrigerated area.

There are many types of images:  editorial, documentary, historic, etc.  In order to find just what you’re looking for, just what can enhance your site, stock image sites offer an easy to use search tool.  You can input date photographed, location, photographer, orientation like horizontal, panorama or vertical, point of view like aerial, from space, below or above.

There are all types of images to choose, from the most obscure to the plain.  For instance on one online stock image site there is a silly picture of dancing pink pigs.  You can also find there a woman in a mink posing at the front door of a rehab center.  Or you can find plain ol’ pictures of cars and lollipops and false teeth.

Images can be cheap to buy or very expensive.

So remember, if you are creating your own website, adding stock images just might be the way to go.  Have fun stocking up on those images!

With the entire world moving into the digital age with the internet taking full sway in the lives of many, most computerized jobs are now being outsourced to freelance providers. This is especially true in the area of graphic designer jobs. Everywhere you turn graphic design is smiling up at you. Whether it is the gloss cover of a perfect model on the front of a magazine cover, or the glistening billboard advertizing affordable insurance, graphic design is there.

For the junior graphic designer, life can be a dream come true. No longer does the junior graphic designer have to hide behind the main project manager. No, those days are over. The junior graphic designer is now able to step out from the shadows and into the lime light by working for any company, anywhere, any time.

This is all thanks to the internet. Individuals are allowed to now find freelance jobs on the internet doing what it is that they do best, graphic design. These individuals are able to apply for any job that is being outsourced. Of course, they had better have a great resume and amazing portfolio because they are competing against not just local competition any more. There is a whole world of eager graphic designers willing to make their mark on the world by taking as many online jobs as they can. These jobs not only build up their online portfolio, but also give them the experience and feedback that so many employers are looking for.

It may be hard to get your foot in the door at first; but after it has made an imprint on the digital doorway, there is almost a certain guarantee of jobs to follow. This is all thanks to the ever growing number of employers ready to outsource their labor.