Should You Use Your Images or Stock Images for Your Travel Blog

When you search for pictures to complement your travel blog, one of the big decisions to make is whether or not to use your own photos or travel stock photography. When you use your own photos, you do not have to worry about copyrights and paying for the use of the photo. However, depending on your ability as a photographer, you may not capture as high quality of photos as that seen in professional stock photos. The ultimate decision is based on the purpose of your blog and other important considerations. Click here to search for stock photos.

Are Your Photos Good Quality?

One of the most important considerations when choosing whether or not to use your own photos rather than travel stock photography is the quality of the photos. You want to make sure that you take attractive photos that enhance the quality of your blog. You do not need to be the perfect photographer or even have the top equipment to create beautiful images for your blog. Many smartphones and basic digital cameras now take high-quality photos. When you are traveling around the world to beautiful, exotic sites, then that may be all you need to capture the moment and share with others.

When you use your own photos, you do want to be sure that the photos are high-resolution photos and the right size for web use. The best photos lose their appeal if they look grainy or stretched. That is why it is also important that you optimize the photos for mobile and desktop users. The same goes with any stock photos as well.

Purpose of Your Blog

Another important consideration in determining whether to use your own images or travel stock photography is the purpose of your blog. If you are writing a personal narrative of your travel adventures, then it is best to try to use your own photos as much as possible. Using your own photos helps you to tell your narrative and build relationships with your audience. You may want to add a few stock photos for when you do not have photos of a particular area. Some places also do not allow photography, so you may want to supplement it with stock photos instead.

Alternatively, if you are writing a blog for a travel company, then it may be beneficial to use travel stock photography instead. As a business, people expect higher quality images than they would from a person. That means that you need to either use stock photos or dedicated pictures taken by a professional photographer. It is also unlikely that you have visited every place about which you write, so you may need to supplement it with other photos.

There are many factors to consider before choosing to use your own photos or deciding to go with travel stock photography. The purpose of your blog and the quality of the photos are the most important, but you also want to use photos that are relevant and compelling. You may not be able to find those in a stock photo website, depending on the topic, and you may not be able to take them when you are on your own in some situations. There are reasons to use both type of photos, and you may even find yourself doing both.

Weston Barnes is a write and an avid reader. When he's not writing about business, marketing, health, pets, or relationships, he's immersed in his latest book.