With everyone owning either a great camera phone or a solid DSLR, which captures magnificent shots, getting images that are as great as professional stock photos is not entirely impossible. But is it practical, and necessary while making presentations? Perhaps not. Yes, it’s true that people today connect with real time photography, greater depth of images and photos that tell a story, which is not in the least bit staged or artificial, but there remains a large portion of content that is only best supported by stock photos.

In reality, there is no cookie cutter answer to this question, as it really depends on the type of presentation, and the subject matter. For a more corporate presentation, certain stock images explain it better, and in a more neater way, as opposed to real time images that are generated from a personal collection. For example, if you are talking about sensex, or you have facts and data with tons of graphs and technical information, stock images would be your go-to for better demonstration. However, if your presentation is about social changes, cause driven developments or is a more internal matter that concerns a specific set of people or places, then images that are personalized are preferred over ones that look a little too artificial and professional.

When it comes to stock images in presentations, it boils down to 2 major factors:

• A. The subject or the purpose of your presentation
• B. The availability of quality images that can well represent your topic.

Ultimately, not all of us have the resources or the skill to get stunning and accurate shots that could mesh well with our content, hence relying on stock images is not always a bad idea, as there are plenty of options. Also, not all stock images are created equal, and it really becomes a matter of taste. One subject could have endless options, and it’s all about choosing the right one for your presentation. Keyword search also makes a huge difference, and spending quality time in searching for HD images is also required, if the presentation requires meticulous pictures that have never been seen before. Stock image brands are constantly revamping and curating images from skilled photographers the world over, and therefore, quality images that are well-taken are not hard to come by.

Stock images still have a large place in the world of presentations, and make life easy for those who may not have the time or resources for high quality photography or editing. Certain angles, lighting, editing and picturization say it better through such professional mediums, rather than our own phones or cameras.

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