Smug, confidently crossed arms with smirks only mothers could tolerate, people cut out on white backgrounds and corporate high fiving. These photos are usually found on 404 redirects, cheap weight loss solution websites, hair removal ads in free newspapers, and bad designers profiles around the globe. I can’t count the times I have accidentally misspelled  a web URL to wind up with the woman on the left glaring into my soul.

I’ve compiled a list of actions to take when dealing with terrible stock photography.

a) Stop using these photos, explain alternative ways to convey your message.
b) If your client refuses by mentioning, “Now the page lacks a human element, it’s too cold” , drop the client.

On a recent subway ride home, I saw the same set of stock images in three, THREE separate ads. One ad was for a weight loss supplement, another for an obscure college in Alberta, and finally; an ad for a one use laser hair removal procedure.

The use of these images is just bad practice. Customers want to picture themselves with your product, not a random stranger smiling and staring directly into your mind.  There are several ways to convey your message to the public. With the thinking that these images “pop” and tell your prospective buyer, “Hey, I can be THAT happy when I buy this product? Where to I swipe???” , is not the right way to go about this whole “design” thing.

Do people actually do this?

Screengrab from an Istockphoto set dump... grrr

If you come across one of these images, please post them in the comments!