When you're putting a website together, stock photos are tempting. They're free or cheap, they look polished, and you don't have to go out and take anything. Search "electrician" on a stock photo site and you'll get hundreds of bright, clean pictures of someone in a hard hat smiling at a fuse box.
The trouble is, so will everyone else. And your customers can usually tell.
Why your own photos win
People hiring a local business are trying to answer one question. Can I trust these people in my home, or with my hair, or with my garden? Stock photos don't help them answer it. They show someone who doesn't work for you, doing a job you didn't do.
Your own photos do the opposite. They show:
- The actual quality of your work
- The kind of jobs you take on
- Your van, your tools and your team
- That you are a real business with real customers
A slightly imperfect photo of a patio you laid last month says more than a perfect stock image ever could. It's proof, not decoration.
There's also the face factor. A photo of you, or you and your team, lets people see who will turn up at their door. For trades and home services in particular, that matters. It makes the first phone call feel less like ringing a stranger.
The problem with stock
Stock photos aren't bad in themselves. The problem is what they signal when they're used in the wrong places.
- They can look generic, so your site blends in with every other one
- Visitors may recognise the same image from a competitor's site
- They can set the wrong expectation, such as showing a luxury kitchen when you mostly do repairs
- They tell people nothing about how you work
If every photo on your site is stock, a visitor may wonder why. Do you not have any work to show?
How to take decent photos on your phone
You don't need a fancy camera or a photographer. A modern phone is more than good enough. What makes the difference is a few simple habits.
Get the light right
Light is the biggest factor. Natural daylight is best.
- Shoot outdoor jobs in the morning or late afternoon, when the light is softer
- Avoid harsh midday sun, which causes strong shadows
- Indoors, open the curtains and switch off yellow ceiling lights if you can
- Keep the light falling onto the work, rather than shining straight into the lens
If a photo looks dark, don't rely on the flash. Move closer to a window or come back when the light is better.
Think about angles
Take a few shots from different positions and pick the best later.
- Hold the phone level, so walls and doorframes look straight
- Step back to show the whole job, then go in close for detail
- Crouch down for floors, patios and driveways, as a lower angle often looks better
- Shoot in landscape for wide spaces, and portrait for tall things like doors
Do before and after
Before and after photos are some of the most useful you can have. They show the difference you make in a way nobody can argue with.
The trick is to take both from the same spot and the same angle. Stand in one place before you start, take the photo, and remember where you stood. When the job's done, go back to that spot. It sounds obvious, but it's easy to forget once you're busy.
Tidy the background
A great job can be spoiled by what's around it. Before you take the photo, have a quick look.
- Move tools, dust sheets, bags and offcuts out of shot
- Move the wheelie bin out of the way
- Keep the customer's personal things out of frame, or ask before including them
- Wipe down surfaces and sweep up
For salons, a clean station and a plain wall behind the client make a big difference.
Take more than you need
Take a dozen shots of every job. Most won't be any good, and that's fine. Delete the rest later. Getting into the habit of photographing every finished job means you'll soon have a strong collection to choose from.
Always ask the customer before you take photos in their home, and before using any photo that shows their face or makes their house easy to identify.
When stock photos are fine
Stock still has a place. It's fine to use for:
- Background images where the photo is just setting a mood
- Blog posts on general topics, like an article about saving energy at home
- Simple images where nothing specific is being claimed, like a close-up of grass or water
- Filling a gap while you build up your own collection
The rule of thumb is simple. If a photo is meant to show your work, your team or your results, it should be yours. If it's just adding a bit of colour, stock is okay.
Start small
You don't need a huge library to begin. Five or six good photos of real jobs, plus one of you, is enough to make a website feel genuine. Add more as you go.
When We are Graft builds a site, it's built from your own logo, photos and reviews, so it looks like your business rather than a template. You can browse our example sites for ideas, or ask for a free design to see how your photos could look. You'll see it before you pay anything.