Real people photos vs. stock photos
Photo: Avila Ops Tecnologia
Real photos win whenever an image is meant to show who you are, where you are, or what you deliver: team, storefront, product, completed project. Stock photos fit only when illustrating an abstract idea such as “security” or “timing,” and even then no photo is often better. Visitors recognize stock photography in a second, and read it as “they had nothing real to show.”
Small businesses have an advantage big companies lack: people with names, in a place that exists. Stock photos throw that away. A daylight phone photo of your team at the entrance does more for trust than any image of a smiling headset model.
When are real photos essential, and when does stock work?
| Where the photo appears | Real or stock | Why |
|---|---|---|
| About and contact pages | Real, without exception | Visitors want to see who will serve them |
| Service page (what you do) | Real: projects, service, behind the scenes | Shows you have done it before |
| Online store product | Real, of your product | Supplier photos work initially; yours sell better |
| Customer testimonial | Real, of the customer, with permission | A testimonial with a model’s photo is fabricated |
| Blog concept illustration | Licensed stock, or none | Nobody expects your photo beside an article about the LGPD |
| Advertising | Real, almost always | Generic photo ads compete with every other generic ad |
Never use stock photos as though they show your team, office, or customer. Beyond visitors noticing, discovering that a “satisfied customer” is a stock model makes the whole website suspicious. Testimonials with false photos are misleading advertising under Brazil’s Consumer Protection Code (Law 8.078/1990).
How do you take real phone photos without looking amateurish?
What solves most problems:
- Daylight from the side or front, never behind the person. Shadows and yellow ceiling lights give away poor photos.
- A background showing the business: counter, workshop, shelves, project. Not a white wall.
- People working, not posing. The seamstress at the machine, mechanic with a part, receptionist on the phone.
- Horizontal for the website, vertical for Instagram and Stories. Take both.
- A sharp face looking at the camera for “who serves you” photos. In others, people can look at their work.
A morning with a local photographer produces 30 to 50 usable photos and covers the website for two years. If your budget does not allow it, a phone following these rules covers the basics and beats any stock image.
Do not use heavy filters or AI-generated images in place of the team. Excessive filters and generated faces have the same effect as stock photos, with one aggravating factor: once discovered, they look like you are hiding something.
What does the law require to use a person’s photo?
Permission. Article 20 of Brazil’s Civil Code (Law 10.406/2002) conditions displaying a person’s image on their authorization. This applies to employees, customers, suppliers, and anyone recognizable. For employees, keep specific written authorization for company websites and social channels with their documents; when they leave, remove the photo if requested. For customers, follow the same rule as testimonials: customer testimonials that sound true.
Stock photography has another requirement: a license. Downloading a Google image and using it on your website violates copyright, and some companies make a living collecting fees for that. Use free or paid stock libraries with clear licenses, and keep a record of each image’s source.
A physical therapy clinic replaced seven stock photos with 12 phone photos taken in one morning: its three therapists with consenting patients, the treatment room, and storefront. Website booking rates did not become miraculous, but first messages began saying “I saw Juliana treats backs; I want to book with her.” Visitors had chosen the person before contacting the clinic.
What to do now
List your website photos and mark those that are not yours. Replace about and contact page photos first, because they matter most: about us: the most-read and worst-made page. Schedule a morning of photos following these rules. Consistent photos, colors, and logos on Instagram, your website, and invoices: avilaops.com/identidade-visual or contact us on WhatsApp: wa.me/5517997811471.
Frequently asked questions
Are supplier photos suitable for an online store?
They work initially, and many stores use them. But photos of your product in your setting distinguish you from competitors using the same image. Start with your 10 bestsellers.
Do I need permission for employee photos?
Yes, written and specific. An employment contract alone does not authorize image use. If they leave and request removal, remove the photo.
Can an AI-generated photo count as a team photo?
No. It can cautiously illustrate a concept, with a generated-image notice. As a portrait of real people, it has the same problem as stock photography, and worse when discovered.
Turn what you learned into your next step.
Tell us about your company and what you want to improve. We can explore the right tools, integrations or custom project together.