Using people pictures (a form of UGC) in brand designs is one of the most effective ways to create emotional connections and increase audience engagement. These visuals help convey authenticity, evoke trust, and make your brand more relatable. Whether you're crafting marketing materials, building a website, or designing advertisements, the right picture of people can enhance your brand appeal and boost credibility, transforming viewers into engaged customers. What should you consider when selecting and using these images effectively?

This article explores the meaning of stock photos of people, explains how they impact brand design success, and offers practical tips for seamlessly incorporating royalty-free images from Depositphotos into your projects. Keep on reading!

What are stock pictures of people?

Stock pictures of people are professionally captured images available for commercial use through licensing platforms and make a great form of UGC. These versatile visuals offer businesses a cost-effective alternative to custom photoshoots, enhancing brand designs and marketing materials. From candid lifestyle shots to polished corporate portraits, stock photos of people depict diverse scenarios, capture various emotions, align with different design themes, and feature numerous demographics.

Whether you need a professional people photo for a corporate presentation or a relatable picture of people for a lifestyle blog, stock content libraries offer an extensive selection. Depositphotos provides over 300 million free and paid licensed images of people, empowering brands to:

• Convey authenticity with relatable people photo selections;
• Boost visual appeal through high-quality images of people;
• Align project imagery with target audience preference;
• Enhance storytelling across marketing channels;
• Create emotional connections using free people images.

Read: How to Turn Customers Into UGC Creators

How stock images of people impact commercial designs

Incorporating stock images of people into your brand designs can transform how your audience perceives your business. Here's why they are impactful:

Building emotional connections

People relate to faces and emotions. A carefully chosen people picture can evoke empathy, trust, or excitement, making your message resonate more deeply with your audience. And when customers engage with your brand, they are more willing to make a purchase and even spend 60% more per transaction. Consider these strategies for maximum visual impact:

• Showcase authentic expressions evoking empathy;
• Depict relatable scenarios triggering positive associations;
• Use body language to convey subtle emotional cues;
• Select images aligning with brand values;
• Incorporate diverse imagery to broaden appeal;
• Balance professionalism with approachability;
• Ensure visual consistency across marketing materials.

Enhancing storytelling

Visual storytelling is more compelling when human elements are involved. A well-placed people photo can help narrate your brand's story by showing how your product or service fits into real-life contexts. Consider these approaches to enhance your brand's narrative:

• Create visual customer journeys;
• Illustrate product benefits in action;
• Showcase company culture;
• Visualize abstract concepts;
• Evoke specific emotions strategically;
• Highlight diversity and inclusion.

Boosting brand credibility

Authentic and diverse stock photos of people create a sense of trust. When your visuals align with your audience's values, they perceive your brand as approachable and relatable. Consider these factors:

• Reflect target demographic;
• Ensure visual consistency across brand materials;
• Avoid overly staged photos;
• Opt for diverse representation;
• Integrate seamlessly with overall brand identity;
• Use context-appropriate imagery;
• Balance professionalism with approachability.

Read: 5 Ways to Add Free UGC to Your Shopify Store

Increasing visual appeal

Adding vibrant images of people to your designs breaks up text-heavy layouts, making them more visually engaging and easier to digest. By incorporating diverse, high-quality visuals, you can:

• Create eye-catching focal points guiding attention;
• Break up text-heavy designs for improved readability;
• Evoke emotions resonating with your audience;
• Enhance user experience and message retention;
• Boost brand recognition through consistent visual storytelling;
• Showcase product benefits in action;
• Highlight diversity and inclusion authentically.

Tips on enhancing your brand designs with stock photos of people

To maximize the impact of people pictures in your brand designs, consider the following tips.

#1 Opt for authenticity

Select images that feel genuine and natural. Overly posed or artificial stock images of people can appear insincere and detract from your message. Consider these tips for selecting credible visuals:

• Prioritize natural settings and lighting;
• Embrace diverse representation of people;
• Avoid exaggerated expressions;
• Choose relatable scenarios;
• Maintain brand value consistency;
• Opt for candid-style photographs.

#2 Match your target audience

Choose people pictures that reflect the demographics and lifestyles of your audience. This fosters relatability and ensures your visuals resonate with their experiences. Consider these strategies to choose visuals that will create powerful brand connections:

• Analyze demographic data to inform visual choices;
• Reflect diverse lifestyles and values;
• Showcase relatable scenarios and environments;
• Balance aspirational and realistic representations;
• Align imagery with brand personality;
• Consider cultural nuances and sensitivities;
• Incorporate age-appropriate representations.

#3 Use diverse images

Diversity is key in today's marketing. Incorporate free-chosen people images or curated visual collections that showcase a wide range of ethnicities, ages, and abilities to promote inclusivity. According to statistics, over 70% of Gen Z trust brands that represent diversity and inclusivity in their ads. Consider these strategies to amplify inclusivity:

• Reflect societal diversity by depicting different backgrounds, lifestyles, and communities;
• Avoid tokenism and aim for natural representation;
• Highlight various abilities and body types;
• Showcase intergenerational interactions;
• Represent diverse cultural celebrations;
• Include LGBTQ+ representation;
• Feature diverse workplace scenarios.

#4 Maintain brand consistency

Ensure that the style, aesthetics, tone, and color palette of your people photos align with your brand identity. Consistency enhances professionalism and strengthens brand recognition. Consider these strategies:

• Create a visual mood board;
• Establish consistent editing techniques;
• Use brand-specific filters or overlays;
• Maintain a curated image library;
• Ensure consistent image styles across platforms;
• Define appropriate contexts for image use;
• Regularly audit visual materials to ensure alignment with brand messaging.

#5 Blend with design elements

Use images of people strategically alongside typography, graphics, and color schemes. Integrating them seamlessly ensures your designs look polished and cohesive. Consider these effective approaches:

• Apply custom filters mirroring brand aesthetics;
• Overlay graphics to unify imagery;
• Adjust color grading for cohesive palettes;
• Integrate photos with typography creatively;
• Crop strategically to enhance composition;
• Align images with surrounding text and graphics;
• Ensure consistent filters across all visuals.

#6 Focus on emotion

The emotions in a picture of people should complement your message. For example, use cheerful expressions for promotional campaigns and serious tones for professional materials. Consider the following impactful strategies:

• Showcase genuine expressions and relatable scenarios;
• Utilize subtle body language cues;
• Balance professionalism with warmth;
• Align facial expressions with brand tone;
• Use eye contact to create a sense of connection;
• Incorporate dynamic interactions with products and services.

Conclusion

Incorporating stock photos of people into your brand designs is a strategic move that enhances emotional engagement, visual appeal, and storytelling. By selecting authentic, diverse, and audience-aligned images of people, you can make your brand more relatable and credible. Whether you're using premium options or free people images, the key is thoughtful integration that aligns with your brand's identity.