Comments on: To Stock or Not? http://churchtechmatters.com/2009/12/24/to-stock-or-not/ Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:44:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Stuart http://churchtechmatters.com/2009/12/24/to-stock-or-not/#comment-1345 Stuart Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:52:49 +0000 http://churchtechmatters.com/?p=1458#comment-1345 Chris - you are right. Those "cheesy grins" and "ultra white smiles" are a dead giveaway. I like the distinction you draw and stock photos of non-human items is a good shout. Chris – you are right. Those “cheesy grins” and “ultra white smiles” are a dead giveaway.

I like the distinction you draw and stock photos of non-human items is a good shout.

]]> By: chris http://churchtechmatters.com/2009/12/24/to-stock-or-not/#comment-1344 chris Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:29:49 +0000 http://churchtechmatters.com/?p=1458#comment-1344 I've seen stock photos used at our church. Based on how they were used (poorly or not), I think it comes down to this...looking at a photo, I need to see REAL emotion from people that most stock photos can't convey. If there are 5 photos on a brochure and one is a stock photo, I can tell which is the stock photo just by the quality of the photo. That being said, I say use stock photos for non-people photos. But if you want to encourage people to attend an event, don't put a nameless face on the projection screen. I’ve seen stock photos used at our church. Based on how they were used (poorly or not), I think it comes down to this…looking at a photo, I need to see REAL emotion from people that most stock photos can’t convey. If there are 5 photos on a brochure and one is a stock photo, I can tell which is the stock photo just by the quality of the photo.
That being said, I say use stock photos for non-people photos. But if you want to encourage people to attend an event, don’t put a nameless face on the projection screen.

]]> By: Using Stock Photos http://churchtechmatters.com/2009/12/24/to-stock-or-not/#comment-1343 Using Stock Photos Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:31:48 +0000 http://churchtechmatters.com/?p=1458#comment-1343 [...] annoy you? Do you think there’s a place for this type of picture? Well here’s a link to a post I wrote as a guest blogger on [...] [...] annoy you? Do you think there’s a place for this type of picture? Well here’s a link to a post I wrote as a guest blogger on [...]

]]> By: Stuart http://churchtechmatters.com/2009/12/24/to-stock-or-not/#comment-1342 Stuart Fri, 25 Dec 2009 19:12:12 +0000 http://churchtechmatters.com/?p=1458#comment-1342 Hi Rich and thanks for the comment - you are right that we don't need / want the model couple on a picnic flyer but what about a stock photo of a picnic blanket and hamper, etc ...? I guess where one uses them (if at all) has to be carefully thought out. Sorry to say I don't get your Madison Ave reference though! Hi Rich and thanks for the comment – you are right that we don’t need / want the model couple on a picnic flyer but what about a stock photo of a picnic blanket and hamper, etc …?

I guess where one uses them (if at all) has to be carefully thought out.

Sorry to say I don’t get your Madison Ave reference though!

]]> By: Rich http://churchtechmatters.com/2009/12/24/to-stock-or-not/#comment-1341 Rich Fri, 25 Dec 2009 17:25:24 +0000 http://churchtechmatters.com/?p=1458#comment-1341 I'm not a big fan of church stock photos. I think they can have a place if there is just no way to get the photo locally, or if a church is small and doesn't have anybody able to do the work/etc. However, they really strike me as being form over substance. Does your church picnic flyer really need a photo of a 20-year-old couple without a blemish on their skin smiling in the sun? Or could you just use a picture from last year's picnic? Of course, consent should be obtained whenever people are clearly recognizable in a photo. One of the biggest criticisms I hear from unbelievers is that Christians are hypocrites. Does using the Madison Avenue playbook really help us out here? I’m not a big fan of church stock photos. I think they can have a place if there is just no way to get the photo locally, or if a church is small and doesn’t have anybody able to do the work/etc.

However, they really strike me as being form over substance. Does your church picnic flyer really need a photo of a 20-year-old couple without a blemish on their skin smiling in the sun? Or could you just use a picture from last year’s picnic? Of course, consent should be obtained whenever people are clearly recognizable in a photo.

One of the biggest criticisms I hear from unbelievers is that Christians are hypocrites. Does using the Madison Avenue playbook really help us out here?

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