See the lady in this photo?
Keep an eye out for her. She’s going to be famous – for being the internet’s hardest-working “frustration” model.
She’s everywhere, this screaming lady — who, I should mention, is also a gifted “anxiety” model.
She and a handful of other characters seem to show up on every blog I read.
That’s probably because, aside from the crucial Lindsay Lohan gossip and a little bit of news, what I read online is mostly blogs about success and self-help (can’t help myself), business and entrepreneurship, or – the most meta of all, blogs about blogging.
These are abstract concepts. Unlike on a travel blog, where a natural way to communicate the idea of beaches in Indonesia is a photo of beaches in Indonesia, there’s no precise, tangible way to show productivity or anxiety or financial freedom or writer’s block.
Enter stock photography sites. They offer an inventory of pictures that show either attractive or very, very average people making gestures that are supposed to indicate pondering, procrastinating, worrying about the future, having creative epiphanies, enjoying financial freedom, or all those things at once.
I hate those photos.
First of all, everyone uses the same ones. Even in posts that lecture on the importance of originality. Second, who are the people? I don’t know them, and I don’t want to because they’re goofy and generic and they emote way too hard. They look like stills from a bad play. And they often “dress for success” in stupid-looking suits.
Also, in my opinion, most of them don’t match the concept they’re supposed to convey.
It’s time for them to knock it off.
Here are my top 10 (ok, 12, but 10 sounded better) stock photo personalities who need to be retired…
…and what it looks like they’re really saying.
1. “Goals” Guy
2. Aforementioned “Frustration” Lady
3. “Problem-Solving” Gal and Guy
4. “Creativity” Babe
5. “Next Career Step” No-Face-Man
6. “Overworked” Dude
7. “Wealth/Motivation/Joy” Sunset Lover
8. “Nail-Biting Anxiety” Business Lady – and her less popular, casually dressed sister (on left)
9. “Office Teamwork” Multi-Culti Businessfolk
10. “Perfectionism” Nerd
11. “Freedom” Butterfly
12. “Procrastination” Man
What about you? What are you sick of seeing on blogs?
What else is hack-y and overplayed? Tell me in the comments.
OMG Laura, this is too much! Damn you – I’m meant to be writing my sales page
I like the “Nice work asshole!” guy the best. When I was looking for images for my site http://filmschoolsecrets.com I was using an awesome pic of Jeremy Piven but realized fast that copyright violation and fear of getting sued is why so many people get lazy and resort to using the same stock images.
The big question, for me, is why people don’t use more photos of the masturbating bear in their blogs.
Where’s the curly haired, mocha skinned, every-girl? Whenever I see her I feel comforted that the product is available to Blacks like me.
Where’s the curly haired, mocha skinned, every-girl? Whenever I see her I feel comforted that the product is available to Blacks like me.
Great list! Your forgot this guy: http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/4801707/2/istockphoto_4801707-portrait-of-a-senior-businessman-smiling.jpg I affectionately all him ‘The Dude’. I have a running list at my office of sites I see him on.
That’s too funny. I see that guy everywhere. He’s even shown up on print material.
Once I saw a life size cutout of him at a tradeshow!
Great list! Your forgot this guy: http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/4801707/2/istockphoto_4801707-portrait-of-a-senior-businessman-smiling.jpg I affectionately all him ‘The Dude’. I have a running list at my office of sites I see him on.
That’s too funny. I see that guy everywhere. He’s even shown up on print material.
Once I saw a life size cutout of him at a tradeshow!
OMG! I love this list! Sure, there might be a couple more options for the frustration lady, but the expression is exactly the same, so nobody can tell the difference, really.
In print design, for about a year or so, there has been that fad of using the fish jumping from the overcrowded fishbowl to an empty one to demonstrate just about everything: change, frustration, movement, achievement.. you name it! (here in Italy, anyway. That damn photo is in half the posters I see on my daily 40-min drive.)
I doubt I’ll ever use fish for anything ever again. Well, unless they live in a house instead of a fishbowl, I guess.
Did I mention I love the list? 🙂
I’m SURE I’ve seen that fish. Though I don’t think it was as popular here. It would be, if the fish were jumping into that lady’s gaping mouth. Thanks for coming by all the way from Italy! Where in Italy are you?
OMG! I love this list! Sure, there might be a couple more options for the frustration lady, but the expression is exactly the same, so nobody can tell the difference, really.
In print design, for about a year or so, there has been that fad of using the fish jumping from the overcrowded fishbowl to an empty one to demonstrate just about everything: change, frustration, movement, achievement.. you name it! (here in Italy, anyway. That damn photo is in half the posters I see on my daily 40-min drive.)
I doubt I’ll ever use fish for anything ever again. Well, unless they live in a house instead of a fishbowl, I guess.
Did I mention I love the list? 🙂
I’m SURE I’ve seen that fish. Though I don’t think it was as popular here. It would be, if the fish were jumping into that lady’s gaping mouth. Thanks for coming by all the way from Italy! Where in Italy are you?
Strange but haven’t seen these anywhere. Then again, I probably don’t read many of those blog 🙂 Awesome list, this made me laugh!
Yeah, if you haven’t seen them, you definitely haven’t been reading those blogs.
Strange but haven’t seen these anywhere. Then again, I probably don’t read many of those blog 🙂 Awesome list, this made me laugh!
Yeah, if you haven’t seen them, you definitely haven’t been reading those blogs.
BEST. CAPTIONS. EVER!
THANK YOU. SO. MUCH!
BEST. CAPTIONS. EVER!
THANK YOU. SO. MUCH!
BEST. CAPTIONS. EVER!
What, no “cute” kids pix?
What, no “cute” kids pix?
Hi Laura,
Matthew Kimberly turned me on to you – can you add a button that says “email this cool thing to your friend” – thanks
Mirabai
Hey Mirabai, sorry – I missed this comment. Thank you for the suggestion. I just added that function back in, so you should see it at the bottom of all posts. Email away!
Hi Laura,
Matthew Kimberly turned me on to you – can you add a button that says “email this cool thing to your friend” – thanks
Mirabai
Hey Mirabai, sorry – I missed this comment. Thank you for the suggestion. I just added that function back in, so you should see it at the bottom of all posts. Email away!
I’m fashionably late! I don’t have any of THOSE stock pictures on my site! No freakin’ way! I went with less popular ones;-) And I have to agree that I’m sick of seeing all the “freedom” “open to the world” “it’s in the palm of your hand” stock pics…including the lady in the green dress.
I’m fashionably late! I don’t have any of THOSE stock pictures on my site! No freakin’ way! I went with less popular ones;-) And I have to agree that I’m sick of seeing all the “freedom” “open to the world” “it’s in the palm of your hand” stock pics…including the lady in the green dress.
Smiling lady having a massage with stones on her back; hip, gray-haired couple for pricey cruise line; white, brunette, thin lady (no one else does yoga) doing yoga-pose that no one else can do and I doubt even really exists in yoga class; fat orange cat in cat-food commercial; red-haired woman in an ad for anything “whacky”.
I will reply to myself and say ooops, those above are for ads. And that is what happens when I skim. But they sort-of apply.
Smiling lady having a massage with stones on her back; hip, gray-haired couple for pricey cruise line; white, brunette, thin lady (no one else does yoga) doing yoga-pose that no one else can do and I doubt even really exists in yoga class; fat orange cat in cat-food commercial; red-haired woman in an ad for anything “whacky”.
I will reply to myself and say ooops, those above are for ads. And that is what happens when I skim. But they sort-of apply.
Ahahaha. Too good. You saw the whole Women Laughing with Salad thing, right?
Ahahaha. Too good. You saw the whole Women Laughing with Salad thing, right?
Hah! I love it. The incredibly rich silhouette: the location independent “lifestylist” who’s made it big and is so free and unrestrained by goofy everyday normal shit. “Namaste”.
Here’s hoping my “bad word” doesn’t get filtered as spam 😉
EXACTLY! It’s the “I can work from anywhere, even midair” dude. And he’s always all namaste. Which, at first, is what I thought you meant by your bad word.
Hah! I love it. The incredibly rich silhouette: the location independent “lifestylist” who’s made it big and is so free and unrestrained by goofy everyday normal shit. “Namaste”.
Here’s hoping my “bad word” doesn’t get filtered as spam 😉
EXACTLY! It’s the “I can work from anywhere, even midair” dude. And he’s always all namaste. Which, at first, is what I thought you meant by your bad word.
Happy inter racial couple and angry bride. Oh angry bride.
Oh yeah, that couple. You never see angry interracial couple, do you? That would be too loaded.
Happy inter racial couple and angry bride. Oh angry bride.
Oh yeah, that couple. You never see angry interracial couple, do you? That would be too loaded.
I have made it a point of pride to only use photos that I take myself. But then again…..I have a travel blog.
You know, if you want to fit in with the blogging crowd, you could photoshop Frustration Lady into an original pic of the Grand Canyon or something.
I have made it a point of pride to only use photos that I take myself. But then again…..I have a travel blog.
You know, if you want to fit in with the blogging crowd, you could photoshop Frustration Lady into an original pic of the Grand Canyon or something.
Wait, so if you think these faces should quite, then you are frustrated and so the frustration model in this case is appropriate. I used to work for a company and we took our own photos for the support section of the website. Two people looking over the shoulder of a third at a computer of the product. I think only one of us actually knew what they were looking at, the other two were in HR or something.
There are so many iterations of that photo it makes me wonder whether someone actually enjoys it when people look over their shoulder while they’re on the computer. If I were in the picture, I’d be smacking the other two people.
Wait, so if you think these faces should quite, then you are frustrated and so the frustration model in this case is appropriate. I used to work for a company and we took our own photos for the support section of the website. Two people looking over the shoulder of a third at a computer of the product. I think only one of us actually knew what they were looking at, the other two were in HR or something.
There are so many iterations of that photo it makes me wonder whether someone actually enjoys it when people look over their shoulder while they’re on the computer. If I were in the picture, I’d be smacking the other two people.
They really need to have an Oscar-stye awards show for stock photo models. I would watch.
Oh, me too! I’d actually like to produce that as a short. Brilliant idea. I’m going to start writing an acceptance speech for Frustration Lady. Oh wait, or what about a reality show: America’s Next Top Stock Photography Model.
They really need to have an Oscar-stye awards show for stock photo models. I would watch.
Oh, me too! I’d actually like to produce that as a short. Brilliant idea. I’m going to start writing an acceptance speech for Frustration Lady. Oh wait, or what about a reality show: America’s Next Top Stock Photography Model.
I am too cheap for iStockPhoto. All my photos comes from Flickr Creative Commons with full attribution.
You also missed one- the photo of the “team”- a grey hair suited CEO type and two other lackeys staring hard at a laptop, probably pushing numbers on a Excel sheet
Yeah. More like checking out cumfiesta dot com. I know that one!
I am too cheap for iStockPhoto. All my photos comes from Flickr Creative Commons with full attribution.
You also missed one- the photo of the “team”- a grey hair suited CEO type and two other lackeys staring hard at a laptop, probably pushing numbers on a Excel sheet
Yeah. More like checking out cumfiesta dot com. I know that one!
These are hilarious! You missed one though. The telephone operator with the headset. That was VERY popular in the 90’s, so maybe she’s retired now!
I always tell people to take their own stock photos whenever possible.
Love your blog!
You are so right. I bet she did retire, because she bought stock in the company she was cold-calling for.
These are hilarious! You missed one though. The telephone operator with the headset. That was VERY popular in the 90’s, so maybe she’s retired now!
I always tell people to take their own stock photos whenever possible.
Love your blog!
You are so right. I bet she did retire, because she bought stock in the company she was cold-calling for.
Am I? Yes I am! I’m not a fan of stock photos anyhow (unless you really need a photo of a tortoise….) since they really do show unoriginality.
Love the captions too!
Am I? Yes I am! I’m not a fan of stock photos anyhow (unless you really need a photo of a tortoise….) since they really do show unoriginality.
Love the captions too!
I opened this blog post with great trepidation, fearing a list of stock photos and knowing the website my corporation was littered with stock photos. I’m not going to tell you one of those exact photos landed on our site but I will tell you I’m weeping a little bit right now.
Ha! Which one of the photos may or may not be the culprit?
I … um … er … ah … it falls between three and five.
I opened this blog post with great trepidation, fearing a list of stock photos and knowing the website my corporation was littered with stock photos. I’m not going to tell you one of those exact photos landed on our site but I will tell you I’m weeping a little bit right now.
Ha! Which one of the photos may or may not be the culprit?
I … um … er … ah … it falls between three and five.
Fantastic! So funny I had to quiet myself before waking sleeping children. Thank you for making me choke on lukewarm tea, it was worth it. Absolutely hilarious.
Glad it was worth it, thanks, Ris. You shouldn’t choke on lukewarm tea, you should reheat it in the microwave.
Fantastic! So funny I had to quiet myself before waking sleeping children. Thank you for making me choke on lukewarm tea, it was worth it. Absolutely hilarious.
Glad it was worth it, thanks, Ris. You shouldn’t choke on lukewarm tea, you should reheat it in the microwave.
Brilliant, Belgray. As per uszh.
Well thank you. And I like your spelling: uszh. I never know how to write that, but this way works. I will also use it to shorten “casual”. Caj is in’t quite right and cas doesn’t work. Caszh it is.
Brilliant, Belgray. As per uszh.
Well thank you. And I like your spelling: uszh. I never know how to write that, but this way works. I will also use it to shorten “casual”. Caj is in’t quite right and cas doesn’t work. Caszh it is.
HA!
The education ones are about as bad as the business ones. But usually, it’s a hot model doing the nerdy teacher stereotype with hair bun and thick glasses looking scornful & holding a ruler. And sometimes an apple. Gah. Don’t get me started on the apples…
OMG. The Hot-for-Teacher teacher. Classic.
HA!
The education ones are about as bad as the business ones. But usually, it’s a hot model doing the nerdy teacher stereotype with hair bun and thick glasses looking scornful & holding a ruler. And sometimes an apple. Gah. Don’t get me started on the apples…
OMG. The Hot-for-Teacher teacher. Classic.
well at least they got every age group + ethnicity in #9…diversity!
Yay, diversity! Always a good reason to jump in the air.
well at least they got every age group + ethnicity in #9…diversity!
Yay, diversity! Always a good reason to jump in the air.
I am going to sagely nod at someone and tell them, “Internet porn works best if you aim it right at your goodies.”
Once I stop laughing, that is.
What are you laughing at? It’s a proven fact. Use a Dell.
I am going to sagely nod at someone and tell them, “Internet porn works best if you aim it right at your goodies.”
Once I stop laughing, that is.
What are you laughing at? It’s a proven fact. Use a Dell.
the only biz/self-help blog i read is Marie’s but i can still appreciate the hilarity that is this post! love it laura!
Thanks, Grasie. And that’s 2 smart choices: only reading one, and making it Marie’s.
the only biz/self-help blog i read is Marie’s but i can still appreciate the hilarity that is this post! love it laura!
Thanks, Grasie. And that’s 2 smart choices: only reading one, and making it Marie’s.
I’m beginning to think you’re the funniest person on the planet.
This makes me feel better about snapping pics with my iPhone of health food, green juice, smoothies and random ingredients for my recipe posts.
I particularly like this predictably diverse group of “students”: http://workforstudents.com/index.do?country=us&session=1297792459428WKWK
which I’ve also seen printed on pamphlets for other things. They’re not fooling anyone.
That’s a study group from the course: Belted Jeans Theory 201.
I’m beginning to think you’re the funniest person on the planet.
This makes me feel better about snapping pics with my iPhone of health food, green juice, smoothies and random ingredients for my recipe posts.
I particularly like this predictably diverse group of “students”: http://workforstudents.com/index.do?country=us&session=1297792459428WKWK
which I’ve also seen printed on pamphlets for other things. They’re not fooling anyone.
That’s a study group from the course: Belted Jeans Theory 201.
OMG, this was effin hilarious!
Thank you, Jeannette!
OMG, this was effin hilarious!
Thank you, Jeannette!
You missed the girl in the green dress who’s throwing her head back, throwing her arms back a la Nicole-I-just-divorced-that-crazy-Scientology-freak-Kidman. It’s on EVERY coaching/therapy/nutrition site. Drives me nuts.
That’s exactly the one I was going to mention too! The first few times I saw it, it was nice… but now I’m like uhh!
Ha ha! I’ve used the blissful green lady in design comps. She’s not in the same category because the colors are pretty and the composition is nice – but yeah, she needs to retire.
Ooooh, someone send me a link to her. Need to see the One That Got Away. I’m sure I know her.
here she is! http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-3781332-enjoying-the-sun.php
Oh, THAT bitch. Yeah, I’ve seen her around. She’s all, “hey, God, check out my boobies!”
Yes, yes, yes! That one! I am so tired of her. Thanks for mentioning this one.
YES! I was just about to mention that one. The chick in the field in the green dress is EVERYWHERE. At my gym’s juice bar and every self-help or nutrition site or brochure I’ve seen in the past year.
Also the one where two pairs of hands are holding some soil and a little green sprout is growing out of it. Everywhere.
You missed the girl in the green dress who’s throwing her head back, throwing her arms back a la Nicole-I-just-divorced-that-crazy-Scientology-freak-Kidman. It’s on EVERY coaching/therapy/nutrition site. Drives me nuts.
That’s exactly the one I was going to mention too! The first few times I saw it, it was nice… but now I’m like uhh!
Ha ha! I’ve used the blissful green lady in design comps. She’s not in the same category because the colors are pretty and the composition is nice – but yeah, she needs to retire.
Ooooh, someone send me a link to her. Need to see the One That Got Away. I’m sure I know her.
here she is! http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-3781332-enjoying-the-sun.php
Oh, THAT bitch. Yeah, I’ve seen her around. She’s all, “hey, God, check out my boobies!”
Yes, yes, yes! That one! I am so tired of her. Thanks for mentioning this one.
YES! I was just about to mention that one. The chick in the field in the green dress is EVERYWHERE. At my gym’s juice bar and every self-help or nutrition site or brochure I’ve seen in the past year.
Also the one where two pairs of hands are holding some soil and a little green sprout is growing out of it. Everywhere.
Cripes.
One of these days, I’m going to see my shining face in one of these. The money seemed good at the time…
Which emotion did you pose for?
All the usual, approved “corporate” types. =) I don’t do overly ridiculous though.
Dave, you are so gorgeous, I would use your “corporate” stock images all day long. But I prefer the one with the horse.
Cripes.
One of these days, I’m going to see my shining face in one of these. The money seemed good at the time…
Which emotion did you pose for?
All the usual, approved “corporate” types. =) I don’t do overly ridiculous though.
Dave, you are so gorgeous, I would use your “corporate” stock images all day long. But I prefer the one with the horse.
First of all THANK YOU for a good morning laugh. Second, I can’t stand stock photography but I get why people use it (cause they can’t take their own pics, don’t want to, and don’t care). Depends on what you’re blogging about, but those stock people pics are a bit annoying. I am also a bit exhausted from the loads of bloggers who blog about blogging and I’ve chosen to narrow it down to TWO that I follow (which often stressed me out because I feel like I’m being told what I’m doing wrong all the time or that I did something wrong with twitter).
I can’t be included in the photo thing cause my blog includes my photography so that people come back and drool and hopefully stop microwaving lean cuisines!
Narrowing it down is smart. Those blogs about blogging can take up the whole day. But if I write a blog about blogs that are about blogging, will you add that to your list?
Yes, Yes I will! So you’re gonna write that one, right?
First of all THANK YOU for a good morning laugh. Second, I can’t stand stock photography but I get why people use it (cause they can’t take their own pics, don’t want to, and don’t care). Depends on what you’re blogging about, but those stock people pics are a bit annoying. I am also a bit exhausted from the loads of bloggers who blog about blogging and I’ve chosen to narrow it down to TWO that I follow (which often stressed me out because I feel like I’m being told what I’m doing wrong all the time or that I did something wrong with twitter).
I can’t be included in the photo thing cause my blog includes my photography so that people come back and drool and hopefully stop microwaving lean cuisines!
Narrowing it down is smart. Those blogs about blogging can take up the whole day. But if I write a blog about blogs that are about blogging, will you add that to your list?
Yes, Yes I will! So you’re gonna write that one, right?
Yes, Yes I will! So you’re gonna write that one, right?
Ughhhh, such a pet peeve…but in my case, I blame the clients. I have a medical client that pushes the ‘hope’ message non-stop, and no matter what direction I try and take them, they push back, asking (again and again and again) for someone in silhouette reaching towards the sky in front of a sunset. Oh, and it has to be cheap. And, therefore, generally as generic as possible. Gah. Shoot me.
Ick. Hope. Who wants that, anyway? People just want what they want, not to hope for what they want. Tell your client I said so.
Ughhhh, such a pet peeve…but in my case, I blame the clients. I have a medical client that pushes the ‘hope’ message non-stop, and no matter what direction I try and take them, they push back, asking (again and again and again) for someone in silhouette reaching towards the sky in front of a sunset. Oh, and it has to be cheap. And, therefore, generally as generic as possible. Gah. Shoot me.
Ick. Hope. Who wants that, anyway? People just want what they want, not to hope for what they want. Tell your client I said so.
I don’t even know Laura. I am a little scared that I am so intimately familiar with the knock it off reference. Besides that,
Keep an eye out for her. She’s going to be famous – for being the internet’s hardest-working “frustration” model.
That’s hilarious because I have actually seen her.
I think my blog pictures are terrible and it is the worst part of writing the blog for me, but I am trying to push onward. Thanks for making me laugh again.
Don’t be scared. Knowing the “knock it off” reference makes you an elite insider. You should be happy, and go jump in silhouette in front of a sunset.
I don’t even know Laura. I am a little scared that I am so intimately familiar with the knock it off reference. Besides that,
Keep an eye out for her. She’s going to be famous – for being the internet’s hardest-working “frustration” model.
That’s hilarious because I have actually seen her.
I think my blog pictures are terrible and it is the worst part of writing the blog for me, but I am trying to push onward. Thanks for making me laugh again.
Don’t be scared. Knowing the “knock it off” reference makes you an elite insider. You should be happy, and go jump in silhouette in front of a sunset.