iStock is a resource for people to supply, buy and live in a virtual world of stock material aimed not only at the graphic designer/creative, but also at a much larger business audience. It is relatively cheap when you compare it to the more expensive/exclusive stock libraries, for example gettyimages (who recently purchased iStock and ramped up the prices), but what does a professional graphic designer really get from iStock? Well, cheap photography from a self policing web community, with contributors worldwide supplying a wealth of source material. But I have noticed a backlash against this recently, where clients have said “yes, that image is a bit ‘iStock’”. The reason? In my view, as soon as any average photographer has the ability to make easy money with their brand new 12 megapixel digital camera, they quickly work out what people want to buy, and produce more of that; it is a simple supply and demand formula. And with less creative people now getting heavily involved in selecting photography, every design job has started to look the same, and we are getting creatively dull. Is there no room for the expert any more? The truth is the real talent won’t bother with it.

The iStock style has become scorned upon, the illustration is safer than a nice rabbit, the photography in the main is bland. There may be a certain amount of risk taking/creativity, but the problem is these images just don’t sell as well, so soon no-one will produce it anymore. One photographer I know saves his best work for himself, and puts his ‘rubbish’ on iStock as it may bring in £15 every now and again.

iStock was a good resource for designers to get their hands on hi-res, reasonable quality imagery. But, like everything in this world, it has become easier for anyone to design, shoot, write and gain an audience – which is great, but conversely we have lost quality and, more importantly, we have lost creativity.

What’s next for iStock? Well, they are now moving into generic branding, where designers can supply generic logos for generic businesses around the globe. No real thought about what the logo needs to do, a simple ‘change the word to stick with an icon’. This will be fine for companies up to a certain level, but to be serious about your brand and making it work for you, you will still need expert skills and knowledge.

My advice? Fight the machine, or at least get the job done right.