Regardless of the type of business you run, whether it’s a service business, a cafe or restaurant, an e-commerce store, or even just a fairly simple blog like this one, having high-quality images and videos on your site can make a big difference to how customers perceive your business and your brand.

But in the very beginning, getting high-quality assets can be a real challenge. Cameras are expensive and take a lot of skill to use, and hiring a professional photographer to do a photoshoot or rent out a studio can be out of reach for brand-new businesses, especially if you are bootstrapping.

So to help you get over this hurdle, check out some of the resources below to find great photography and video that you can use for free, or for just a small monthly subscription much less than the cost of an SLR or photographer!

www.deathtothestockphoto.com
The name says it all!
If you’re not a fan of those cheesy, staged stock photos that have become the stuff of memes, then this is a great option.
This is a paid monthly subscription, however there is a free 14 day trial which should give you plenty of time to grab enough to get started.
The aesthetic style is very contemporary and ”on-trend” and the catalogue is updated every month with content exclusive to the platform.
Some top brands like Google, WeTransfer, LVMH and even the home of aesthetic inspiration Pinterest are using this content, so it’s definitely worth exploring!
pexels.com
Pexels has a wide range of free photos and videos that are uploaded directly by independent creatives.
You can search by themes, create your own saved collections and follow your favourite creators. There is no subscription fee and no need to give credit, but you also have an option to donate to your favourite creators to support their work.
stills.com
The most expensive option on this list, but arguably the highest quality.
There are two membership plans which are monthly subscriptions, starting at $8, depeding on how many images you need to use.
The photographers are handpicked by the platform so only the highest quality, professional creators can contribute to the catalogue. Its likely an expensive option for new small businesses, but honestly these images belong in art galleries. So you get what you pay for I suppose!