MetaChat - Top Ten Stock Photography Cliches.

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25 May 2006

Top Ten Stock Photography Cliches. What to watch out for when picking photos for your marketing materials.

post by: sveskemus at: 02:29 | 26 comments

ooh, ooh!

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"But how can we show that we've got good ideas? Oh, I know!"

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Puzzled? You won't be after our highly skilled experts come to your aid!

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We may be a multinational corporation, but we still keep our money in a piggy bank! Really!

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We have pencils.

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and we're not afraid to use them!

posted by taz 25 May | 05:27

And then there's my favorite, a little thing I like to call "Don't let the fact that we can't afford to pay the electric bill scare you!"

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posted by taz 25 May | 05:37

Lemme guess...a pet peeve, taz?

posted by flopsy 25 May | 05:40

taz, those last ones are hillarious.

WTF is up with profile guy staring into the blank screen going "hmmm..."

posted by sveskemus 25 May | 05:47

Heehee.

Don't even get me started on "pointing at the computer screen",

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"We've got the whole world in our hands",

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or "Paper Dolls. Why, God; Why?"

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posted by taz 25 May | 05:59

"Paper Dolls. Why, God; Why?"

I am the CEO and I can destroy you just like this!
Rip! Rip! Rip! Rip!

posted by dodgygeezer 25 May | 07:13

How come they never show homely, poorly dressed people slaving away in their squalid, messy cubicles without a window in sight?

posted by tommasz 25 May | 07:34

How come they never show homely...

Interesting fact: I only learnt a few months ago that "homely" is a term of derision. I always thought it mean...comforting...cute...nice...friendly. Like your spinster aunt who crochets dolls for the kiddies.

posted by Jimbob 25 May | 08:16

I believe that's "homey", homey.

posted by Atom Eyes 25 May | 09:34

It's slightly nicer than ugly and I used it because I was including myself in that group ;)

posted by tommasz 25 May | 09:45

The many faces of Headache Lady:

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posted by eatitlive 25 May | 10:34

That last lady is telekinesis lady, not headache lady.

posted by Hugh Janus 25 May | 10:50

this is a fucking outstanding thread, thank you so much.

posted by fake 25 May | 11:55

Apple's cutting-edge, all right.

Diversity? Check.
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Romantic glow? Check.
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Pointing at the screen? Check.
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Somewhat progressive: Homely, poorly dressed people slaving away in their squalid, messy cubicles without a window in sight! Check, baby!
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posted by santee cooper 25 May | 12:24

Not to be outdone, IBM's customer-service vixen:

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The air up there:

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Paper dolls!
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The prairie wifi hotspot:

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Chess! Because business is a game; I get it now.

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posted by santee cooper 25 May | 12:59

Dammit, paper dolls.
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posted by santee cooper 25 May | 13:00

Those aren't paper dolls. They are men's room and ladies' room signs!

posted by sveskemus 25 May | 13:03

When you've definitely moved past the friendly-handshake, subsequent Headache Lady montage, and your labor force is now in New Delhi:

There's this image for your prospectus.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 25 May | 13:21

BTW, isn't Experience is our teacher just another way of saying you're making everything up as you go along?

posted by sveskemus 25 May | 13:24

That was my 100th comment! Wheee! *opens champagne*

posted by sveskemus 25 May | 13:25

The phenomenon isn't limited to the tech and business sectors, you know:

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"We employ people of all racial backgrounds, really!"

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"Aren't our nurses pretty and indicative of all the major ethniciites?"

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"Our health care plans aren't designed to fuck you over. If she were being fucked over, she wouldn't be smiling, would she?"

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"And our agents are always available to take your calls. Unless they're making drug deals. For, uh, lower prices on brand names! That's it..."

posted by TrishaLynn 25 May | 13:29

Thank you, thank you, thank you. If I didn't want to keep my workmates the hell away from this sanctuary, I'd be forwarding them this thread.

The most hilarious part is that the hands-holding-seedling image was in the last issue of our magazine. Luckily, we didn't choose it--it was an ad for sustainability. Even funnier, they used creeping charlie, a horribly invasive plant that can be toxic to horses if they graze on it regularly.

posted by elizard 25 May | 14:50

OMG santee, that's my world! I used to work with someone who looked very much like that woman. Now, back to work!

posted by tommasz 25 May | 15:42

Funny, after the thread on how micropayment stock photographers are ruining the market for professional stock photographers, I found this comment that stock photographers are ruining the market for commercial photographers.

It's all one big food chain of envy.

posted by stilicho 25 May | 17:25

I heard that Headache Lady got engaged to Indigestion Guy. Anyone know?

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posted by santee cooper 25 May | 17:27

best. thread. evar.

posted by seanyboy 25 May | 17:43

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