Stock photography is a library of existing photographs that can be licensed for specific uses.  Publishers, advertising agencies, graphic artists, and others use stock photography to fulfil the needs of their creative assignments.

A customer who uses stock photography instead of hiring a photographer can save time and money. Stock images can be presented in searchable online databases, purchased online, and delivered via download or email making it a very efficient and an increasingly growing resource for designers.

Stock photography sites such as those listed below now provide not only stills imagery but graphic illustration designs, video clips and sound bites again adding to the attraction for key designers in industry to obtain a single resource for all their creative needs.

For any photographers or designers interested in becoming a contributor themselves, here are the links to the various sign up pages on three of the more popular stock photography agencies...

Istockphoto
Shutterstock
Fotolia