Today’s Killer Startup: BackStockImages
Elevator Pitch:
BackStockImages is exactly what it sounds like: a collection of stock images that star people of color.
Why It’s A Killer Startup:
I spend an unreasonable portion of my day searching for great images to accompany my blog posts. Sometimes I find ones that are awesome and sometimes they’re just kind of “meh.” To be honest, it kind of depends on how motivated I’m feeling that day to put in the time that finding great pics really requires.
One thing that I do really try for, however, is representing a range of different people in my images. Whenever I can, I make sure to use pics that include people of color, but I gotta say: it is super hard to find free and affordable images of POC. There simply aren’t a lot of stock photos of people of color, and, when you’re having a lazy day, seeking them out is one of the things that can fall by the wayside. Also, sometimes there just aren’t images available that work with your article. Personally, I hate hella cheesy stock images and poorly taken amateur pics.
The founders of BackStockImages created their site to address exactly this problem. The photos are hip, beautiful, and cover a range of situations. While they’re only boasting 354 images at the time of my writing this post, they are accepting contributions from artists who have images that feature POC and meet their quality standards.
I want to use these images for everything I write from here on out. Representation of anyone other than white folks in the blogosphere is abysmal. It’s up to all of us to make the effort to change that, even when we’re feeling lazy enough that we don’t want to sift through all the crap in order to find something good.
The only downside for broke-ass me is that, despite the fact that it says “free and affordable” on the homepage, I’m only seeing affordable. Maybe as their collection grows there will be more free options? I can only hope so, although I totally understand that the site is a business, not a charity. Another great option? Add tiers of licensing options so that people (like me) who need a lot of images can get their fill, without breaking the bank.
Tweetable:
Tired of only white faces in your featured images? Check out @BlackStockIMGS for beautiful, affordable stock images of #POC
Photo Credits:
BlackStockImages | Kenneth Wiggins/BlackStockImages
