Pet Costumes . . . Whether They Like It or Not

Do you dress your pet up for Halloween? Although they don't appear to be that into it, you can usually get your pet to wear a costume just long enough to take a picture. And it's almost always funny. Besides, we think they like the attention. Plus, you clean up their poop. They owe you a little fun.
Below is collection of some of our favorite stock photos of pets in costumes. Keep in mind that most animals are not professional stock photography models. So, please excuse their short attention spans and tendency to want to nap mid-photo.
Note: Cats appear to be too "cool" to wear costumes, so all the images are of dogs.

© Uppercut RF. Image #CSC46003.

© Imagesource_Micro. Image #IS261-012.

© Purestock. Image #1574R-23103.

© Perspectives. Image #1848152.

© Tetra. Image #TI0119681.

Just to Scare You

Stock photography is typically not the scariest thing in the world. A businessman on a cell phone, while possibly frightening in its popularity on stock photo sites, is nothing to get worked up about. But sandwiched between them are some very interesting images.With Halloween coming up, we went searching for something to scare us. And you. The results were plentiful, so we'll give you a taste of the best.

Feel free to "accidentally" close your browser if it gets too scary for you. We won't judge.

© Visions of America RM. Image #VOA20-051.

Scary on several levels. For one, it just looks frightening. A hideous face when you are expecting a beautiful bride. And secondly, commitment scares the hell out of us.

© Prisma RM. Image #H44-10847261.

Mummies!!! Even though one appears to be the Crypt Keeper and the other seems to be laughing at the Crypt Keeper, they are still scary.

© NordicPhotos. Image NP00407182.

Dolls are scary enough as it is, but throw in that this one looks peeved and has devil horns, and it is nightmarish. Also, dolls aren't supposed to be pointing like that. Creepy.

© EyeCandyPro. Image #ECP024083.

Bugs should never have to be touched, unless it's with the bottom of your foot . . . through your shoe. Thick soled shoe.

© SimplyNorth. Image #NP-396393.

This doesn't seem like it's going to end well. It looks like you just woke up and the first thing you saw was a cat trying to eat your soul.

Yikes!

Saying Goodbye to Mr. C

Just days after the passing of our favorite TV mom, we have lost our favorite TV dad. Tom Bosley, who played the role of the wise father on "Happy Days", also passed away this week. Affectionately nicknamed Mr. C by the Fonz, Bosley was the head of the Cunningham household.

He was the realistically perfect dad. An average guy with an average job. Nothing too exciting. Mr. C exuded the perfect balance of fatherly discipline and friendly compassion, with a knack for dispensing wise words and advice to steer Richie and the Fonz in the right direction. With a blend of humor and wisdom, Mr. C governed with respect and got the same in return.

We are even able to overlook that fact that he seemed to have lost his other son, Chuck, who went upstairs in Season 2 and never came back down again. And no one ever mentioned him again. Hmmm. . . Well, nobody's perfect.

With Mr. C being the average guy he was, we have decided to pay tribute with some 1950's stock images that give you that "Happy Days" vibe, rather than go searching for the stock photo equivalent of Tom Bosley. So, enjoy some happy days!

© Pixtal. Image #WE054253.

© Superstock. Image #3807-24243.

© ImageZoo. Image #TCO0036.

© Stock Connection. Image #VAM22-684.

© Imagebroker. Image #IB_KASL_98525D7717.

Leave It To June Cleaver

June Cleaver, the matriarch of the "Leave It To Beaver" family,  was everyone's favorite TV mom. She was caring, wise, poised, and pretty. She had an uncanny ability to whip up sandwiches and milk anytime the Beav walked into the kitchen. She had the patience to deal with Eddie Haskell. As the Beaver would have put it, "Gee Wally, Mom sure is swell."

Barbara Billingsley, who played June Cleaver all those years ago, passed away recently and we would like to pay homage to her with the most June Cleaver-esque stock photos we could find. Stock photography can have feelings too and miss their TV mommy. You can also choose to remember jive-talking June Cleaver from the movie Airplane.

Without further ado, our tribute to June Cleaver:

© Imagebroker RM. Image #IBLZNI00821915.

© ImageZoo. Image #COF1749.

© Superstock. Image #1035-243.

© Imagebroker RM. Image #IBLZNI00821797.

© Old Visuals. Image #EV007081.

Pregnant Beauty

The human body is capable of some amazing things, like making babies, for instance. A woman's body transforms and reshapes itself to sustain and grow a new life. It doesn't get "fat and ugly". It just takes on a new and beautiful shape.

© Pixtal. Image #CD053007.

We are going to celebrate this beauty today with some stock photos of pregnant female forms. Just because a woman is pregnant doesn't mean she loses any of her sex appeal. She can still be beautiful and sexy. Embrace the change and be confident.

Just a heads up, there will be some slight nudity in some of these images.
 

© Radius. Image #600-01374364

© Blend RM. Image BLM002912.

© Stock Connection. Image #WST9069.

© NordicPhotos. Image #NP00343882.

© EyeCandy Images. Image #EC083109.

© Mauritius Images. Image #04054799.

© Emotive Images. Image #21285.

Digging Deep: Archival Photos

© Imagebroker RM. Image #IB_ALSL_18080909.

One of the most interesting subject matters on most stock photography sites is archival photos. Like something you would find in a box in the attic, archival photos give you a connection to the past. They are a prized commodity. And although they can be imitated, nothing beats the real thing.

© Imagebroker RM. Image #IBLZNI01080310.

There are often loads of images from the 1920's, '30's and '40's to choose from. For designers, it is often worth digging deep for these historical images. They can be used to create a feeling of sentimentality, as educational tools, and as a way to give a glimpse of what was life back then.

© Superstock. Image #486-221.

Archival images also can just be plain funny and make you wonder what the heck they were thinking back then. From ridiculous exercise equipment to some questionable hobbies, like phone booth stuffing, there are some hilarious photos out there. Just like . . .oh, I don't know . . .maybe a woman sitting in front of multiple industrial hair dryers for some reason.

Guitars Make You Cooler

It's a quasi-scientific fact that guitars make you cooler. Or make you look cooler, anyway. Continuing on that logic, it can be concluded that looking at stock photos of guitars will also make you cooler. I see no holes in this logic, so let us commence the coolification.

© Superstock. Image #1486-769.

© Imagesource_Micro. Image #EV201-022.

© PhotosIndia.com. Image #20070703_SA0127.

© Aflo Relax. Image #AFR-1097-00121.

© ArtBox. Image #IVAC0382.

© Irish Images Collection RM. Image #1818642.

© Kablonk! RM. Image #GPM0285K0359.

© Stock4BRF. Image #X4GA9-2339.

 I guess there is a hole in this theory, which the guy below proves. There isn't much out there that could make this guy cool.

© Tips. Image #385GOS00035.

More musical stock images here.

I Saw the Light!

Have you ever wondered what your favorite songs would like if someone tried to sum them up in a single photo? Well, if you hadn't before, you have now. It can actually be a fun game and a good exercise for finding the right stock image.

In this case, we'll use Hank Williams song titles and try to find the stock photo that best describes each song. Of course, we are talking about Hank Williams Sr. and his classic songs here. Imagine that you are creating an album cover for each song. Play along at home, if you like. Or find an image that fits one of your own personal favorite songs.

Here we go:

© Cultura. Image #17HAS0034RF.

I Saw the Light - A classic song. Plus, she is not only seeing the light, but holding it somehow.

© Imagebroker RF. Image #IBXNCA00110546.

Your Cheatin' Heart - Maybe a stretch, but that's what makes it fun.

© Smart Magna. Image #220102MB0438.

Hey Good Lookin' - Admittedly, this doesn't really work unless you know the next line of the song, which is " . . .what ya got cookin'".

© Tetra. Image #TI3600713.

Cold, Cold Heart - Too easy.

© Robert Harding. Image #252-8679.

A Mansion on the Hill - More like a castle, but there is still a valley to look up from.

Search this stock photography site and see if you can find more.