Monkey Suits

Who doesn't enjoy a good chimp in a suit photo? Classic humor. On the comedic hierarchy, it falls somewhere above flatulence and slightly below cats falling off things. It hovers just above slipping on a banana peel and just below football to the groin.

Keeping that in  mind, we will explore the diverse uses of stock photos. In this case, we will use photos of chimps in clothing to demonstrate the potential comedic value of stock images, as well as their ability to inspire imaginative back story. This can lead you to your next creative idea, whether it be an ad or a thousand page novel. Or a paragraph about a monkey in a suit.

© Old Visuals. Image #EV004422.

Sam "Banana Peels" Bonney. Career wise-guy with a propensity for danger. Monkey danger. 

He often strolled about with a stern look upon his face and a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, though he never smoked, mainly due to his inability to harness fire. Sam specialized in the smuggling of bootleg termite fishing sticks, making him a wanted man during Prohibition . . .Termite Prohibition.

Despite his tough exterior and occasional incidents of flinging things, he had a heart of gold, which, coupled with his opposable thumbs, made him popular in the community. 

Also, he wore shoes, which is pretty neat.

 See this image and more chimps in this gallery.

A picture is worth a thousand words. But you don't need quite that many. Play along and respond below. 

The Battle of Offbeat Pets

Another way stock photography can be useful is by helping in your decision-making process. Sure, something can look good on paper, but accompanied by an image, your arguments carry more weight. A list of pros and cons are more powerful when looking a subject in the eye. As an example, we will use stock photos to help us choose a pet. Of course, this is hypothetical and we mean no disrespect to the animals involved.

Today's Matchup: Macaw vs Tarantula

+ = Pro      - = Con

© Glowimages RF. #GWT144064.

       + Can fly, which is pretty cool
        - Can fly directly into food as you prepare it
       + Can talk
        - Can talk LOUD
       + Can live up to 55 years or more
        - Can outlive you, which is depressing    
       + Can be fed some of the same food you eat, i.e. fruits and nuts, so you will never have to handle dead mice or anything gross
        - Bird poop. You've taken the grossest thing that gets on your car and gave it free range in your house


Now let's take a look at the pros and cons of tarantulas.

© 81a.Image #81A-00003292-001.

+ Very quiet
- I'm not sure I like that they are quiet. What if it escapes?
+ You will be the coolest kid on your street
- You will be the coolest kid on your street that regularly handles dead mice
+ Can live in small spaces
- That small space might be your shoe
+ Excellent way to conquer fear of all things creepy-crawly
- Excellent way to live in constant and legitimate fear of seeing a spider

Well, the cases have been presented and the stock photos help us better imagine the head to head competition. Just out of curiosity, which would you go with? Reply below or vote on the sidebar!

Nice Hooters

Owls. What did you think we were talking about? Get your mind out of the gutter. Shame on you . . . or us, for the misleading title.

© Amana Images. Image #10171001251.

© PicturePress. Image #02213474.

We just thought we'd share a brief gallery of some of the coolest looking animals around. After this is over, you can tell stock photography that you like their hooters. And you won't get smacked.

© Pureline. Image #03837906.

© Robert Harding. Image #764-714.

© ACP International. Image #ACP33635.

© Look Foto. Image #58092.

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.

Cute and Cuddly Sells

©Imagesource. Image #IS816-006.

We’ve all heard the old idiom that sex sells. While that is most definitely true, other things can be just as effective. For one, cuteness sells and you avoid the risk of offending anyone. Just ask the Snuggle Bear who (fun fact of the day) apparently was voiced by former Monkee, Micky Dolenz.

Perhaps, the easiest and most effective way to portray cuteness is through images of pets. This is something almost everyone can relate to. It transcends a lot of things. Age, gender, background, politics. We’ve all either had a pet or wanted one at some point in our life.

© Corbis RF. Image #42-21666753.

Whether it makes you nostalgic for your childhood pooch or reminds you of the kitten you have at home, the right stock image of a cuddly pet will strike a chord with most anyone. It even reaches those of us who never got to have a dog growing up because our mom claimed we were “allergic”. Not that we are bitter or anything.

So, look for ways to include images like these in your work. Remember you don’t have to be writing about pets to use photos like these. They can be used conceptually.