How to Find Stock Photos For a Pinterest-Style Visual Communication

Today, many brands are trying to appeal to young and progressive audiences like Gen Z, and the best way to do that is through visual communication. This group of customers heavily relies on aesthetics and bases their decisions on visual appeal.

Since many royalty free photos for commercial use by Depositphotos can meet your visual criteria, this article will share tips on finding the best paid and free stock photos in a Pinterest-like style on the platform. Read on to learn how to make your creative projects shine with the right visuals.

#1 Find reference images on Pinterest, Tumblr, and Behance

To unlock the potential of stock content platforms and breathe creativity into your company’s communication, you must have a vision. Simply put, a clear understanding of what you are looking for.

Few can communicate their ideas effectively without visual aid. Usually, people need visual inspiration to guide their decision-making. Luckily, there are many visual-centric platforms where you can find reference images for your creative goals. Use Pinterest, We Heart It, Tumblr, Instagram, Dribbble, or Behance for endless inspiration and new ideas.

Pro tip: you can also look for inspiration in various creative reports, such as It’s Nice That’s visual trends, Creative Boom’s graphic design trends, and Depositphotos’ creative trends.

#2 Utilize the Depositphotos Search by Image feature

Once you’ve created a visual mood board, try searching for similar images on Depositphotos using the Search by Image feature. It allows you to upload reference visuals or paste their URL into the search bar to find images that match the style or aesthetic you’re looking for.

While browsing the results, don’t forget to like and save your favorite photos in organized folders. This way, you can easily expand your visual library and keep track of the images that inspire you most.

Important note: search by image is a popular feature available on most stock websites. You can also perform a visual search on Pinterest (Pinterest Lens), Google (Google Lens), and Microsoft Bing (Bing Visual Search).

#3 Choose the right keywords

The best way to find pictures on any stock content platform is to use the search bar. However, people new to stock websites tend to only use one or two descriptions when searching. Utilizing more descriptive keywords can increase your chances of finding the perfect image.

Let’s imagine you’re looking for a trendy graphic design to adorn your packaging. Instead of just searching for “graphic designs”, try using more adjectives. For example, “creative”, “abstract”, “minimalist”, “geometric”, “trendy”, “artistic”, “retro”, “futuristic”, etc.

Entering the name of a certain style or aesthetic can also help. For example, “Bauhaus style”, “vintage aesthetic”, “brutalist aesthetics”, “20s inspired”, “bohemian style”, “Y2K aesthetics”, and so on. The more different combinations you try, the more likely you are to come across the perfect graphic design for your project.

#4 Dig into thematic collections

Almost every stock content site has curated collections of files, and Depositphotos is no exception. Find out which collections are available to you on the platform.

Check out free stock photos for commercial use

If you’re looking for free stock pictures to use in your commercial projects, Depositphotos offers many collections of free visuals. The best part? Because every file is hand-picked, you can see the best of the best in one convenient place.

Important note: you won’t find a copyright free stock image on Depositphotos, meaning even free images will require attribution.

Browse royalty free, commercial stock photos by category

Apart from free image collections, the platform also offers a wide range of royalty-free stock photos categorized by theme. From seasons, holidays, and travel to arts, designs, and color trends, there are dozens of curated collections to choose from.

Look for various niche aesthetics

Images on Pinterest are often influenced by trending styles and aesthetics that change every season. The good news is that Depositphotos has tons of collections that cater to different microtrends and niche aesthetics. Find image galleries with coquette, old money, and minimalist aesthetics, among many others.

#5 Follow the right authors

Another useful feature of Depositphotos is the ability to follow your favorite authors. Found one good picture? Don’t rush to leave the page. Check out other works by the same author to see if their style matches your needs. If so, follow the creator so you never miss new content that might be perfect for your projects.

Later, you can check the recent activity of your favorite authors instead of searching for images from scratch. This will save you time and effort, leaving more room for other creative tasks.

#6 Check out new files on the platform

Since there are millions of files on the site, you cannot search them all. However, what you can do is check out the latest uploads. That way, you’ll be able to find more fresh content that’s likely to meet the latest visual trends and market demands. In addition, this proactive approach will help you discover new contributors whose work aligns with your creative vision.

#7 Read the Depositphotos blog for more tips on finding free pictures for commercial use

Another thing that many stock marketplaces have in common is blogs. Their goal is to inform readers about the latest industry news and trends, inspire creativity in their projects, and provide valuable advice on finding the perfect images for their needs.

There are several other things you can enjoy when reading the Depositphotos blog. First, exclusive interviews with top contributors. Second, insider tips on utilizing their platform to its fullest potential. Last but not least, lots of aesthetically pleasing visuals accompanying text that you can use for your own creative projects.

Wrapping up

To attract new customers and retain existing ones, you must speak their language. For Gen Z audiences, that language is visual. And to communicate with them effectively, you need images that feel both authentic and on-brand. Try out this article’s tips on how to find the right visuals for your target audience. Whether you’re looking for paid or free stock photos for commercial use, we’re sure you’ll discover many visually appealing images to elevate your marketing game.