Graphic design Moonpig greeting cards

Stock Imagery is often rubbish. 99% the images on istock and shutterstock is cheesy or cliche, especially when it comes to images of people.  Moonpig have a range of cards that allow you to upload your own images into the design. When I was creating them a range of photo upload cards I needed to find place holder images of people to have in place so you could see where the images should go. I struggled to find filler images of people that were at all genuine, so I used my own photos of me and my friends (I had to ask their permission first and they were all fine with it) as well as vintage family photos I found in markets in Berlin (and the odd boring stock imagery to keep the general public happy). I like the idea these photos that have been sitting in boxes in attics for generations, have finally been given a new lease of life. I’m sure the people are long gone but I am certainly enjoying snippets of their lives and imagining what they were like. I think y favorite is the 3 kids being photographed next to a lion. I’d like to know the story behind that one. Unlike the fake happy couple, of which I know there is no story behind.  Or the unusually young and good looking granny in the fake family portrait, who clearly must have been about 7 when she had her daughter who looks nothing like her.

If anyone finds another photo library with good people shots (and no Getty is too pricey for most clients), then please do let me know. For my latest client Hemley Fraser (they create management training courses and ebooks), I’m using old fashioned photos that are very much staged and fake but at least they have irony and don’t make you want to throw up.