Choose website imagery according to what the visitor needs to understand and what the business can substantiate. Original photographs, licensed stock and generated illustrations can all have a role, but they should not be presented as interchangeable evidence. Start with the purpose of each image rather than filling empty design spaces.
This guide covers image purpose, evidence boundaries, permissions, responsive delivery and a maintainable asset register. Discuss the relevant requirements through ITZ’s Website Design service.
When original photography helps
Use authorised photographs when customers need to assess actual premises, products, people or completed work. Plan the shot list around the information required on each page.
Use original photography when it can show a real product, team, premises or authorised completed work. Plan a shot list around the pages that need evidence and confirm who can approve the images. A relevant, clear photograph can be more useful than an elaborate shoot that does not capture the practical details customers want to inspect.
Using illustrative imagery
Licensed stock or generated images can explain a general concept where appropriate. They should not imply that an illustrated person, location or project belongs to the business when it does not.
Use stock or generated material for illustration where appropriate, with the correct licence and an honest presentation. Do not label a fictional installation as a delivered client project or imply a stock model is an employee. When the distinction matters to a buying decision, make the illustrative nature clear in the caption or surrounding explanation.
Plan Your Website Image Strategy to discuss image purpose, evidence boundaries, permissions, responsive delivery and a maintainable asset register.
Production and optimisation
Select clear compositions that remain useful when cropped for mobile layouts. Prepare responsive image sizes, descriptive alternatives and reserved dimensions to support accessibility and loading stability.
Prepare crops for the actual placements, including mobile and listing thumbnails, while retaining important subject detail. Compress delivery variants and specify dimensions. W3C's image guidance distinguishes meaningful images from decorative ones; alternative text should communicate the purpose relevant to the page rather than repeat a string of search keywords.
Permissions and maintenance
Confirm rights and relevant permissions before publication. Record the source and intended use, and review imagery when products, staff or premises change so that the presentation remains accurate.
Keep a record of the original source, usage rights, consent where needed and any restrictions on editing or reuse. Review images when staff, premises or products change. Removing an old team member from a directory may require updating more than one page. A simple asset register prevents uncertainty when another supplier later edits the site.
A practical example
Illustrative example: a network-support page can use a labelled conceptual illustration to explain a system, while a project case study should use authorised evidence of the actual work. Mixing the two without explanation may make a portfolio look stronger initially but undermines the visitor's ability to judge real delivery experience.
Your review checklist
- Assign a factual or illustrative purpose to each image.
- Verify licences, permissions and project attribution.
- Check responsive crops and meaningful alternative text.
- Maintain a source register for later updates and handovers.
Frequently asked questions
Can images found through a search engine be reused?
Search visibility does not establish permission. Obtain an appropriate licence or authorisation and follow any applicable attribution and usage conditions.
References and further reading
Related services and guides
Discuss the next step
Plan Your Website Image Strategy. Use the form below to discuss image purpose, evidence boundaries, permissions, responsive delivery and a maintainable asset register. Share the relevant goals and existing arrangements; do not include passwords, private records or access tokens.
Plan Your Website Image Strategy ↗
Reviewed and expanded on 15 October 2026. Examples are illustrative; the appropriate approach depends on your business requirements and existing systems.
