Stock Photo Resources for PowerPoint and Presentation Graphics

Improve your presentation with graphics, stock photos and PowerPoint resources

Let’s face it: we live in a visual world. Today’s audiences are demanding of a high-impact presentation experience. So how do you make your presentation shine graphically? First, it’s important to make sure your message is clear and on target. Before diving into the graphic selection process, focus on the content. Once you’re comfortable with the flow of the presentation, it’s time to get creative. Finding appropriate graphics for presentations can turn into a full-time job, so plan accordingly.

PowerPoint comes with a huge clipart collection to get your started. It’s a simple matter of “Insert…Picture….Clip Art.” PowerPoint will import virtually any type of stock media. You can either cut and paste from Photoshop or Freehand or bring the file in directly by using the Insert menu.

However PowerPoint’s clipart library, while convenient and versatile, is often regarded as amateurish. Making your presentation look different from a standard PowerPoint presentation requires outside resources. Clip media, including photography, vector-based clip art, sounds, music and backgrounds are available- some for free, some for a fee- to the savvy searcher. Indeed clip media has become a booming industry brought about by the digital age.

Basic clip media packages available at most computer supply shops, though more professional packages are available from Publisher’s Toolbox.

Incorporating these images into a photo editing program like Photoshop can provide amazingly compelling graphics. But, a word of warning: don’t go overboard with clip media! Too many pictures or sounds can detract from the impact of your message and lessen the presentation’s power. But with the proper planning and research, you’ll discover the resources to create a world class presentation.