A website without images can be boring and a real turn of to your site visitors. But chances are you're not a professional photographer or graphics artist. These are some of the reasons people turn to "stock images". Stock images are those ready to use photographs and graphics you find on the web. Most of them require you to pay a small licensing fee to include them on your website depending on the type of use.

Stock images however present a problem. When someone comes to your website and see's these generic, overly polished graphics, they're not fooled. They understand the person on the other end has simply gone out and purchased one of these pre-made goodies. This makes your website feel unauthentic to your visitor and can arouse feelings of doubt and mistrust.

By including authentic photographs and graphics on your website you're more likely to make a genuine impression and build feelings of trust. Don't be ashamed of your less than professional photography skills. Snapping a few shots with your iPhone or Android device will work just fine.

If you feel you need graphics but you want something unique there are several services popping up on the web who leverage the power of crowdsourcing to create something that looks good for even the smallest budget. One such resource is a company called 99Deisgns. 99Designs let's you create a contest where a whole crowd of graphics designers compete to create a graphic that's just right for you. The price is affordable and you don't have to pay if they don't create something you're 100% happy with.

Using your own, original photos and graphics is just one of the many advantages you have when creating your own website and why hiring a web designer is unnecessary. If you're ready to create a truly unique website that conveys the value of your products and services and don't want the hassle and expense of hiring a traditional web design firm you can sign up to create your own free website at WebStarts.com.