6 Sites with Trendy Stock Photos of Women

Women have been consistently taking protagonism in society and media for years now, and the photos of Woman you use must reflect this. 

Since last year, the greater visibility impulsed by social activism for female rights, female empowerment, and inclusion only increases the need for modern and accurate photos of women, which are a far cry from the old image clichés. 

If you’re a marketer, blogger, business owner, or social media content creator, make sure to study this list of the trendiest images of females and the six agencies that have them!

Looking to support female-led businesses? Then don't miss our list of the best women-owned stock photo agencies!

What Makes The Best Women's Photos Today

Successful images of females are all about authenticity and inclusivity. But what looks authentic for women in 2023? Here are some key pointers from the ongoing Photography Trends

#1. Anti-Stereotype

photocase photo id 3619513 landscape > 6 Sites with Trendy Stock Photos of Women
Copyright: Paulo Sosa/Photocase.com, all rights reserved

The most important aspect to consider when using photos of women is to stay away from stereotypes. 

This applies to everything from businesswomen to stay-at-home mothers to young women from Gen Z finding their path in life. You want honest and modern representations of these roles. That's what really works in visual marketing.

In the world of stock photos, it's essential to avoid using images that portray individuals in stereotypical ways. Even when a photo tries to depict a positive image, it can still be unrealistic or overly idealized. For instance, a perfectly styled and smiling individual with well-behaved children can be just as misleading as an image of a stressed-out individual surrounded by unruly kids. The goal is to seek authentic and inclusive representations of individuals in various roles and situations.

#2. Mold-breaking

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Copyright: davidpereiras/Photocase.com, all rights reserved

It’s not enough with avoiding stereotypes, you also want to break them. Visually powerful women photography shows women in non-traditional roles. 

It’s important to remember this is about empowerment. Discard images that show women being overly-sexualized, or that imply a “feminization” of a non-traditional role. This is also valuable when using styled stock photography aimed at women.

Business is a big category here. From typical businesswomen to modern entrepreneurs and self-employed professionals. 

#3. Body positive 

photocase photo id 1733181 portrait > 6 Sites with Trendy Stock Photos of Women
Copyright: axelbueckert/Photocase.com, all rights reserved

Women photography has forever been linked to beauty, and historically, to imposing unreachable beauty standards. Not anymore. 

Now we are all about real women, with real bodies and real beauty. Young adults such as Millennials are very into this.

Don’t be afraid of showing unconventional attractiveness and unique looks, but also that female bodies come in every size and shape. It's a great visual cue for branding in 2023!

#4. Diversity Focus

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Copyright: Santiago Nunez/Photocase.com, all rights reserved

In real life, most groups of women have members from various backgrounds. So make sure your photos reflect that diversity

Remember, no stereotypes. You don’t want one African American individual to “spice up” a group of blonde women. Diversity can mean mixed races, a range of ages, women with disabilities. And true multiculturalism doesn’t subject black women, Asian women, or any other minority to prejudices or accessory roles. 

#5. Senior Women

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Copyright: Criene/Photocase.com, all rights reserved

The inclusion of senior women in active, fulfilling roles is very desirable. Remember women over 60 are baby boomers, these happy mature women are far from your canonical grey-haired, knitting-loving grandmas. 

6 Photo Agencies to Download Trendy Women Images

These top stock photography sites have great, royalty-free collections of women photos worth exploring, and they’re very affordable!

Paid, not free? While there are a handful of free stock photography sites (like Pixabay or Unsplash) with wonderful, modern women images that can hold a candle to most paid, professional photos, free images are still no match to premium ones in terms of legal safety, so we always recommend royalty-free sites for marketing and commercial use. 

Photocase – Unconventional

www.photocase.com homepage

Artsy German stock photo site Photocase has a great selection of modern women’s pictures, such as the ones that accompany this article.

You can read our Photocase review, and use our Photocase coupon for a better deal!

www.photocase.com homepage

Stock Photo Secrets Shop – Budget-Friendly

www.shop.stockphotosecrets.com homepage

Beautiful girls, young women, mature women. The most diverse women photos can be found in our Stock Photo Secrets Shop, and at very pocket-friendly prices. 

Check our Stock Photo Secrets Shop review, and don't miss on a 99Club membership!

www.shop.stockphotosecrets.com homepage

Shutterstock – Rich Library

wwww.shutterstock.com homepage

Dive into a pool of hundreds of millions of women images! Shutterstock has the most varied women faces in all kinds of settings, backgrounds, and roles, all ready to download and use. 

More info in our Shutterstock review. Make use of the Shutterstock free trial to test the waters, and once you decide to buy, grab our Shutterstock coupon for extra savings!

www.shutterstock.com homepage

iStock – Affordable Premium

www.istockphoto.com homepage

Renowned agency iStock is perfect to find affordable yet high-value, beautiful female images with diversity in terms of ethnicity, culture, age, lifestyle, and more. 

Find out more in our iStock review, and do grab our iStock promo for a sweet deal!

www.istockphoto.com homepage

Adobe Stock – Trendy Creative

www.adobe.com homepage

Uber-trendy stock photo service Adobe Stock is perfect for sourcing high-resolution female imagery that is freshly modern and as authentic as it gets. 

www.stock.adobe.com homepage

Discover this service in our Adobe Stock review, and try it out with the Adobe Stock free trial!

Getty Images – High-End

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Getty Images is a prestigious photography powerhouse that is rich in women-focused image galleries of very high production value. 

All details are in our Getty Images review, and the smartest buying choice is the Ultrapacks!

www.gettyimages.com homepage
It's worth noting that stock illustrations are a great way to portray women in a plural, inclusive and anti-stereotypical way. From abstract silhouettes to very detailed characters, illustrations offer a creative visual outlet to represent modern women.
For example, Humaaans is a illustrations service where you can customize female human characters as much as you want –from body type and skin tone to clothing and setting– and download them in vector format, ready to use in your design. Pretty cool!
www.gettyimages.com illustrations women

Which site are you exploring first? We'd love to know!

Header image: Copyright by AddictiveStock/Photocase.com, all rights reserved.

Ivanna Attié
Ivanna Attié

I am Content Manager, Researcher, and Author in StockPhotoSecrets.com and Stock Photo Press and its many stock media-oriented publications. I am a passionate communicator with a love for visual imagery and an inexhaustible thirst for knowledge. Lucky enough to enter the wonderful world of stock photography working side-by-side with experienced experts, I am happy to share my research, insights, and advice about image licensing, stock photography offers, and the stock media industry with everyone in the creative community. My background is in Communication and Journalism, and I also love literature and performing arts.

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