Here’s a great article from the New York Times, looking at a recent study by usability expert Jakob Neilsen.
It’s a good reminder that use of generic photos/stock images may make the developer and the client feel good about the site, but may have little positive impact on the end user.
Key quote:
“big feel-good images that are purely decorative” are mostly ignored online, while stock photos or generic people are also intentionally disregarded. In contrast, when users know that a picture of a person is real they will engage with the image for extended periods of time.