Landing page artwork

[Dani]

I'm trying to design a landing page for my API product, and it seriously is lacking any images. Where are the best places to get those Photoshop-ready backdrops that all of the paid themes seem to have? Deviant Art? Looking for ones that are optimized for this sorta thing, and will easily accept some large font writing on them while still being readable.

[gentlemedia]

Shutterstock, Dreamtime, 123f and the likes do have them, but also http://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/backdrop and perhaps at http://allthefreestock.com/

[rproffitt]

Just a FYI for Dani. I was out and about and bumped into someone that should be contacting you shortly. It's a professor and they have students and more. I can't write it all here, but they may omit I sent them your way. They said something about being on Longuyland.

[AssertNull]

Looking for ones that are optimized for this sorta thing, and will easily accept some large font writing on them while still being readable.

What exactly is "this sorta thing"? I ask this in all seriousness as I'm generally out of the loop when it comes to design issue. I always thought you just found something you thought looked cool and stuck it on there. My point is that I'm not sure there is an industry standard or preferred way of doing things other than the "while still being readable" part (most important part IMO). If you can find a picture that's cool AND relevant to the site AND readable AND free, you've got a winner. My guess is that if you asked 200 people what to stick up there, you'd get 200 different answers. Me personally, I'd try to go with something relevant and non-controversial. Puppies and kittens for a pet store, stuffed teddy bears and blocks and tricycles for a pre-school, flowers for a nursery, etc. For a Computer Programming forum, go with... drum roll please... computers and cool people like Neo hacking into computers. Or the Linux penguin.

Longuyland

Now that I've gotten the relevant part of my post out of the way, I'll go for the hijack. I'll be headed out to Long Island University in Brooklyn later this month probably. I need to know how to say this word. Is it "Longuyland" or is it "Long Island" with a New York accent and sounds like "Longuyland", but non-New Yorkers shouldn't try to speak like the locals (I wouldn't say "New Yawk")? And is Brooklyn even considered Long Island (it must be: Long Island University, Brooklyn)? I understand dem's fightin' words to proud Brooklynites. Lord knows I wouldn't want to offend anyone. :)

If you want quality then be prepared to put your hand in your pocket. I usually use shutterstock and 123f.