Yet however tempting it may for amateurs and semi-professionals to jump onboard the stock photography train, a glance at the numbers involved certainly doesn’t paint a picture of a lucrative practice. Couple this with the age of visual media, and today the sheer number of stock images is more immense than ever. Credit PIXABAY/GETY IMAGES.īut in recent years a number of smaller fish have joined the pond and quickly grown in popularity. Nikon D800e, Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art (Nikon F) lens. With the aim of serving demand for fresh imagery, and an idea of quantity over quality, stock libraries and agencies were quick to emerge, with the likes of Getty and Corbis setting the benchmark for decades. Depending on the service, you can specify things like portrait or landscape, number of people, color, age and the list goes on.Virtually since the advent of photography, images have been capitalised and monetised in a variety of ways.
And of course, you should familiarize yourself with the site’s filters and search options. Sometimes it’s the serendipity of broad search terms that can get you to an image you wouldn’t have found if your terms were super specific. Part of the challenge but also the usefulness of stock is that you can find images that you didn’t know you were looking for. Depending on who’s doing the keywording and the specificity of your request, it might help to go both ways. So you could search for “red apple outdoors” or “fresh, nutrition, sunshine.” Keywording is still part art and part science.
Try using keywords that are either ultra-specific or very general. What’s the magic formula when searching for stock? I’d also add that developing a good relationship with a photographer - treating them fairly, respecting their usage rights, giving them proper credit - means that you’ll have a trusted resource that understands your goals and may be accommodating to challenging requests in the future. If possible, ask the photographer to visit the location ahead of time so they have an idea of potential backgrounds, the lighting equipment they may need and the best time of day to shoot.
#Stock photo sense professional
Folks who haven’t been involved in a professional shoot before might be surprised by the number of people involved or the time it takes. If you’re shooting people, explain the process to them. Be clear with the photographer about what you’re trying to accomplish. Maximize your investment by trying to get multiple subjects, angles and environments in a single shoot. In a pinch, you can convert images to black and white or duo-tones to get a cohesive look.Īny good tips for doing a photo shoot on a budget? If you’re a skilled Photoshop user, you may be able to do some light retouching to help unify dissimilar images. Just be sure to select stock images that use similar lighting techniques and have a shared color palette so that the custom and stock shots feel connected. Use custom photos for the heavy lifting, and fill in the gaps with stock. Yes, and it’s often a good way to stretch your budget. Nothing says stock photography like using a picture of palm trees in a cold-weather climate.Ĭan you mix stock with custom photos? How can you do it well? Depending on where you’re located, it may be a challenge to find stock that reflects your community’s geography or diversity.
When there’s news involved, then a custom shoot is always preferable. This is particularly true when the image may play a supportive role in your messaging.Ī custom photo shoot is the perfect way to illustrate features, benefits or physical attributes that are unique to your organization: a new building, a new person, a new product. The same thing applies to lifestyle shots where the cost of hiring a model, makeup artist, etc., may be prohibitive. Food, interiors, landscapes - these are the kinds of images that are readily available and are usually shot to a standard that might be difficult to re-create if you’re on a budget. It may not be a great use of time to re-create the wheel when so many talented photographers and stylists may have already tackled the subject matter you’re interested in.
#Stock photo sense how to
Here, Marc Oxborrow, creative director at Casual Astronaut, offers his advice for choosing stock over custom - and how to use both.
That said, there are definitely times when a custom photo shoot makes sense. It’s the age-old dilemma, whether you’re launching a new digital marketing campaign or gearing up for the next issue of your printed publication: Do I need to do a photo shoot or can I use stock imagery? The great news: With the explosion of stock photography over the last 10 years, it’s easier and more affordable than ever to find images that can successfully (and stylishly!) communicate your message.
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