Social Networking, Stock Agencies and a Whole Lot of Images

 

I have recently been conducting searches on Getty, Corbis, SuperStock, BlendImages and iStockphoto to compare their offerings. In the case of the above-mentioned “traditional” stock agencies, I chose them because they carry my work.

 

I chose iStock because it is the first micro agency most people think of. In many cases the images offered by iStock are far greater in both numbers and in creativity than the photos I could find from the traditional stock agencies. Look up “social networking” on Getty, for example, and you get 84 results. Do the same search on Corbis and you get 92 results (interestingly SuperStock came back with 238 images and a surprising variety to choose from).

 

Blend Images has 21 images, which considering its smaller and more-targeted collection isn’t bad. Look up social networking on iStock and you get 2,443. Yeah, there are some sketchy images there, but there are a whole lot of great pictures as well…and Corbis and Getty also have their share of junk. On iStock, however, you get a much, much greater range of photos to search from.

 

Hundreds of Thousands of Shooters and Greater Choices

 

Increasingly, at least as far as I can see, the micro sites are offering greater choices, and, at least in some cases, better choices as well. It seems logical…hundreds of thousands of shooters contributing photos to an agency as opposed to thousands.

 

So if you are an art director, art buyer, designer or even small businesswoman (or businessman) looking for images, and you can find more and better ones (not to mention less expensive) at micro sites…wouldn’t you go there? Am I missing something here?

 

Traditional Stock, Micro Sites and a Strategy

 

One strategy for us traditional shooters might be to begin to put images up on micro sites and to start to build a presence there just in case that scenario actually happens. For me, it is really hard to pull the trigger on that.

 

 I am still doing quite well in traditional stock and as I create relatively few images, I still feel that I am better off now in the RM and RF markets. But what about two or three years from now…will I wish that I had created a body of work that could have been moving up in the search results all this time?

 

Room for a Higher Priced Offering

 

Apparently the upscale Vetta collection at iStock is doing very well, fantastically well even. The higher prices seem to be no deterrent to those licensing micro stock. I don’t find that terribly surprising…micro prices started at such low levels it makes sense that there is room for a higher priced offering.

 

In traditional stock it has always been a given that price was not the determining factor in the licensing of an image…but rather the photograph being the right one.

 

Lesser Images and More Competition

 

If I do eventually cave in to my fears (or logic?), and overcome my ego problems with placing a low monetary value (at least per licensing) on my imagery and begin to contribute to micro sites, should I do the same kind of work I am doing for my RM and RF agencies? There is the temptation to contribute “lesser” images to micro, and yet I suspect that doing so would condemn me to failure in micro.

 

After all, in micro there is even more competition…and the added problem of, as a beginner, not having high rankings in search returns. Too, while some of the most popular photographs and illustrations on the micro sites have some pretty phenomenal download rates, it seems (at least to me) that the number of images that return stellar and even reasonable returns falls off rather quickly. 

 

High Volume and Higher Price Points

 

Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a way to tap into the high volume of micro with a higher price point? Micro stock agencies are leaving a lot of money on the table…money that could go a long ways towards moving stock photography back in the direction of profitability for photographers. 

 

There are a lot of very smart and talented people in this industry, so it isn’t far fetched to think that just such a scenario might be right around the corner…

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Iconic Symbols and the Power to Communicate

 

There are images that have become so identified with certain concepts that they not only ubiquitous but have become clichés as well. These “iconic” symbols are ubiquitous and often banal, but even then retain the power to communicate effectively.

 

Such images include the light bulb to demonstrate “ideas”, a life preserver for “rescue”, and a lighthouse for “guidance”. Another such symbol is the piggy bank. We see it everywhere, and we instantly know that the topic is finance of one sort or another.

 

Images That Serve Your Client

 

While we can look at such overused images as a liability, if they are portrayed in a new and interesting way they can be extremely powerful in getting a message across. What they have going for them is instant recognition; what goes against them is the boredom factor. Get rid of that “boredom”, show that symbol in an eye-catching and interest-provoking manner, and you have an image that serves your clients well, and in turn can bring in substantial revenue for you. Another example of a piggy bank image that does that refers to “Stretching Your Savings”.

 

Volatile Financial Markets and Bucking Broncos

 

In this case I wanted to create a stock photo that could be used to point out the volatility, the ups and downs, and the risks of finance markets, whether they are in savings, capital investment, the equity markets or any other financial instruments. I chose to use a man in business attire to expand the concept beyond that of personal finance and to include corporate entities as well.

 

The cowboy on a bucking bronco is a concept that all Americans, indeed that the whole world is familiar with, and has an inherent drama to it. Success in that rodeo sport is possible, but is hardly a given. I think it is a perfect merger of two familiar and iconic symbols.

 

Successful Stock Photos and a Piggy Bank

 

Some of the things that make for successful stock photos are motion, or a sense of it, a positive spin, a clear message with a quick read, and effectiveness at thumbnail sizes. To impart that sense of motion we have dramatic body positioning for both the piggy bank and the executive riding it. Another detail that works to help add to the sense of movement is having the businessman’s tie flying out.

 

We also made sure to have our model smiling to add that positive aspect to the photo. By having the image on white we make it easy for those licensing it to incorporate it into a wide variety of uses…and to expand the image to accommodate headlines and body copy. Generally images sell better when they are in an environment, but in this case my intuition was to use that more generic white background.

 

From Newsletters to Ads to Editorial Illustrations

This is the kind of image that can be used by a huge portion of the business and finance communities for everything from newsletter embellishment to bank adds to editorial illustrations. With that in mind I put the images into Blend Images Royalty Free collection to get maximum distribution and to avoid eliminating those potential users who avoid using Rights Managed images for real or perceived reasons of expense.

 

Interesting, Compelling and Iconic Images

 

Time will tell if the image turns out to be successful or not, but the principle works. If you can take one of those iconic symbols and show it in an interesting and compelling manner, then I bet that you will have, at the very least, one of those bread and butter images that are so important to having a thriving stock photo business.

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Here are some photography class basic tips.  In the print media, pictures are used to break the monotony of a news page. Illustrations may be used as page decoration. If its only purpose is to create a favorable impression for the reader, it’s a valid function. After all, according to J.W. Click and Russel N. Baird’s book, “Magazine Editing and Production,” people hang paintings and photos on their walls for aesthetic reasons only.

Given that concept, one can surmise that photography is, indeed, a work of art captured in technicalities and presented in an exceptional manner. The total impression on the subject will always depend on the way the photographer wants to present his or her subject matter.

For this reason, special photography class is provided for those who wish to perfect their skills as far as photography is concerned. However, there are some basic tips that every budding photographer must know in order to succeed in this kind of endeavor.

Here is a list of some of the important pointers that are taught in every photography class:

1. Get ready

The key to good shots is to have all of your necessary materials ready. One of the basic skills needed in photography is the point and shoot. However, you can’t do this if you lack the materials that you need such as extra batteries (in case you run out of battery supplies), a tripod (for a steady footing), and other devices like the lenses that would aid your ability to incorporate the point and shoot skill.

Besides, you would not want to be wasting your time rummaging through your bag to find those additional lenses just to get a close up shot of your subject. Aside from time-consuming, your subject might lose interest or if it is a moving object, it might not stay longer than you have expected.

2. Be steady with your camera

One of the main reasons why pictures may come out blurred is the fact that some photographers can’t get a steady hand on their cameras. It would be better to avoid shaking your camera. If you really can’t avoid these, it would better to use a tripod or inserting your elbows to your sides so that you get a stable grip.

3. Focus on your subject

By attending some photography classes, you should be able to learn how to get the best angles to capture your subject. Just keep in mind to focus on your subject and not on anything else.

These are just some of basic tips that you will learn in a photography class. Just keep them in mind and you are on your way to your best shot.

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