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What Photos Do Stock Agencies Want?

What Photos Do Stock Agencies Want?. Janet Johnson Forest Photo Club December 2012. What are Stock Agencies? Online Sites – for buyers and sellers. Photographers upload photos to sell. Must enter keywords and be accepted. Advertisers and Graphic Designers buy.

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What Photos Do Stock Agencies Want?

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  1. What Photos Do Stock Agencies Want? Janet Johnson Forest Photo Club December 2012

  2. What areStock Agencies?Online Sites – for buyers and sellers • Photographers upload photos to sell. • Must enter keywords and be accepted. • Advertisers and Graphic Designers buy. • Photos may be used in magazine ads, as book covers, on web sites, to sell photo frames, in the junk mail that shows up in your mailbox, etc.

  3. Stock Photography GuidelinesWhat’s special about it? • Must be CLEAN – clear focus, no noise, good exposure, good composition • Review your shot at 100%! • Must be DESIRED – someone has to need it, usually for selling something. • Remove Logos or brand names • If it contains people, must have a MODEL RELEASE.

  4. Where are Stock Photography Sites?Some Online Sites • iStockphoto.com • Hardest to get into; RGB JPG only; >=1600x1200 (2 MB) • Shutterstock.com • Requires 10 photos accepted in first upload; >= 4 MB • Dreamstime.com • Easier to get into; >= 3 MB • Fotolia.com • Easier; < 30 MB • Getty Images – through flickr.com

  5. Getty Images on flickr.com

  6. What Sells on Stock Sites?Trends: Most Searched Keywords • Accessibility • Authenticity • Aspiration • Partnership • Love • Innovation • Tech • Comfort • Interaction • Green • City Life • Multi-generation • Enjoyment • Adventure

  7. Another Trend: Real People! • Shoot your family and friends • Not Staged – Not Looking at the Camera • Interacting with each other • Leave Copy Space • Have a Clear Subject • Conceptual – Having a Theme • Creative, Humorous, Crazy – Be Unique!

  8. What They Don’t Want! • Don’t need more FLOWERS • Don’t need more SUNSETS • Don’t need photos of your PETS • Poorly Focused Photos • Cluttered Photos – Do Border Patrol! • Photos with poor Exposure or Composition

  9. My Rejected PhotosShutterstock.com

  10. Often Needed Topics • SEASONAL – submit 3-4 months early! • Christmas photos in September/October • Spring photos in January • LIFESTYLE • Retirement • People smiling in restaurants/kitchens • Food & Drink – simple, natural light, wide DoF • Health/Wellness – BIG SELLER! • BUSINESS PEOPLE – confidence/challenge

  11. Shooting Objects

  12. Tips for Getting Started • Try teaming up with someone, especially for people photos – one can hold the reflector • What do you have access to? Business people, retired people doing something active, family, multi-ethnic,… • Use vibrant colors – get someone to wear a red shirt, photograph a yellow camping tent • Put someone in an unusual place, e.g. Santa at the beach • Look at magazine ads for ideas and techniques • One great photo will outsell 25 mediocre ones • Look at iStock’s Training Manual

  13. View iStock’s Training Manual • http://www.istockphoto.com/help/sell-stock/training-manuals/photography

  14. Shutterstock.com Where in the World? NOV/DECEMBER Last month: $1.00 OCTOBER/NOV This month: $2.25

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