Stock Photography
By jjwilly16
@jjwilly16 (28)
United States
February 18, 2013 4:31am CST
I am a beginner when it comes to photography and am interested in getting a start in stock photography. I've been shooting things like flowers, pets, and general household items for practice. I don't currently have any professional lighting equipment and often try to create my own lighting and background with what I have around my house. Does anyone have any helpful tips for getting good stock shots without buying all of the lighting and backdrops?
5 responses
@LaDeBoheme (2004)
• United States
19 Feb 13
I submit to a few stock photography sites, and I don't have expensive lighting or backdrops either.
A few things I have done is use an inexpensive piece of poster board as a background for smaller objects. I have also taken desk lamps with high-wattage bulbs for illumination. For larger objects, I have used the wall. The easiest thing to do is shoot outside. One of my best-selling pictures was a basketball backboard against a clear blue sky.
When all else fails, use a photo-editing program to enhance and spruce up your pictures. I don't have Photoshop, but I have Corel and Xara. Photo-imaging programs are a stock photographer's best friend.
If you plan on submitting to the microstock sites, be diligent and don't get discouraged. I have had more photos rejected than accepted. Usually when a photo is rejected, they will tell you why and often, you are given the opportunity to edit and resubmit it.
Have fun with it, think outside the box. Some of my best pictures have come from something unexpected and totally off the wall I tried.
@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
27 Feb 13
Do you use a normal digital camera or do you have an SLR? How many pixels do you need for an acceptable photo?
@LaDeBoheme (2004)
• United States
28 Feb 13
I use point-and-shoot cameras with manual controls. I don't do this as a living, more a hobby, but if I get paid, so much the better. Generally, most of my photos have been 8-12 MP. The stock sites will usually allow a range of megapixels, although they will offer an image at different sizes, so the larger the MP, the more sizes available.
@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
8 Mar 13
I know to get started in the business you basically have to shoot a lot of photos and post them. You have to be more into photography than into making money. At some point you just hope to get enough business to make it more worthwhile. Did you read any books or look at any websites to get started?
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
11 Apr 13
I heard that photo of food and prepared food is an emerging market but it is not easy as some restrauants posted no photos of their food items. These are a creation of the chef and like you photo they would like to keep their work to themseoves. Good luck.
@Torunn (8607)
• Norway
22 Feb 13
No mather which stock photography you want to try, they'll probably have quite a lot of pictures of pet and flowers :-) So if you submit pictures of flowers, cats and dogs, make sure they're really good. I guess that if you have more unusual pets they'd be more interested, lizards, spiders etc.
I've been paid once from the site I've got most pictures uploaded on, most of the sales have actually been of pets (but then my pet is a horse) and different views of my hometown.
@gregorydean (3)
• United States
27 Aug 13
Try outside in the evening light. If you don,t have it yet - get photoshop lightroom4 or 5 . Also go to the stockphoto websites and see what is selling.
