photo: © Caroline Piek
Competition in the world of stock photography is greater than ever. How can you still stand out from the crowd? Professional photographer Caroline Piek worked for years as a photo editor at a stock agency. She shares five tips for earning some extra money with stock photography.
Research Popular Subjects
When building your portfolio, consider how marketable your subjects are. There is much less to say about a photo of a frost-covered twig, for example, than about a portrait of a couple in love. You are therefore less likely to see such an image in a publication. Before submitting photos, research which subjects sell well at a stock agency. You can often filter search results by popular photos. Magazines, newspapers, and other media also offer plenty of inspiration for subjects with strong sales potential. After all, these are topics that matter in society.
Head Out at the Right Time
Stock photos with striking colors immediately stand out in your potential customers’ search results. If you plan to shoot outdoors, it is therefore important to monitor the weather forecast carefully beforehand. It is best to avoid sunny days with a clear blue sky. Harsh sunlight creates distracting, hard shadows. Heavily overcast days, by contrast, produce very dull, gray photos. The ideal weather conditions therefore require some planning—and some luck.
Give the Customer Options
This will probably sound familiar. You have photographed a beautiful windmill at sunrise, for example, and then move on in search of other photogenic spots. Instead, focus closely on one subject and photograph it from different viewpoints, in different seasons, and in different weather conditions. When photographing people, consider variations in actions and facial expressions. You could portray a businessperson talking on the phone, working on a laptop, and writing in a notebook, for example.
Create a Clear Main Subject
Choose a clear composition and try to avoid distracting elements. In a good stock photo, the main subject is immediately clear. Objects, people, and animals that do not belong in the frame can quickly make a photo look cluttered. Think, for example, of a stray tree branch just entering the frame or a person who is only half visible.
Discoverability Is Everything
Last but not least, provide a good description of your photos. No matter how beautiful your portfolio is, it is of little use if no one can find it. Every stock agency has its own rules, but in general you need to provide a title, description, and keywords. Describe clearly and thoroughly what you photographed. It helps to put yourself in the customer’s position and consider which words you would use to find a photo. The better your search terms, the greater your chances of making a sale.
