Posted by DALE EDLEMAN on June 26, 2009 at 5:04 PM
I'm trying to do some stock photography and this is a first attempt. These are a few sea shells I have used for a studio shot. A critique would be appreciated.
2. What shots are most useful for the designs these people are responsible for coming up with?
As a longtime graphic designer, buyer and user of stock images I think this image has limited usefulness, from a production perspective.
The most successful stock shots illustrate a specific theme. Something pretty, something graphic, even visually interesting will be passed up in favor of a more illustrative image.
As yourself - what would this be used for?
All this said, I do like the shot and think it's aesthetically appealing. But the fact is that aesthetic appeal is rarely the primary consideration for someone purchasing a stock image.
But this is all based on your audience... Who is the buyer? What do they want?
To be successful in stock it's necessary to shoot specific shots for a specific use.
And make sure they fit into a layout easily - whether it be print, web or video.
This shot might be better if the shells were arranged as a "border", with an empty area in the middle.
Stock photography isn't really something you just kind of get into. It's more something that you decide to try when your photo collection has grown so huge that you figure you'd better do something with it before your wife makes you sell all your gear to buy a new dishwasher. And what Nat said is spot on.
As for the shot, to me it strikes me as a bunch of shells tossed on a light table and photographed with no real purpose. There doesn't appear to be any poetry in the layout, it just looks like a bunch of random, haphazardly arranged shells.
Posted by DALE EDLEMAN on June 27, 2009 at 12:40 AM
Thanks, Your 're both correct and I appreciate your feed back. I'll take it to heart.
Discussion
3 replies1. Who buys stock images? (Art directors, creative directors, graphic designers... etc.)
2. What shots are most useful for the designs these people are responsible for coming up with?
As a longtime graphic designer, buyer and user of stock images I think this image has limited usefulness, from a production perspective.
The most successful stock shots illustrate a specific theme. Something pretty, something graphic, even visually interesting will be passed up in favor of a more illustrative image.
As yourself - what would this be used for?
All this said, I do like the shot and think it's aesthetically appealing. But the fact is that aesthetic appeal is rarely the primary consideration for someone purchasing a stock image.
But this is all based on your audience... Who is the buyer? What do they want?
To be successful in stock it's necessary to shoot specific shots for a specific use.
And make sure they fit into a layout easily - whether it be print, web or video.
This shot might be better if the shells were arranged as a "border", with an empty area in the middle.
As for the shot, to me it strikes me as a bunch of shells tossed on a light table and photographed with no real purpose. There doesn't appear to be any poetry in the layout, it just looks like a bunch of random, haphazardly arranged shells.