[5/18/2006] Stock expert Yuri Arcurs on what makes a good stock photo.
I was born in and live in Denmark, but have lived in the US as a child. I’m a (soon to be) bachelor in psychology and philosophy and pay for my studies by taking stock pictures. Before I started studying I worked as a freelance journalist for a youth magazine and had my own graphic design company. I got my photo education from Aarhus School of Photography and have been living professionally from stock the last year or so. I’m also an international champion in long distance rifle shooting. I love a good sense of humour and ride a motorcycle - not while shooting though.
Photography is more than a passion for me; I love it and have a camera with me wherever I go.
I started taking stock pictures as a hobby, but after getting my first paycheck it’s been professionally ever since. For those of you who think, that selling your pictures for $10 each is the same as selling your soul to the devil, let me tell you, that I have had single selling pictures give me over $200 in income over a 6 mount’s period. I once heard a wise man say: “the amateur thinks of art, and the artist thinks about money…”
My gear and comments on equipment.
I my opinion: equipment matters…a lot. But having a 16.7mp, only makes it a lot harder to take sharp pictures. This sound ironical, but it’s nevertheless the main reason why a lot of pro stockers downsize their pictures. Downsizing makes it easier for them to get pictures approved, because what seems a bit out of focus or blurred at 16.7mp will seem focussed when downsized to 4mp, because you simply cannot see this blur at a 4mp picture.
The first year of stock photography - you should reinvest all your money in gear. If you cannot afford expensive lenses, then stick to prime lenses. (Primes are non-zoom lenses that are sharper than zooms). Buy a reflector, a diffuser and a flash before anything else. In theory, what you would be able to produce with a canon 350D or a Nikon D200, a cheap but sharp prime lens, a reflector and a flash would be endless. Also use your money on RAM (memory) for your desktop, and have at least 2gb. (I work with 4gb). Photoshop requires over 1gb to run efficiently.
Personally I use a Canon 1Ds and 5D, 8gb +4gb flash memory, Canon 70-200mm 2.8L IS USM (excellent), Canon 24-105mm 4.0L IS USM, Canon 15mm fish eye, Sigma 50mm macro. A lot of strobes, huge reflectors, lights and a $6000+ PC workstation with a 23” display.
Straight to business….what sells.
A good stock photography is an icon! This means, that even if the picture is downsized to something as small as only 150x100 pixel on the bottom of some web page you can still tell what is going on, and what the picture is about. Great selling pictures have this feature and use different lighting and colours to create contrast between the elements of the image.
A good stock photography is a well exposed, clear and sharp picture. It takes a lot of equipment setup, but it will sell maybe five or six times as much as the same picture taken in just pure sunlight without reflectors and lighting gear.
How to do this is my secret, but keep peeping back to this site once-a-while and I might give a tutorial.
Sometimes great pictures have what we call contrasting symbolism. For example: A fat man eating an ice-cream while a skinny girl comes jogging by makes an interesting picture. A priest shoplifting (I’m still looking for this shot)… anything that tells a story about the irony and diversity of everyday life.
Shots that are related to business, computers, happy families, lifestyle and romance generally sell really well. Always check out what the customers are wanting…
What to avoid:
Your picture was rejected….Get over it. Spending time complaining about rejection reasons is a TOTAL waste of time, but nevertheless something that is very common for everyone entering the stock industry. For the first time in your life, your pictures are criticised and your immediate conclusion is, that it must be the stocksite that doesn't comprehend your artistic talent, because everyone else always loves your photographs. Most “non-stockers” have very high thoughts about their photographic talents, and hardly encounter any criticism from anyone. Getting criticism therefore is a completely new experience, and often something that results in a complaint or an angry forum-post saying “goodbye I will never upload again” and so on. Having high artistic thought about one self, is the best way NOT to succeed in this business
In psychology we talk of something called barrier braking. This refers to the time it takes an individual to adjust to new demands or circumstances, by breaking down or replacing old ideas with new and contemporary once. Don’t let this process take forever and extent into the next millennium. Adapt and learn.
How I prepare for a session.
I spend around one to two hours surfing for pictures in the same style as those I’m going to take doing the session. I do this in advance, so I can email my models or subjects specifying clothes, hairstyle, makeup etc. I save thumbnails of inspirational pictures on my desktop in a specific folder (e.g. Session with Sarah) and print and bring them to the shoot. I prepare model releases, so that they are printed and ready for signing while I set up my gear. I clean the sensors before every session and clean the lenses I’m going to be using. I re-charge batteries and laptop, format CF-cards and custom preset my camera to the settings I’m going to be using. Then I go to the location and shoot about 12-16gb of pictures.
My workflow and comments on cost-efficiency.
Only take and spend time after processing pictures that are of such a quality, that they will most likely be approved on any site.
Pictures of non-stock material (junkyards, non-graphic lens blurs etc.) are a waste of time, both uploading and editing. Be cost-efficient in your use of time, or you will be working for pennies.
This is my workflow: Shot RAW. calibrate monitor, develop in capture one pro, import to Photoshop as a 16 bit TIFF file, manually clean the picture for sensor dust, small particles and trademarks, save to TIFF (16), re-edit contrast after a few days, white balance calibrate the pictures and exposure in photoshop. When all the pictures have been checked, I save them to jpg for upload. I never use any noise reduction, except for dark areas without details. Keywords, title and description are added to the files IPTC data and uploaded.
My assistant takes care of the rest from here - categorisation and finishing the upload).
Photographic ”rules of thumbs”.
1. Be obsessed with sharpness and quality. Too many rejections are bad business.
2. Always overexpose in cloudy weather and underexpose in sunshine. Overexposed pictures in cloudy soft light makes GREAT photographs.
3. If you can’t shoot the picture below ISO 400 then rearrange, apply light, go outside… do something and then re-shot.
4. Always use polarizers in sunshine. No photoshop after editing can give this effect.
5. Always use AI-focus system (Canon and Nikon) and adjust the focussing area inside the viewfinder instead of using “one point” to get a focus outside the centre of the viewfinder. This gives you the far best focussing in the long run.
6. Clean lenses and sensors after each session if necessary. Have a zero tolerance policy regarding scratches or dirt on lenses.
7. Do not shoot ANY pictures without the hood. Even the smallest amount of light takes away contrast.
8. Always have a scrapbook with thumbnail prints and ideas for pictures with you. Mine is build up this way: Scenes for beaches, scenes for café/restaurants, lovers and weddings, nudes/bodies, expression/emotions, portraits, forests and nature, scenes only for studio, macro ideas, etc. This way, where ever you are with a camera, you will know what to shot.
The Crestock Team is very thankful for the priceless hints and tips from this brilliant photographer, and are looking forward to our cooperation.
Check out his exquisite portfolio at:
www.crestock.com/artist/logos Back 