Two Types of Stock Imagery
August 12th, 2007 | Published in Photography
Through the years I have noticed two general sub-genres of stock photography that both have a huge market. I call these ”The Clean Image” and ”The Dramatic Image” and in the following, I will take a closer look at these two types of photographs, when and how they work. Before we get to that though, let me point out that there are many images that fall outside of these definitions, that still sell very well, so you should read this as guidance rather rules set in stone. In other words, don’t let my observations limit your creativity.
The Clean Image
By clean, I mean that the image itself is fairly neutral and open-ended. The most obvious type of clean image is the object isolated on white background. This is a type of stock image that has been done to death many times over. By that, I don’t mean that you should stay away from it altogether, but before you spend hours learning and practicing your isolation skills, stop to think about the subject you are shooting. Not all things are well suited for this type of image. I have seen people isolating everything from doors and fountains to trees and boats, and only very rarely does this type of subject work. After giving it some thought, here is what I have boiled it down to: If your subject is normally percieved as part of a larger picture, it probably won’t do too well as an isolated object. After all, what is a door without a doorway or a tree without a landscape? It’s all about usefulness, as I have covered previously.
So, what does do well on a white background? Loads of things. Small objects from cellphones to ants, that designers could easily paste into the margin of a flyer or brochure, but also large objects and people. Even that boat from before might work, if it’s done properly.
The thing about isolated subjects is, for it to look good without a background, it has to be lit evenly. If you took a picture of a boat in stark sunlight, it will have harsh shadows that will look very strange when the rest of the image is cut away. If you were to shoot it in a studio environment however, you could soften all the shadows and make sure the light floods the boat from all the right angles. As with any kind of photography, lighting is extremely important when shooting to isolate, and for that reason, I recommend you start out shooting smaller objects that require less space and are easier to light.
Other types of clean images include portraits shot against a simple background, landscapes where nothing out of the ordinary is going on (as in: no lightning storms or lemmings jumping off cliffs), cityscapes, architecture, macro shots, textures and other subjects that lend themselves well to text. Very often, when clean images are used by designers, it is actually the text that ends up giving the image meaning.
The Dramatic Image
As you have probably guessed, this type of image is one that tells a story on its own. These may seem to have a lesser degree of usefulness, since the story told by the photo would limit the number of things you can relate to it. The truth is that dramatic images sell just as well as clean ones.
Among stock photographers, one favorite dramatic subject seems to be businesspeople doing business stuff. There are countless shots of guys in suits holding up blank businesscards, secretary-looking women with headsets and small groups of businesspeople huddled over a laptop. These images are extremely popular and sell well, but be prepared for fierce competition, if you decide to base you portfolio on business shots only. Similar examples include health professionals, lab technicians, romantic couples and other shots of people interacting.
Shooting this type of image and creating good, useful stock that is also original can be extremely challenging. My advice would be to pay attention to the theme of each individual shoot, so that the story your images end up telling is as clear and easily understandable as possible. Again, lighting is your friend and can be used to emphasize the story your are trying to tell. Best case scenario for a dramatic image is when anyone can look at it, and tell you exactly what is going on in the photo, with no need for any explanatory text.
Be careful not to mix too many messages into one shoot or image: A woman with a headset, smiling at the camera tells a better story than if she is wearing a hard hat at the same time (is she in danger of getting stuff dropped on her head, as she sits by her desk?). This particular example may seem obvious to you, but it’s actually one I have seen done several times.
Just like isolated objects isn’t the only clean image, people-shots is not the only dramatic subject out there. Any shot that has action in it is dramatic. The aforementioned lightningstorm, car-crashes and the female praying mantis eating the male she just had sex with are all obvious examples of dramatic photograhs.
So, why is all this important? Why bother thinking in terms of clean and dramatic? Because it may help you analyze your work and figure out where your talent lies. Analyzing other people’s images as well is a great tool to improving your understanding of why a particular image appeals to you – and what might make it appeal to others. By asking yourself whether a shot you like is one kind or the other, you could find clues as to what to focus on for your own portfolio, plan future shoots accordingly and help you build a strong portfolio. It will also let you concentrate on perfecting techniques that compliment your interests, from lighting to post-processing. I cannot stress enough how important it is to shoot things that you find interesting, rather than what you think others might buy or find useful. That said, there is no reason why shouldn’t shoot what you love with salability in mind. There is a difference.
This post is part 7 in a series about my experiences with stock photography, tips and pointers, meant to offer a little inspiration to those interested in such things. The next installment will be an introduction to composition techniques. For a complete and chronological list of articles, check out the Microstock Photographer’s Guide.
