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Shoots That Work

Lesson 7 from: Make Money With Microstock Photography

Lesa Snider

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Lesson Info

7. Shoots That Work

Next Lesson: JPEG vs. Raw

Lesson Info

Shoots That Work

So let's go ahead and look at five shoots that work. So I prepared five Guarantee for success Micro shoots for you. And then after we get through, this segment will take a few more questions from the Internet Before we go into processing are images in light room and camera raw so the shoots that work are done tinted on drumroll. Please take a walking photo safari. Focus on textures. We talked quite a bit about texture. So awesome examples of good texture shots shoot textures were talking the ground size of buildings, walls. What have you get really close for those textures shoot landscapes and architecture. Okay, so you're gonna go on a walking photo safari textures, landscapes and architecture. For example, here are a few landscape shots and architectural shot. So as you're cruising around, you know, walking around in places that that you enjoy If you live in a big city trot round there, If you live out in the country where ever you live, just get outside, go to some nice places and j...

ust look up. Look behind you. Look down. Look beside you. You know, oftentimes, when you're composing a shot in front of us. We forget toe. Look behind this to see what's going on. So do be sure to look up, look around, look down and find things of interest to shoot and just think about how designers would use those in their projects. So these air three good examples of a walking photo safari chute number two do a seasonal still life so you would do a still life for each season, you know, focused on whatever is going on and focus on shout at the field shots getting extremely close and make sure you have nice, rich colors in those photos. So a season will still life with a nice, blurry backgrounds. Super close ups with rich, vibrant colors. For example, here are some shots from various different seasons, so we've got a holiday shot at the top. Lift does quite well on Istock photo, then moving to the right. We've got a simple little heart with some nice reflections going on, so that would be great for Valentine's Day and continuing down. We've got Easter lilies, so that's a nice seasonal shot that could be used for a variety of topics, actually, and in the hands on the left, hand side. The bottom left could also be used for Valentine's Day. So lots of hands and the images that we've been seeing very popular cause they're so expressive. So these air four examples of what you might shoot for your seasonal still lives. So you know, with a fall is gonna be here before we know it. So there's all kinds of opportunities with pumpkins and hay bales and harvests and cornucopias and all kinds of things like that. So think about what season it is in what kind of imagery is indicative to that season and do some still lives of seasonal items. Chute number three Do self portrait of those seven emotions that we talked about earlier. Joy, sadness, anger, fear, disgust, resentment, stress, etcetera, etcetera. You don't have to hire a model If you're shooting yourself, you can have a lot of funds that your camera upon your tripod and put yourself on a variety of different backgrounds and be your own model. Yes, yes, it's really weird. I find a cocktail helps a lot, maybe even to you guys quote so but this is this does a couple of different things. It gives you great shots. You don't have to worry about getting a model release because you could just feel that sucker out any time you want. It's not going to set you back any money for a model, but in doing this you will learn expressions how to do the expressions, and I just helps you communicate them to models in the future. So it's really great learning process, and it'll be weight uncomfortable at first. But again, a couple of cocktails that you right as rain, and it's a heck of a lot of fun if you can get past, you know, processing all those pictures of yourself. And some of them may be close up. But don't get too caught up in those negative emotions that you're trying to convey their cause. You want to have a you know, be happy. But this is a great shoot is not gonna cost you anything. Used equipment that you have and just shoot yourself, for example. You can get really crazy with this and have a lot of fun of the image, like the one on the top left here has sold like crazy on I saw, and it's such a great concept writes a conceptual kind of overworked, overstressed, pulling your hair out kind of thing, her eyes or even crossing just a little bit. And just with the addition of the Post, it notes strong about her body, really pop it out and make it more visually interesting. Eso white backgrounds work really well for that. The shot at the bottom right is not shot on a white background. But that's you for Tyler, for doing a self portrait of himself. Maybe they're they're out on their photos, their walking photo safari. And they found that great textured wall and had a little bit of lighting kit with him and and decided todo a few self portrait against that. So not only do white backgrounds, but then do some color background as well. This kind of think about the color of the background and what you might be wearing and make sure that it's complimentary. So for this particular combination of his shirt and the wall, it works perfectly because it is mainly a monochromatic color scheme, because we've got a lot of blues going on. But then we've also got a little bit of the complementary colors coming in from the yellow orange anus from his skin tone and some of the grand genus of the wall behind him. So it works really well. This be cognisant of what you've got on when you're doing the shoot, and he doesn't have ah lot of, ah, he doesn't have any rings on. He doesn't have any watches on, so do be careful for for logos to get those into your pictures. If you're shooting yourself, just take stock of everything you've got on. Shoot yourself, then look at the image on a computer or on your LCD screen on the back, your camera. What have you and just kind of assess it, you know, Is this working out the colors in my clothes, matching with or go with? What's behind me? Do I have any distracting things on my body necklaces? That kind of thing? Earrings. The next shoot that's guaranteed for success is to shoot everyday situations, specifically show both hands doing something and then include a face. So shoot just hands and then include a face as well. In everyday situations. Be careful for logos on this particular shoot. For example, if you like to cook, you could shoot set the tripod and shoot yourself chopping up vegetable so visually attractive food items and bright colors and nicely lit scene. We've got a nice manicured hands here with not with no jewelry. Clearly got on some kind of white shifts thing really beautiful color shot, a little bit of an interesting angle. Interesting perspective. Doesn't need to have a face in that shot because it communicates perfectly with what it iss. And then on the right hand side, we've got a mom and a little boy making cookies together. Those kinds of images sell like hotcakes on I start photo, you know, So everyday situations are you. Are you cooking? Are you cleaning or you chopping? Are you baking? Are you sweeping? Are you mowing? Are you washing the car? Are you hosing down the house? Cobwebs 40 Didn't so think about all those kinds of things and how designer would use that in advertising. Aside from everyday situations, another great shoot that works is work situations, and for these particular images, if he can include tools of the trade. So, for example, if you were a carpenter than you would include like saws and hammers, things like that and show the tasks that are involved. So tools of the trade show the tasks in work, situations, construction, all kinds of possibilities with that one. The only caveat with this particular shoe is not only do you have to watch out for logos, but you might need a property release for where you're going to shoot. So if you're going to a construction site you want to shoot some stock, you may have you get in touch with that construction company and see if it's okay. Get permission to shoot there and get a property release. But I've got a couple of examples on those for you. So here's a construction site, so that could be the photographer, you know, or or a model either one at the construction site there. So there's any houses being built around you. If you're having your own house, bill, etcetera, there is no into the opportunities. So examples of tools of the trade. We've got some silverware over there on the right hand side. Very plain, but very beautiful. You know, I can see that on the menu are an advertisement for a restaurant very easily, and, you know, cooking shows, food networking. All that are all the rage right now. So any images that have to do with cooking, especially those that have ingredients separated out visually pleasing ingredients shot, individually pleasing manner make nice stock images. So just think about that. Look around your pantry and see what you've got. If you have a farmer's market anywhere near you, you know we have a farmer's market in Boulder, Colorado, every Wednesday and Saturday, so I haven't done this particular shoot yet. But I have ideas for doing something, you know, similar getting a few visually pleasing items from the farmers market and in arranging them in a clever manner, maybe on a on a white table like this. So aerial shots like that work really well for ingredients. You get the nice White Bowls on the nice white background with the very soft shadows, but they're all visually pleasing in the color. So I guarantee you this retired or thought about all those colors. So we've got some nice reds. Put your complimentary with the greens and different textures, which also makes it visually interesting. So quite a bit of thought probably went into that photo at the bottom right but with a little bit of effort, you can make those things yourself. Not exactly. Don't copy, but let it inspire you to dio your own interpretation of the scene. Now, before we get into processing are images, which is where we're going to stay for a little while. Probably next hour, hour and 1/2 or so. Let's take some questions on anything that we've talked about as Faras shoots that work, interesting crops, perspectives, releases things like that. And then we're going to spend the rest of time on processing. So I'm gonna show you some tips and light room in in camera raw and and photoshopped things to watch out for Jews and Don's and then will we will continue on the afternoon with key warding and titling and describing your images. But we got any questions on what we've covered to this point? My big way. Um, anybody in the in studio? Okay, Fantastic. So a lot of questions on using digital releases, IPhone, ipad, releases, APS. Have you used anything like this? No, I have not. Okay. I have not. Um I don't know of any stock companies that are accepting digital releases at the moment. I know I thoughts have to be printed, but I'm not sure about the other companies, so that would certainly be something to check into. Okay, Cool. Lisa W. Is wondering if seasonal pictures have to be submitted during that season, or is it okay just to submit it as much as you can? Now, any time doesn't matter, there's no time limit on on that kind of thing. Inspectors just take what they're given, and they assess them for their cell ability in their quality. So don't worry about that kind of stuff. Don't worry about when you submit them. Just just shoot them. Brenda Reyes asked from Houston, Asked if you re shoot the same person over many years, do you need to continue to update the release? That's a really great question. I can't remember how long their releases stay good. I'm honestly not sure about that one. That's a really great question. I'd be tempted to say you wouldn't have to update it, but I don't know if there's a time period on those releases. Okay, so, uh, maybe a couple more here. Lakota Wolf is asking if you submit your own images to a stock agency. Does this preclude you from selling or using the same image from your own photography business or websites? Absolutely not. So we need great question when you sign up with any of these royalty free companies that there's no limitations on what you do with that image. The only limitation you get into it all is if you decide to go exclusive with that company, then you just can't do royalty for you with anybody else. But you can absolutely still sell the images in your own business and use them in your own personal use or what have you. It's a great question. We were talking at lunch. Is it? How does it work as faras recording your income? Do they like what I stock actually send me something at the end of the year? Or is it just that I have to process it through like my QuickBooks has earned income? It's all downloadable, so if you would be like a contractor, so they would send you a 10 99 and but you can log into your account and see everything and download earning reports, and that this one of the great things I love about our stock is very clear and you can see your give you these nice charts when you log into your money side of the account and you can see how an image is doing over a period of time. What's popular right now? It's not popular right now. It's really need. Imagine that must be fun going. It's very addictive. I should have started the day off with that morning. All that. This is, like crack very days. You? Yeah, yeah.

Class Materials

bonus material with purchase

Microstock Images and Keynote.zip

Ratings and Reviews

Christopher Lawrence
 

As much as I love CreativeLive courses - I was somewhat disappointed with this one. What caught my eye today (11/15/17) was that the class was being broadcast for free. I made the (incorrect) assumption that it was actually being "taped" today. This material is quite old. I wish CreativeLive would put the original "broadcast" date in their materials - or, if they do, make it easy and clear to find. I also found that this instructor was not as professional as others. She frequently used words like "pissed off", etc. when talking about models and companies. She also came across as being "short" with the hosts when it came to answering student questions. I'm not a prude by any means, but when I am paying for a class, I always hope for, and expect professionalism. I am still giving this course a "thumbs up" because most of the information that I received was good, but I just wish it was a little more current. Chris

Nawalescape
 

For a starter, it is a good course, I am not sure if it's up to date, like what Cynthia said below, but it sure gave me a push to consider this project seriously, those saved images lying there in my hard desk should get out there with benefit.

user-038780
 

I really enjoyed Lesa's webinar. It gave me the encouragement and information I needed to apply to iStock. My photos were accepted on my first try, and I owe a lot of that to this class. Thanks Lesa!

Student Work

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