Author Topic: Tips on generating ideas for stock (Read 14240 times)

klsbear · « **Reply #25 on:** June 04, 2013, 21:43 »

Quote from: JPSDK on June 04, 2013, 09:31

See, a whole new series of photos coming up. Poison ivy from above, from below, close and very close, then the inflamations, and a doctors hand and bandages. 10 well selling photos there!
Im glad we dont have that here. There is no undergrowth in Europe you cannot crawl through. The worst is The Mazurian swamps and of cource brambles.

And here I was just worried about eradicating the Poison Ivy from my yard. I can see I need to grab the camera and macro lens before I get rid of any more. Now I just need to find a willing model for that last half of the series.

JPSDK · « **Reply #26 on:** June 06, 2013, 06:35 »

on ss there are only 216 images of poison ivy.
There are a few isolated and some taken on location.

But none are iconish.

So there you go.
Stack a poison ivy on white.

Mantis · « **Reply #27 on:** June 06, 2013, 06:42 »

Quote from: JPSDK on June 06, 2013, 06:35

on ss there are only 216 images of poison ivy.
There are a few isolated and some taken on location.

But none are iconish.

So there you go.
Stack a poison ivy on white.

How about a stack of poison ivy rubbed against skin then showing the welts that form and the scratching, bloody mess that ensues? Any models willing to pose for this? Jens? Anyone?

JPSDK · « **Reply #28 on:** June 06, 2013, 06:51 »

Sure.
But then again.
We have a few poisonous plants here in Europe, some of them are very poisonous, in the deadly range.
Like this one, Cowbane: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicuta_virosa
It is considered the most poisonous plant of them all.

Still I have handled it a few times, and as long as you do not eat it, nothing bad will happen (dont lick your fingers).
Poison ivy is something different, since it is the dust and vapour from the leaves that causes the reactions.
Im unfamiliar with that, so I dont know.
But let us make a deal. Ill pose and be a model with any European plant.....

JPSDK · « **Reply #29 on:** June 06, 2013, 07:01 »

BTW... a story from real life.
I was a biology teacher in a 5the grade and took them out on an excursion to find plants and things.
In a bug we found the bitter sweet nightshade, wich is one of many poisonous nightshade plants.
I showed the plant to the children and told them not to eat the berries, since they were poisonous.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum_dulcamara

Normally such a warning sinks in, but nowadays children are brought up by disasters and aliens in Television.
So they ripped the plant from berries and ate them.
They ate all the berries!
Some children had multiple berries. And that is considered "unhealthy".

I had a lot of problems seeking correct medical advice and informing the parents.

However, noone became sick and there were no symptoms with any of the pupils. I didnt sleep well, that night.

LoneWolfMuskoka · « **Reply #30 on:** June 24, 2013, 09:43 »

I'm just getting started with stock photography. There sure is a lot to learn about the photography as well as the styles of photos involved.

So far I've been focused mostly on plants and landscapes. I'd like to get into using models at some point, but for now I'm working on objects.

One question that I have is about man made objects. Obviously we can't include logo's, trademarks, etc. but how do you determine whether a design of a product makes it recognizable? I've got a few photos of a kid's climber that I like (lots of colour) but I imagine the company that makes it could probably tell it was their design even without a logo.

SME · « **Reply #31 on:** June 24, 2013, 18:56 »

IKEA stuff is similar. Sometimes it is recognizable, sometimes it is not. I avoid anything that I think is risky so I don't waste my time.

EmberMike · « **Reply #32 on:** June 24, 2013, 20:21 »

I'm pretty open when it comes to microstock discussions, but there's one thing I'll never discuss publicly and it's how to get inspired or where to get ideas from.

Anyone can learn to click a shutter or draw some vector shapes. The really value of all this is in the ideas.

SME · « **Reply #33 on:** June 24, 2013, 20:26 »

I would have to disagree. Once you get the technical aspect of it down, it's really up to everyone's different nature. I mean you can arbitrate specific topics because they are holes in the industry, and that is probably some aspect you don't have to share, but all in all I think taking pictures of things you are interested in, know something about, and/or are close to you make up the bulk of most non-professional microstock photography.

So I guess the answer to the question really is, slowly explore what you find interesting, and wrap your technical know-how around it.

LoneWolfMuskoka · « **Reply #34 on:** June 25, 2013, 08:42 »

Quote from: EM on June 24, 2013, 18:56

IKEA stuff is similar. Sometimes it is recognizable, sometimes it is not. I avoid anything that I think is risky so I don't waste my time.

Makes sense. I guess I'll try a few images and see where the microstock agencies draw the line.

ShadySue · « **Reply #35 on:** June 25, 2013, 09:19 »

Quote from: EM on June 24, 2013, 20:26

I would have to disagree. Once you get the technical aspect of it down, it's really up to everyone's different nature. I mean you can arbitrate specific topics because they are holes in the industry, and that is probably some aspect you don't have to share, but all in all I think taking pictures of things you are interested in, know something about, and/or are close to you make up the bulk of most non-professional microstock photography.

So I guess the answer to the question really is, slowly explore what you find interesting, and wrap your technical know-how around it.

"Slowly explore what you find interesting"
Great advice for general photography, but for stock, it's generally the uninteresting stuff that actually sells.

cthoman · « **Reply #36 on:** June 25, 2013, 09:35 »

Quote from: EmberMike on June 24, 2013, 20:21

I'm pretty open when it comes to microstock discussions, but there's one thing I'll never discuss publicly and it's how to get inspired or where to get ideas from.

Anyone can learn to click a shutter or draw some vector shapes. The really value of all this is in the ideas.

I guess I don't really have a secret idea generating method, so there isn't much to protect. I just draw a bunch of sketches and work on the ones that look fun.

scornejor · « **Reply #37 on:** June 29, 2013, 11:03 »

Try listening to the news on the radio and converting all you hear into images in your head. Fx, news about economy or politics you can hear something like: "the ecomony has grown in 5% this month" . There you have a concept, try to "picture" that...

wordplanet · « **Reply #38 on:** July 02, 2013, 17:00 »

Next time my husband works on in the yard I'll have to photograph his arm a few days later - with and without the calamine lotion.

You've gotten some great answers to your question - if walking around a city with your camera isn't a great idea - take a walk around your house - try different perspectives of objects in their regular setting. Good luck!