Rapid portfolio growth on microstock
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That random internet search became a turning point – it led to microstock, and Dreamstime became the first stock agency where registration was completed and an image was sold.
At the very beginning, only mountain landscapes were uploaded. That’s what was enjoyable – that’s why the Olympus DSLR was purchased. Looking back, it’s clear the stock photo portfolio should have been expanded and diversified from the start.
The last time that camera was used was January 2009, and Dreamstime registration happened on October 10. In December 2010 it became clear retraining was needed to understand how to properly use the camera and shoot.
But what to shoot? It was necessary to research the Dreamstime database before getting down to business. December is a traditional holiday season, which opens many areas for exploration. While studying the database, a great deal was learned.
What exactly? Here’s what:
Research the agency library
Explore it and see what contributors upload to stock sites and what actually sells. This knowledge is unlikely to tell exactly what to do, but it will at least spark new ideas to work on.
Experiment with color
Blue is a favorite color, but it obviously looks less appealing if an entire portfolio sticks to a single hue. Using different colors will give the portfolio variety and a distinct character.
Hobbies and favorite pastimes
There are many other hobbies—making jewelry, going to the cinema, or shopping. These activities and locations can become great opportunities to diversify the portfolio.
Assess strengths and weaknesses
The most important self‑discovery was realizing that studio shooting isn’t the best fit. There were many, many hints before truly thinking about it. Being outdoors and hiking is what brings joy.
From now on, it’s possible to focus on what is known well while gradually learning new and interesting things in parallel.
Carry a camera everywhere
A lens and body were chosen small enough to fit easily in a handbag. It’s a 12‑megapixel camera, and it really helped when unexpectedly running into the Thaipusam procession, without even knowing it was celebrated that day.
Look at what’s around
Scan newspapers to learn what’s happening in the world—it’s a good way to plan upcoming shoots. Maybe there’s an opening ceremony somewhere. That’s a good reason to go there with a camera. One never knows who might show up.
Every camera has trade‑offs
In bright sunlight all cameras perform great. But in low light or at night, the DSLR works best. So next time, when planning anything, bring a camera for the expected event and for unexpected captures.
Practice, practice, practice
Now shooting happens almost daily, but not all photos end up here in the stock photo portfolio. Some shots are used in a travel blog. With regular practice, it’s likely anyone can find a style and improve shooting technique.
But the most important part of this process – enjoyment. Being a photographer is enjoyable, money is secondary. Capturing the right moment in a photograph is pure delight.
So enjoy creating the next masterpiece!
Link to the original source:
Author: Haslinda
Link: blog.dreamstime.com/2011/02/02/expanding-portfolio-learning-along-the-way_art34399
Hello, I have a question: I uploaded my drawn illustrations to Fotolia, and one of them was rejected due to “lack of a model release.” The illustration depicts a church building rather schematically outside of a recognizable landscape. Also, the church is basically just a silhouette with minimal detailing. There are no people in the drawing. What could be the problem?
Good day!
Sometimes this happens. Photo banks (not only Fotolia) take precautions and check authors. If you drew from a photo, then the photo bank may require a property release; if it concerns a church, you can indicate that the object is public domain (unless it is a private church). If you drew from your sketches, you can upload their photo as a release and state that you are the author of the sketches. But in most cases, this is a mere formality, and you can re-upload the image with minimal changes (increase/decrease by a pixel).
Are photos with text accepted on stock sites? For example, a picture with some abstract text on it. Theoretically, why not? Maybe someone needs exactly that for personal use.
Photos with text are not accepted by all stock sites. You also need to consider that fonts have their own creators and rules for usage. Therefore, before submitting a piece with text to a stock, make sure that the font author has allowed its use for commercial purposes, and that the stock accepts works containing text.
Thank you very much for the wonderful article. It’s very encouraging.
Absolutely 🙂