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Guidelines and shooting tips

The points below will help you to understand our editing process, and consequently help you to better prepare the submissions of images you send us.

Shoot conceptual, not just descriptive shots. When applied to photography, the word "conceptual" refers to abstract principles, or elaborated ideas that are formed in your mind. A glass of orange juice can evoke the concept of thirst, but the image will be much more powerful if used to convey a "solution to thirst", as often used in advertising commercials. Understanding the word "conceptual" and what it means in terms of photography today is a truly effective way of producing very saleable imagery.
Stay tuned to market trends and submit accordingly. Inform yourself about new social tendencies and about what is becoming fashionable. Magazines and television will give you a feeling for new trends. Browse through as many magazines as possible, including foreign ones, and analyze television commercials. Then think, produce, and send us the images.
Don´t forget that photography is alive! Cameras, computer programs, and all the other digital advances are just tools for the photographer. We encourage photographers to spend less time in front of the computer monitor and more time out shooting.
Verticals please! We estimate that over 70% of images produced by photographers are horizontal. This predisposition is natural; as our eyes are positioned side by side we see the world horizontally and therefore compose photos in the same way. However most publications in the world are vertical. Producing vertical images requires a lot more determination and effort, but the need for these images in stock photography is great, and the demand is not being met. By simply shooting both a horizontal and vertical shot of your subject, you can easily increase the amount of images selected and significantly improve your sales opportunities.
Don't ignore your experiments. Send them to us! Experiment, experiment, experiment... it's what a stock shooter in need of market attention needs to do today. Experiment with techniques, lighting, color, program, lens, etc... that might set your images apart.
Shoot and edit with a sense of humor. Show us your most analytical eye. Being a photographer is not only about reacting to clients' needs. Photography is a powerful tool, which allows you to capture the reality around you from unexpected angles. We do not only want to see your ideas, experiments, and technical competence; we also want to see your sense of humor, no matter how surprising it may be.
Don't send us many versions of the same idea. Give us the one you believe in. A very good idea is most often unique, so changing the colors, distorting the image, etc. will not hide the fact that it is still the same idea, ruined (in most cases) by excessive manipulation and retouching.
Don't repeat yourself with images that have a proven sales record. It is better to create new images that sell than try to repeat the old ones. Look ahead, never backwards. The creative process is painful, because it is difficult to generate ideas. Ideas are born in response to an external stimulus, and generally speaking we do not receive constant stimulation. This is especially true if our surroundings stay the same - so go off and inspire yourself!
Introduce changes in the way you edit and shoot. Even if you are very successful with your present style of photography, introduce as many changes as you possibly can. Don't believe that because you are getting a substantial income now, you have no reason to change. The market where your photographs are being sold is dynamic and hungry for new visuals all the time. Though it might seem to be static for a while, do not be fooled, as market changes are slow and barely noticeable. By the time you have experienced a bit of sales stagnation and you try to change, you will be facing stiffer competition which will make it more difficult for you to regain your previous levels of sales.
Be "iconic". An "icon" or symbol is a communication element intended to represent something: a place, a person, and an idea. Good examples of symbols are the famous handshake (pact, agreement), the compass (direction), but there are many, many others like the blurred Tour Eiffel at night, or the 5th Avenue street sign in NY which say "city" with a single image. People also can be shown in the same way. Do not ignore details. Details are the icons of the reality that surrounds us. Find them! Shoot them! Bring them to us!

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