10 Helpful Tips to Jumpstart Your Stock Photography Business

If you are like me, you’re new to the stock photo industry. I have been taking photos for 13 years now, and have previously been on the buyer’s side of the stock photo industry in my short career as an art director.

However, with 500px Prime, I am very excited to participate as a photographer. As soon as we launched, I jumped right in and uploaded lots of photos. Here are the 10 things that I have learned about stock photography that might be helpful to you as well.

1. Get model releases early

I have to admit, I take a lot of portrait and fashion photos (follow me), and I often ask my friends to model for me. So when I decided to upload those photos to 500px Prime, I had to ask for proper model releases.

Tracking down everyone on multiple continents and throughout many time zones is hard. It is much easier to download a model release app or to have a model release printout ready in your photo bag when you are out shooting. Asking for a model release before the shoot will make your life much easier, and your model will have more opportunity to clarify how he or she would like the photos to be used.

2. Take time to keyword your photos

I’m still new to this, so I have made a lot of mistakes in keywording. To help me and fellow photographers, our editors put together a list of handy tips on how to keyword your photos.

The key to keywording is to think like a buyer. Whether they look for emotions (bonding, happiness, empathy) or traits (individuality, simplicity, beauty), try to extract the words your photo can express. According to some experts, the ideal number of keywords is 20-25, but they have to be relevant. Spam keywords can actually hurt your photos.

3. Photographers are their own worst editors

I have noticed it before, and it is even more relevant when trying to get into stock photography: photographers are usually their own worst editors. In the past, the photos that I hated got picked for a full spread in magazines, but photos that I loved got rejected altogether. The takeaway here is to upload more photos, both good and bad, because what you may think is bad could be perfect for the editor or creative director.

4. Be the supply to the demand

As a photographer, you market your photos to buyers. So in order to be successful, it’s important to sell what’s in demand. This doesn’t mean going against the grain and shooting something you don’t believe in, but lack of supply in areas of high demand is a lost opportunity.

There is a lot of research of what’s in demand in stock photography (authentic imagery, filtered photos à la Instagram, texture patterns, breathtaking landscapes), so you can be in sync with the market. At 500px, we have created special Twitter account, @500pxPrimePD, so that you can see what out clients are looking for.

5. Be aware of brands and logos

I learned this one a bit too late, so it cost me a few hours of work in Photoshop. For commercially licensable photos, make sure your photos don’t have brands, trademarks or related graphics in them. For example, my photo of a car was rejected because both the brand and shape of the car is intellectual property of the car manufacturer. Same goes for swoosh logos, famous fruit logos, and so on.

Interestingly enough, some brands will add their logos in post-production!

6. Be a thought leader

To be successful in selling stock photography, it’s important to market yourself. Every single photographer who makes five to six digits a year selling stock photography invests heavily in marketing.

While spending money on ads might be one way of promoting yourself, marketing your particular area of expertise is a better way to achieve a good following and sales. Write about your photo shoots, travel, tips and tricks that you have learned doing what you love. There are a number of photographers successfully contributing articles and tutorials to 500px ISO and other blogs. So by writing this blog post, I’m promoting myself, too

7. Master your domain

While you can submit all the photos you want, being a master in just a few domains can help. Create your own style, and art directors will be forever grateful. They are always on a lookout for fresh, authentic imagery, so having photography that stands out is a key to a successful sale.

One of the greatest examples of a photographer mastering his own domain would be Oleg Oprisco.

8. Keep the bar high

Sometimes I like to make photos a bit more grungy by adding excessive vignetting or simulated film grain. While it looks great on my profile or in print, I found my photos were often rejected because of this. Now I keep a separate copy of the same photo that is as clean and noise-free as possible to submit for licensing.

9. Save some space

When I shoot landscapes, a lot of composition rules apply to composing or cropping the shot. In my time working as an art director at the magazine, I found a lot of images to be not suitable due to lack of space for text or a headline around the shot. These days, when I’m done with my artistic shots, I tend to take a few more photos with enough space around my subject.

10. Go out and shoot more!

Lastly, the only way to get better at taking photos is to go out and take more photos, to try new techniques and to go to meetups with fellow photographers. Photos nowadays get dated very quickly, so to keep myself in shape I get out regularly!

You Might Also Like These Articles:

• 10 Questions To Determine If your Image Has Commercial Appeal For Licensing
• What’s selling in Licensing: Perfect copy space and simplicity
• 6 tips for expertly-titled licensing images that’ll get found faster
• 7 things you should know when licensing your photos

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Celebrating new hobbies and passions in commercial Licensing

According to a recent study by OnePoll on behalf of Ally Financial, 63% of Americans say the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged them to spend more time on hobbies and odd jobs, with almost three in four saying that finally having time for hobbies has been a positive outcome of an otherwise challenging time. Among respondents, popular hobbies included gardening, cooking, reading and writing, exercising, and fixing up their cars.

Despite the uncertainty of 2020, the last year also gave rise to skyrocketing interest in hobbies, as people experimented with DIY projects and newfound passions. Earlier this year, the Google Ads Research and Insights team revealed that searches for “things to do during ____”, including “things to do during quarantine”, “things to do during lockdown”, and “safe things to do during COVID”, had grown by more than 300% year over year.

For commercial photographers, these trends pose new opportunities for shooting content that resonates with today’s image-buyers. 2021 is the perfect time to explore a new niche in lifestyle photography and expand your Licensing portfolio in fresh directions. Below, we’ll take a look at just four trending hobbies to consider shooting in the coming months.

Spotlight on: Baking

In April 2020, Google Trend searches for “bread” hit an all-time high, with flour sales in one Toronto bakery jumping by almost 700%. But if you thought the baking boom ended in 2020, think again—according to the home baking report by Packaged Foods, sales are expected to continue to rise throughout this year. Additionally, more consumers now consider themselves bakers, with one survey from Packaged Foods revealing that 84% have baked at home with some frequency and 45% identifying as “avid bakers.

Baking and cooking-themed photoshoots are easy to do at home, with help from friends and family. Remember to capture the whole process, from the gathering of ingredients to the enjoyment of the finished product. “Consider shooting lifestyle content featuring people of all ages baking and trying new recipes—kneading the dough, removing it from the oven, putting on some finishing touches, finally serving it, etc.,” the 500px team suggests. “There is also an opportunity to capture nice flat lays and stylized food photography along the way.” For more ideas on shooting commercial food photos at home, check out this article on the subject.

Spotlight on: Crafting

Last year, Hobbycraft in the UK noticed increased searches for tutorials on everything from sewing to knitting to scrapbooking, indicating a boom in interest in arts and crafts. Visits to their “ideas” page alone tripled in the spring of 2020. Meanwhile, #QuarantineCrafts trended online, and experts weighed in on the potential therapeutic benefits of arts and crafts during uncertain times. Etsy experienced a 221% increase in searches for DIY kits and a 64% increase in searches relating to craft supplies and tools.

From embroidery to crochet, opportunities for photoshoots abound, whether you’re documenting someone who crafts for pleasure or a pro who’s set up a pandemic side-hustle to sell their goods. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box on this one, either. Just consider “rug tufting,” the TikTok trend of making fluffy rugs. Plus, in February, research from the Google Ads Research and Insights team revealed that searches for “candle making kit” had grown by 300% year over year.

Spotlight on: Working out

The Google Ads Research and Insights team also found that searches for “walking trail near me” had grown by 100% globally year-over-year. Meanwhile, a fall 2020 survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Everest revealed that a quarter of people had taken up hiking in state and national parks. Hiking isn’t the only way people have been getting exercise, either; the OnePoll survey also found that one in three respondents had started biking in their neighborhoods, while two in ten had been running on community trails. When bike shortages hit, outdoor experts dubbed it the “pandemic bike boom.”

In 2021, commercial photographers can visualize current fitness trends by capturing people enjoying the great outdoors or even working out at home. Maybe you organize a shoot around the concept of a virtual yoga class, or set up some self-portraits of your at-home exercise routine. As with all your shoots, remember to include people of all backgrounds, abilities, and ages; although seniors have been overlooked for far too long in commercial photography, brands are increasingly turning to more inclusive visuals of people over 55.

Spotlight on: Gardening

Gardening has been popular in commercial photography for years now; in 2018, for example, searches for patterned plants rose 533% on Pinterest, and the Creative Insights team at Getty Images pointed to popular hashtags like #plantaddict and #girlswithplants as the dawn of a new trend. Of course, 2020 only accelerated the home gardening movement, with seed stores reporting record sales.

Like baking, gardening proved to be a calming outlet for many during a trying period. And this hobby isn’t going away anytime soon. A survey from Axium Marketing at the start of this year found that 86% of homeowners plan to continue gardening in 2021, and 47% percent say they will be planting more and expanding their garden spaces next season. Garden photoshoots also resonate this year due to heightened interest in sustainability and conservation, so feel free to hit the backyard or visit a local park for a timely lifestyle session with neighbors and friends.

“Commercial content that features some of these trending hobbies is a great addition to your portfolio, keeps your content relevant and timely, and will appeal to content buyers looking to take advantage of these contemporary trends,” the 500px Content Team tells us. When shooting lifestyle photos, collaborate with friends, family, and other models to capture hobbies that resonate with them personally. The more comfortable your model is with the activity, the more opportunities you’ll have for natural, candid moments.

For inspiration, study advertising campaigns from brands you admire. Consider, for instance, Airbnb’s use of photos of travelers enjoying a kayaking trip, Etsy’s spot featuring a mother and son bonding over a game of chess, or Facebook’s “House Plant Hobbyist” commercial. Get creative with your ideas, and tap into your own passions and interests for a relatable, documentary-style approach to photographing hobbies.

Not on 500px yet? Click here to learn about Licensing with 500px.

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How to shoot beautiful abstract photography

In 1951, the photographer Edward Steichen, serving as the director of MoMA’s Department of Photography, organized an exhibition devoted entirely to abstract photography. The 150 images featured in the show ranged from fine art pieces to scientific studies to light drawings, including meticulously planned compositions and works made by happy accident.

Today, the individuals included in that exhibition read as a veritable “who’s who” in photographic history: Eugene Atget, Harry Callahan, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Alfred Steiglitz, Paul Strand, Edward Weston, and many more. At its heart was a simple question: was photography, as an art form, truly as realistic and literal as many believed, or was it far more experimental than some imagined?

All these years later, it seems that question remains to be answered. If popular social media hashtags like #stayabstract, #abstractnature, #bluronpurpose, #photoimpressionism, and #urbanabstractions are anything to go by, our taste for abstract photos hasn’t faded over the generations. Abstract photography continues to fascinate, perplex, and surprise us, whether we’re visiting a museum or browsing 500px.

When we talk about abstract photography in this piece, we’re referring to pictures that aren’t literal. Instead of showing us easily identifiable figures (a person, a building, an object), they break them down into colors, shapes, textures, and forms. Abstract photos are the ones that make you stop and ask, “What is that?” before realizing the answer was in front of you all along. Read on for our tips for making the most of this timeless genre.

Look at your everyday surroundings

Some of the most powerful macro photos are also the simplest and most accessible; they take something banal and commonplace and make them seem strange and otherworldly. The best place to start is close to home; a chipped paint job, an old table with a warm patina, an architectural or industrial detail, leaves in your backyard, or even a canvas you’ve painted yourself can all become subjects for practicing and refining your abstract photography.

The more you “train” your eye to see things outside of their original contexts, the better your abstract photos will be. Strip everyday objects of their meaning and purpose, and they become colorful forms for you to use and reinterpret.

Experiment with your settings

In most contexts, the photographer’s instinct might be to avoid apertures that are too wide, shutter speeds that are too slow, and ISOs that are too high. These steps are important to maintaining the highest possible image quality, but in the case of some abstract photos, perfect sharpness and focus aren’t necessarily the goal.

Extremely shallow depths of field and bokeh, motion blur, and grain—seen as “mistakes” by most—can become creative tools for the abstract artist, who prefers the experimental over the literal. Whether you’re playing with intentional camera movement in a split second or creating abstract, minimal landscapes over several hours, there are many different ways to incorporate a long exposure.

 

Bring out the macro lens

No discussion of abstract photography would be complete without mention of macro lenses; extreme close-ups of almost anything, from soap bubbles, oil in water, and snowflakes to rocks and crystals to the human eye and hand, are inherently abstract. If you don’t have access to a dedicated macro lens, you can take your manual lens, reverse it, and attach it to your camera with extension tubes for a DIY solution.

Use crystals or prisms

Prism photography has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years—and for good reason. Placing a prism in front of your lens will help you control, bend, and wield any available light according to your vision, and it’ll also produce those dreamy rainbows and glass reflections for an abstract twist on your surroundings.

Take to the skies

Aerial photography is more accessible than ever, and a birds-eye-view can transform even the most familiar places, from beaches to parking lots, into abstract tapestries of texture and color. Be sure to read our guide on drone photography to get started.

Explore black and white

As the world-renowned photographer Joel Sternfeld famously said, “Black and white is abstract.” What he meant was this: monochrome photos mark a departure from what we’re used to seeing and experiencing, so they’re already abstracted from our reality. Of course, that’s not to say that color photos can’t also be abstract; it’s just that black and white can heighten the strangeness of your subject, obscuring its familiar context and transforming it into something new.

Highlight textures

Remember when we said a shallow depth of field can create soft, abstract shapes? To bring out the textures of a surface, whether it’s bark from a tree or layers of paint, you’ll need to do the opposite and close down that aperture so everything is razor-sharp. Keep your ISO low, and consider using a high-power light source to reveal all those details. In this case, a high-megapixel camera is your best asset. Keep that macro lens and a tripod handy!

Look for reflections

Reflections are natural tools for abstraction, whether they’re found on the rippling surfaces of water or the shiny sides of buildings. Instead of photographing “ the thing itself,” look for ways to find its reflection. Even an old broken mirror or piece of wrinkled aluminum foil you have lying around the house could work. Capture a street photo with a person’s reflection in a puddle? Flip it vertically for an abstract portrait.

Watch the shadows

Like reflections, shadows can be just as intriguing as the object casting them. To get those strange, abstract shapes, head out at the golden hour just before sunset when the shadows are longer and more “stretched out.”

Feel free to crop

You won’t get it right in-camera every time, and that’s alright. As long as you’re shooting with a high-quality, high-resolution camera and saving your RAW files at full size (this is important), you should be able to crop any extraneous details. Many artists refer to abstract photography as a process of “subtraction” for that reason. If, for example, you’ve shot a recognizable landscape, but when you get home, you notice an uncanny reflection on the surface of a pond, it’s okay to crop it and focus on the close-up details while removing the context of the entire photo.

Shoot “through” something

Rainy day windows are popular photography subjects because they abstract whatever’s behind them; you can do the same thing with a piece of plastic, glass, plastic wrap, mesh, or anything else you have on hand—even water! Filters and gels are also perfect for this purpose.

Go cheap

As we’ve mentioned, top-of-the-line, high-resolution cameras can be perfect for abstract photography, but cheap cameras can also work if you want to get those bizarre distortions or effects. Pick up a toy camera or a disposable one and see what happens; you won’t be able to adjust your settings as you would with a DSLR or mirrorless camera, but you might capture some experimental photos you couldn’t get otherwise.

Play with film

Film photography is more unpredictable than digital, and depending on your outlook, that could be its appeal. In recent years, photographers have been creating abstract photos with expired film or deliberate light leaks. Others have intentionally soaked their film in strange solutions, like lemon juice or coffee, which “destroys” the film to produce surreal colors and effects. You won’t have complete control over how the images turn out, but that’s part of the fun.

Another way to use film is to shoot abstract multiple exposures, though you can also do this if you shoot digital.

Nail your composition

The “rules” of composition are important in any genre, but they’re especially significant in abstract photography; without context or a traditional narrative, the eye will rely on colors, shapes, lines, balance, and patterns to create meaning. That’s not to say you have to use the rule of thirds in every abstract photo you make, but it does help to understand what makes for a pleasing composition.

Your composition doesn’t have to be complicated; on the contrary, it’s often the subtlest and cleanest images that leave a lasting impression. Explore different ways of using negative space, and try “filling the frame” with forms and colors.

Change your perspective

Don’t be afraid to move around and change your angle or perspective; look up, look down, and see if you can use your vantage point to create an unexpected view of something ordinary and familiar. Something we’re used to seeing from one direction could look completely different from another, so take a bunch of photos of the same thing to see what works.

Lose the camera

We’ve spent much of this article discussing cameras, but some of the most iconic abstract photographers from the past, including Anna Atkins, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, and Man Ray, didn’t use a camera at all. Instead, they made photograms using light-sensitive paper. You can do the same thing today, especially during sunny summer days. Just order sun-sensitive paper, create your composition with any opaque objects you have at home, expose it to light, develop it, and let it dry.

Get the mood right

Abstract photography, like all abstract art, is subjective. It doesn’t follow the normal technical rules or guidelines of what makes a photo “good” or “bad.” Instead, abstract photos are often judged by how they make us feel, so consider the emotion behind your shot.

For example, a macro photo of a flower can inspire hope, while a reflective body of water on a cloudy day might inspire wistfulness or melancholy. Think about the mood you want to convey, and then use all the tips above to bring that emotion to life. If the photo makes you feel something, you’re on the right track.

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11 creative side-hustles for photographers

According to a recent survey from the National Association of Personal Finance Advisors (NAPFA), almost three-quarters (70%) of Americans are considering adding another source of income following the COVID-19 pandemic, with 37% considering selling products online and 36% considering offering freelance or contract services.

Despite the challenges of last year, 2021 is in some ways shaping up to be a time for renewed creativity and optimism. In the past few months alone, we’ve seen photographers get creative with their businesses; some have updated their stores, and others have cultivated new client bases. Many have released one-of-a-kind products and inspired us with their entrepreneurial spirit.

Whether you’re an established pro or an emerging photographer, there’s never been a better time to start a side-hustle and grow your brand. Here are just a few ideas for revamping and improving your photography business, inspired by some of the extraordinary photographers in the 500px community.

Publish a how-to eBook

Dina Belenko has been creating out-of-the-box still lives at home for years, but amid lockdown restrictions, she had the idea of sharing some of her behind-the-scenes secrets with other photographers. Her book is jam-packed with instructions on how to recreate and reinterpret 31 of her most impressive photos, including those featuring levitation and gravity-defying stunts.

All of Dina’s stunning setups can be created in 15 minutes to an hour, following simple instructions. If you have a unique skill set and distinctive perspective, you can do something similar by tapping into your niche and showing others how to follow in your footsteps. Share your tips, design the eBook, and promote it on social media.

Host a workshop

This month, Ueli Frischknecht will host a small group workshop on outdoor and landscape photography at the stunning Seealpsee mountain lake in Switzerland, complete with editing sessions, meals, and accommodation at a mountain hotel. If you have special knowledge of a niche subject or offbeat location, consider leading a workshop. You can rent out a studio or collaborate with local vendors to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Become a coach

If you like sharing your passion and expertise with emerging photographers, coaching is another avenue worth exploring. Anne Geier, for example, offers half-day, full-day, and online coaching for fellow dog photographers, covering everything from image editing and portfolio reviews to marketing and social media tips.

Offer mini-sessions

Mini photo sessions, with new or existing clients, can be a good way to supplement your income, without draining too much of your time. A mini-session can last anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes, and you can offer them on a seasonal basis, such as family photo sessions for fall or graduation shoots for students. Consider making it a limited-time offer to entice clients. You can finesse your mini-session packages and pricing depending on duration as well as deliverables, like high-res files or prints.

Sell prints online

Take inspiration from the Los Angeles-based outdoor photographer Ryan Locknecker, and launch a print shop. Ryan has more than 50 photographs, many created throughout his home state of California, available as prints on paper and canvas in a variety of sizes. He also offers specialty prints on wood, metal, glass, acrylic, and more on request.

You can open a print shop through your website if it supports eCommerce, or you could hold flash print sales via social media or Etsy. Alternatively, you can list your photos with a print-on-demand marketplace like Fine Art America.

Market your presets

In addition to prints and products, you can also sell Lightroom presets to photographers hoping to emulate your style. This approach works well if you have a recognizable aesthetic, like Tristan Zhou, who’s known for his cinematic pictures in urban metropolises. He sells a pack of five presets he uses himself, and encourages buyers to share their edited photos for a chance to be featured on his Instagram Stories. For tips on making and selling your own presets, check out our guide.

Create and curate your own shop

The photographer and educator Jovana Rikalo is known for her surreal, fairytale scenes. In her online shop, you can find an array of prints and presets, but you’ll also find products like photo calendars and wardrobe pieces such as dresses and flower crowns, all of which are used in photoshoots and bought by the artist. If you source your own wardrobe pieces or props or create your own backgrounds, consider making them available to clients through a highly curated, shoppable collection.

Offer retouching services

As a photographer, you might have marketable retouching skills to offer other photographers and brands. Take Kalle Lundholm, who, in addition to being known around the world for his surf photography, works as a freelance photo retoucher. In that role, he specializes in editing for the automotive industry and color grading. If you have a knack for editing, do some research into the kinds of brands that might need your services and appreciate your unique skill set, and start promoting your talent as a retoucher.

Partner with a brand you admire

Sam Brockway, who specializes in travel and outdoor photography, has partnered with prominent outdoor brands such as Columbia Sportswear and Cairn to introduce his audience to products he loves through compelling visuals.

You can do something similar by teaming up with a company that fits your niche and area of expertise and posting about them on social media. Most brands will look for photographers with an established following and community; start by researching brands that might be appropriate and cultivating your online presence. Check out our article on improving your presence for tips on how to do this.

Start a podcast

Podcasts are usually offered to the public for free, but if you’re good at it, you could attract sponsors and contributors down the road. For instance, Martin Bailey, who has one of the most popular and longest-running photography podcasts out there, has had some stellar sponsors over the years, ranging from DxO Labs to Squarespace. Followers can also support his podcast by becoming a contributor.

License your photos through 500px

Licensing your photos for commercial use is a great way to earn passive income, as you can sell your photos again and again to several different clients over the years. 500px makes it easy for everyone to license photos on their Profile, and those who are successful at it have hundreds, or even thousands, of pictures in their portfolios. 500px distributes photos through Getty Images and Visual China Group (VCG), so they offer some of the best exposure in the business. If you’d like to get started with Licensing, check out our tips for making the most of the opportunity.

Not on 500px yet? Sign up here to explore more impactful photography.

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