Pianos, Passion and Stock Photography

I just finished shooting a piano. I found a small music shop that let me shoot a piano in their showroom…for $25.00. Now I am all excited. That was an awesome price, but it isn’t why I am excited. I am dying to get into my studio and start putting an image together. I shot a model, a businessman, standing and looking at his watch, a few weeks ago. Last week I photographed a tall building in downtown San Francisco as well as shooting a piece of rope with a frayed end in my studio. I have all the parts I need to create an image of a businessman, standing unaware, as a piano, trailing a broken rope, plunges down towards him. This is going to be great. The idea is little bit corny, a lot cliché, but is certainly one that will grab a viewer’s attention with humor and a clear message. The message is about risk and the need to be alert and aware. And I am fired up to complete it.

What is important about my excitement is that it is this excitement that makes me successful. It is my passion for creating my images that propels me to do all the things that are necessary to keep my business going. It is this excitement for creating not just photographs, but the kind of photos I love to do; conceptual digitally manipulated stock photos, that drives me to continually think up ideas, and that has me happily putting in fifty or more hours a week.

I don’t think that you can succeed in stock right now without that excitement. Stock photography seems easy to me because I love doing it so much. I have encouraged a lot of people to enter the business. I have seen a lot of these people struggle. A few have gone on to succeed, and many more have drifted away from stock. I am far less likely to encourage others to jump into stock these days. The business has changed dramatically. Micro stock has made is easier than ever to get started in the business. Over supply of images and downward price pressures have made it harder than ever to make real money, but it can be done. To succeed in this stock photo environment you can’t be that businessman standing unaware. In a sense we are all that man standing under the falling piano. You have to be on top of everything, and it is just too much if you aren’t really into it. To succeed in today’s stock photography business requires dedication, creativity, awareness, a ton of elbow grease, and above all else, passion.

Above I have included the parts for my upcoming image. To see the final stay tuned! Now I am off to indulge myself in my passion, creating that stock photo.