Ideas are fundamental for the success of stock photography, but they are secondary to the importance of action and execution.
The Most difficult Aspect of Stock Photography
The most difficult aspect of stock photography, for me, is
coming up with ideas; Ideas that fit the parameters for my success. The ideas I
am referring to need to be ones that I believe will sell multiple times, that
either have a clear strong concept or stand out enough that they will doubtless
draw attention. I have to be
convinced that the images will earn an amount appropriate for the resources
that go into them. The most money I have ever spent on a stock photo shoot was
$12,000.00, but that shoot has returned me over $50,000.00. If I am going to
spend a lot of money on the execution of an idea then I need to be very
convinced that it is a smart investment.
Ideas And Diversification
Ideas can be simple, quick and inexpensive, or complex and
challenging to bring to fruition. I try and balance them out creating a mixture
of RM and RF, of dramatic concepts and photos as simple portraits. Since I can never be
totally sure of what will sell and what won’t, I diversify as much as possible.
I like to have images in many categories from finance to travel to
lifestyle…though I have to admit I don’t do enough of the lifestyle imagery.
The Importance of Execution
While the ideas are the most challenging aspect of my stock
photography, execution is the most important. If you execute enough mediocre
ideas you will earn money. If you don’t execute then even your very best ideas
will earn nothing.
The Importance of Quality
Another important aspect of execution is in the quality of
the imagery. Again, I have to admit that sometimes I fall down in that area. I
tend to get in a rush and sometimes take short cuts in not spending enough
money on props, wardrobe and locations. All too often I also fail to give the images
enough time before submitting them…then a few days later I see some detail that
could or should have been done better, but it is too late. With so many images competing for
attention it is vital to make sure your images are better than the ones they
are competing with. That is
something I still need to improve upon.
The Formula For Success In Stock Photography
Lately I have been hearing from more photographers who are
doing well with stock photography. What seems to be a consistent thread with
these photographers is that they consistently produce imagery and do so with
ideas of what the market needs in mind, and a clear understanding of what will sell. Ideas + Execution x Distribution is one formula for success in stock photography.
