A Lighthouse, Contribution, and Giving Your Best

A lighthouse and it's keeper looking out across the sea as the storm clouds clear is a photograph of hope and the future and appropriate for a program to improve the lives of those less fortunate.

A Photographer’s Desire To Help

Photographer Gabriela Medina recently voiced a desire to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Sometimes speaking out can result in some pretty wonderful things. Lanny Ziering , CEO of SuperStock, picked up the ball and ran with it and has come up with a very cool program in which both agency and photographer can contribute and have confidence that their contributions will really make a difference.

Direct Sales, Global Distribution and Sustainable Development

SuperStock is working with Heifer International, one of the world’s most highly respected NGOs. The combination of SuperStock’s direct-sales machine and global distribution, and Heifer International’s expertise in sustainable development, can and will make a difference for less fortunate people not just in Haiti, but around the world. If you aren’t familiar with Heifer International, it has a unique program of providing needy people in under developed countries with everything from Heifers, to Lamas, to Goats, and even honey bees.  Check out their Gift Catalog…it really is an amazing program.

SuperStock, Heifer International, and Emetaworks

The way the SuperStock program works is that photographers assign Heifer International the copyright to stock photos they want to donate. Emetaworks will donate keywording services, and SuperStock will distribute the images, paying 100 percent of both the photographer and agency royalties to Heifer International. It doesn’t get any better than that!

A Lighthouse, Storm Clouds and Giving Your Best

My first contribution to this effort is the above image of a keeper standing watch on a lighthouse as storm clouds begin to clear…an appropriate image I believe for an undertaking to help those in need. The storm has passed and it is time to look to the future, to rebuild and start anew. This is an image I am proud of, and one I am confident will have an impact. When giving, it is important to give your best.

For more information contact Carolyn Nolte (Carolyn@SuperStock.com), Creative Director of SuperStock/RGB.

A Blog Experiment To Bring In More Traffic...and Customers.

A blog experiment to bring in more traffic...and customers for my funny animal photos (this traffic photo is from rush hour traffic in Beijing).

A Blog For Funny Animal Pictures
In my never-ending quest to garner traffic, and clients, for my funny animal photos (and all the various imprinted merchandise, prints and so forth that go along with that work), I am undertaking an experiment. I have started a new blog oriented for people looking for the humorous animal and pet pictures I do for my "Animal Antics" collection. Unlike this photography blog, the entries are brief, only a couple of sentences to go with the pix , and the text is not about the photography business. The blog is simply an attempt to help people find what they are looking for.if they are searching for funny animal pictures.

Google, Indexing and Pet Lovers
I have noticed that Google indexes my blog very quickly, usually within minutes. With my web site it can take months for a page to be indexed. This new blog is an attempt to both speed up the process and more precisely target the audience of pet lovers and bored business people looking for humor and killing time on their computers.

Web Sites, Blogs, and Showcasing Photos
I don't believe it is a good idea to spread your efforts over a number of sites and/or blogs, but in this case I want to keep the new effort separated from my existing web site and photo blog so that I can clearly see if the new blog, that simply showcases funny photos, will produce the desired results. Creating a blog is so ridiculously easy these days, what the heck!

Time, Top Traffic Sites and Web Success
Time is such an important ingredient in web (SEO) success that I am reasonably sure I won't have much to report back soon (all of the top traffic sites that I have investigated have been around for quite a lengthy period of time). But when I do I will share that information here. Stay tuned.

Long Shots and Making a Living with Stock Photos

This abstract light pattern representing a vortex of energy and motion is a long shot to become a successful stock image, but such "long shots" have an important place in the work of a stock photographer.
Abstract Light Patterns, Energy and Purposeful Motion
This image of an abstract light pattern is a combination, or I should say composite, of two different photos created by moving the camera during long exposures (of approximately one second). I think what, at least for me, takes this illustration to higher level than many abstract light patterns is the vortex-like shape that adds a sense of purpose or meaning to the movement. In other words, the image does not look like random motion but rather purposeful motion.

Energy, Motion and Cyberspace
I can see this image being used to add visual excitement and impact to concepts ranging from energy, motion and cyberspace to scientific research and development, as well as communications technology.  In stock photography this is where a truly creative art director or designer can work wonders…in the application of imagery (stock photos) to communication needs utilizing headlines, layouts and design elements that add a rapidly and easily assimilated connection between the visual element that captures a viewer’s attention and the message (copy or text) being delivered.

Long Shots, Fun and Judicious Image Making
Images such as this one are a long shot to pay off in stock photography, but sometimes do pay off, are fun to create, and cost only my time (which, of course, is the most valuable thing I have). It is important to create these “long shot”, images that push the envelope, are fun to do, and to keep your creative juices flowing. And if you have to make a living at stock photography, it is also important to create such images judiciously.

Garbage, the Vocabulary of Change, and a Photographer's Responsibility

It is our responsibility as photographers to create imagery that can move society in positive directions. This image is designed to help bring about awareness of sustainability, recycling and environmental responsibility.

Garbage Images...that move society
I have just finished creating a series of images that I am very proud of, pictures that leave me feeling like I have contributed to more than just my income. These are garbage images…that is, dramatically illustrated photos of garbage, trash, rubbish and junk. One is a waterless tidal wave of trash while another is an ocean wave filled with garbage, the flotsam and jetsam of a consumer society, and yet another is a steep mountain of waste. Of course, I still want these images to sell and to earn money for me, but I am also hopeful they can help move our society in a positive direction, towards sustainability, recycling and environmental responsibility.

Photography And The Vocabulary of Change
I once heard creative consultant Deanne Delbridge say that it is the responsibility of photographers to lead society in positive directions with their imagery (it has been a long time since I heard that…and so I paraphrase). While her exact words did not stick with me, the importance of what she said has. I do believe that our photography, whether it is journalistic or advertising, leads societies in new directions. Photography is an important part of the vocabulary of change.

Equality, Solutions and Collective Impact
Images that portray equality, whether of gender or race help move us towards that equality. Photographs that dramatize the dangers of pollution move us closer to solutions. Pictures that inspire us to become better individuals can have a huge collective impact.

The Importance of Contribution
But whether the impact from such photography is large or small, it is most certainly there. Creating photography that inspires change and growth in the world are important not just for society but are also important for our own well being as humans. The older I get the more important I realize contribution is. How lucky are we to be able to follow our passion as photographers and to be agents for positive change at the same time?

The Questions I Wrestle With As A Stock Photographer

In business, as in life, we all constantly wrestle with questions the answers of which will lead us to our future.

How will future licensors of photography find photos to license?

Will they license images through agencies or directly from content creators?

What kind of pictures will they be licensing?

How can I best get my photography in front of those who both need to license photos and are willing to pay reasonable fees?

Is my time better spent creating new images, or getting existing images seen? What is the right balance in that mix?

What kinds of images are needed in the market place that I enjoy making?

These are the questions I wrestle with.

Funny Picture of the Day: Donkeys, Elephants and Politics!

A funny political photo pitting an elephant with a donkey in a classic head-to-head battle of republicans against democrats...and my "funny picture of the day".
Funny Picture of the Day
Just finished creating this funny LOL photo of a donkey butting heads with an elephant...obviously with the political market in mind. I photographed the elephant in Thailand and the donkey at the zoo. To shoot the donkey I had to actually hold my camera, a Canon 1ds MKIII, with the 100-400 Canon lens, above my head to clear the fencing. I shot about a dozen exposures until the donkey turned its back on me. Unbelievably I managed to get two sharp photos. Lucky!

Photoshop CS5...A No Brainer Upgrade
I used Photoshop (CS5) to composite the image together. BTW, for the kind of work I do upgrading to CS5 is a no brainer. The Puppet Warp and Refine Edges are working well for me...though Content Aware hasn't been working in the instances I have tried it...though demos of Content Aware Fill have been very impressive.

A Funny Political Image and Rights Managed Stock Photos
This funny (I would even say LOL) political stock photo of democrats butting heads with republicans is a very editorial kind of image. With that in mind I am submitting it as a Rights Managed picture, which, from what I understand, is the preference of editorial publications.

Funny Elephant Photos
I have to say, that of all my funny elephant photos, this, at least for now, is my fovorite. Hope you like it too!

Overwhelmed, Ho Hum Photos and Clients You Want To Shoot For

Junk mail and even bills, correspondence and newsletters are filled with Ho Hum photos that do nothing to grab our attention. How much more effective it would be to use more dynamic and entertaining imagery, and how much better to shoot with those clients in mind!

Overwhelmed, Overworked and Ho Hum Photos

I was somewhat mindlessly going through my stacks of neglected mail, feeling a tad overwhelmed and overworked, but not giving in to stress, when I paused to actually look at some of the photography incorporated into the bills, solicitations and purported newsletters piled before me. It occurred to me that I was in exactly the state that many people would be in while looking at their daily mail. Perhaps I could get some insight into stock photos by really looking at the ones being used by my potential clients. The photos were all pretty ho hum. Pictures of happy faces wearing headsets, talking on cell phones, riding bikes on sunny afternoons and enjoying just standing in an idyllic family unit.

A Chance That I Might Read The Copy

Nice pictures…all of them, but nothing more. Why were those particular photos chosen? And did it really make any difference? Was a great photo on my Pacific Gas and Electric bill going to make any more of an impact than an ordinary one? I don’t think so. I tried to imagine whether a jaw-dropping photo would compel me to some action any more than the boring photos that were being used. I couldn’t imagine that it would make any difference, at least in these communications. What about eliminating the photography altogether? I can’t imagine that either. Having some kind of visual does seem preferential to me over just plain type. Without a photo on the printed piece I believe I would find myself repelled by all those endless, uninterrupted blocks of copy. At least with a photo there is a chance that I might read the accompanying copy. And as I think about it just a bit more, it does occur to me that if there was a photo that truly connected with me or entertained me, and was germane to something I was actually interested in, it could catch my eye just enough to get me to peruse the copy.

Photos That Connect and Planning Your Photo Shoots

What did I get from this exercise? That much of the photography out there is only marginally important. There is a need for all of those pictures of customer support people with their happy smiles and headsets. But there certainly isn’t any reason for companies to be paying premium amounts for such photos, as blasphemous as that sounds. But I also realized that a photo that did connect with me in some way could make a difference…even in a junk mail scenario. So which kind of client do I want to be serving, creating imagery for…the client that reaches for that extra something, or just fills the slot with any old photo? That is something to think about when planning your photo shoots.