Think like a designer...

Gracey · #1 (**permalink**) 02-11-2006, 01:28 AM

Well, there isn't an "anything goes" or "whatever" forum, so this is here

It's not particularly about any one stock site, but about stock in general.

...and it's a bit of a rant, so tune out of you don't want to hear it :lol:

"Think like a designer" seems to be the catchphrase lately. "Think about what your pictures will be used for, how will they be used, what can the designer do with them, what sort of concept are you showing", well I say bah (as in bah humbug

)

Sorry, but you know something? I am a photographer and never have I had to think all of those things to shoot the vision in my mind...never. When people give me a job to shoot for say a catalogue, they get catalogue shots. If they want a model in a white shirt, they get it.

anybody out there know what they do with those shots? Why, they cut away everything but the model and stick her into their ad...so who cares where she is on the page?

If I could think like a designer, then I'd be one, making a lot more bucks than 20cents per download. If they want me to halfway design the ad for the designers, then I'd be an advertising exec.

Do any of you know just how creatively stifling this crap is getting? They don't want photographers, they want technicians and anybody can be a technician.

I used to think I was working for myself...freelance. Now I feel like I'm working for them "yes sir, I'll get right on that - no background shadows, only white or black, objects are best, don't get too artisitc".

'K, well, I think I've had just about enough of that.

------------

Kind of weird, I know...anyone whose familiar with most of my posts will know i don't generally get that hairy, but I realized a couple of days ago just how much I hate shooting "objects" with very little creative license.

I used to say I was retired, now I'm just tired :lol:

No more boring stock shots. I'm going back to shoot the visions in my head, after all, whose vision is it anyways?

And, all of the aforegoing having been said, before you ask - no, I haven't had a load of rejections lately - 100% acceptance mostly. I think I've just had enough of trying to get comfortable in the box they are wanting to squeeze me into because I can't - I can't get comfortable inside some cruddy box - they want you think "outiside the box" while they are trying to stuff you into one. Pooh. (I could have said the other word but I did restrain myself :lol: )

morch · #2 (**permalink**) 02-11-2006, 11:25 AM

Well Said,

I think you speak for most of us there Gracey,

You have to remember what got you into photography in the first place and as I mentioned before it wasn't isolating an old pair of shoes in the hope they will sell.

You get out there and take some photos for yourself, be creative as you like

But Dont forget - You do it for the cash

Doug :wink:

Gracey · #3 (**permalink**) 02-11-2006, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morch

Well Said,

I think you speak for most of us there Gracey,

You have to remember what got you into photography in the first place and as I mentioned before it wasn't isolating an old pair of shoes in the hope they will sell.

You get out there and take some photos for yourself, be creative as you like

But Dont forget - You do it for the cash

Doug :wink:

Actually, i don't do it for the cash. I give away easily more than i sell. I've given away over 80,000 images for good causes.

It's nice to have some cash, but if that were my motivation, I'd probably be happy shooting the boring stuff.

In many ways, I'm very lucky. My husband's income supports us and I don't have to be a breadwinner. I do understand that many people need the income they get from this and I have no complaint about those who do it for money. Everyone needs to make a living and for those people, this is simply a way to earn theirs.

Then there are those fabulous people like the Laurin Rinders of the world, who do it for many reasons, cash included, but mostly love of the art.

I'd love to be more like that...I'm working on it

morch · #4 (**permalink**) 02-11-2006, 12:54 PM

You do sound like your fed up...

Why not take a couple of weeks off, :!:

Go take some more shots like this... give the stock shots a break..

I love this photo of yours, it looks so perfect.(hope you dont mind me posting it)

Doug

Gracey · #5 (**permalink**) 02-11-2006, 01:56 PM

No, I don't mind. I did a large series of those last fall. For the first time in a few years the weather was just right at fall to get the colours out - the year before everything was green one day, brown the next, and then gone with no colour. I was pretty happy to see the colours last fall.

I've sort of made up my mind to chuck in the microstock thing - I've got a few isolated shots to process yet, but I'm not doing any more (well, unless I get some giant brainstorms, which isn't likely

).

When any of the other shots i do work for stock, I'll submit them I guess, and see.

I don't really know anymore - when I look at the rejected shots of others it makes me wonder sometimes how these places (stock sites) think they know what the designers want. I know, they look at past sales history, conduct polls, that sort of thing. But when you look at the shots in some of the magazines, the first thing you think is "wow, SS would have rejected that for sure", and then you look at the credit and it came from? Getty of course :lol:

<sigh> yep, I am indeed tired, though the good thing I have found at these sites are many of the people.

ljupco · #6 (**permalink**) 02-11-2006, 02:01 PM

I totally agree with you Gracey. It's not 20 cents each one gets for a photo that worries me, it's the shots they want.

Isolated subjetcs (although you can get slightly creative here) and cliche shots (these sell really well) restrain you from taking ant serious art shots, or at least trying to get ones, which means playing with your skill and getting creative.Insisting on zero noise, although the designer wouldn't mind if the shot was shot with iso 400 also makes you being highly cautuios and confines you to the studio. Aso they want you to be everything at once: photographer, retoucher, designer, etc...

If it wasn't the money I'd never shot anything for stock (isolated stuff, cliche shots,etc), but as this is my only way to finance my humble equipmnet if I want to enjoy the real joy of photography, I have to do it.

I'd really love to upload pics to a site that regards you as photographer solely.

Regards from Macedonia. Ljupco

Bessy · #7 (**permalink**) 02-11-2006, 02:16 PM

I agree also Gracey! I am happy to be doing stock because it gives me even more time holding the camera, but I despise that it has totally changed the way I shoot. And I believe also that there is a need for artsy-type images. Would be a dream if someday, there was a category for it.

By the way, your website Gracey, is amazing! Thank you. I will visit there often.

bennym · #8 (**permalink**) 02-12-2006, 06:09 PM

Gracey,
I too have to agree with you.... but it even goes deeper then that...

Just about every site has a spot for "Photo Request"......
This is where we find out what the designer wants.... and most of the time they're very specific in the shot they're looking for....

Then you see the same people posting request after request..... To me... it's just their way of getting you to do an assignment without paying assignment rates ! :shock:

AND, most places are a little too picky.... even though my approval rate is acceptable to me, What ever happened to the old saying, "You get what you pay for" ? You want a boring over white shot, and it's a little noisy.... well what the hell do you want for a couple of bucks?

Catalogue photographers have been shooting over white/isolated for years and they got a hellva lot more then 20 or 50 cents a shot ! :roll:

Ice · #9 (**permalink**) 02-12-2006, 06:35 PM

Hi Gracey, you must take a break.It sometimes happen that we just burn out.. We are so looking for that perfect shot. I love landscape images and did a lot of them BUT started shooting for the designers.. What i do know is take at least two holidays a year. I travel then overseas and shoot what i love!

I have a VERY successfull DVD production company and love stock. If i can JUST DO THAT, i will do it!

Take a break and enjoy the time off with your husband. :twisted:

thesupe87 · #10 (**permalink**) 02-13-2006, 06:47 AM

blah blah, designers are wacky people.

I would know - I AM one

All I know is, I do sometimes get ideas from seeing a great photo. AND I never pick the first nice image I see, I always look at others. So QUALITY of images is key. Remember folks, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I'm too tired to read this entire thread, but I'm new here -and I'm around if you have any "designer-related" questions.

hit me up on AIM or Yahoo, or pm me - gotta go sleep now, it's almost 2AM and I've gotta edit like 3 magazine layouts tomorrow