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Author Topic: Do you actually enjoy producing Microstock style images?  (Read 24841 times)

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« Reply #50 on: September 11, 2008, 08:19 »
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I've taken the approach that I will shoot what I like. If it has commerial value great if not the world goes on. I say this as a part-time hobbiest not a full time pro. Micro became an outlet for the load of pics that I took. I am not fazed by rejections for "not stock" I make enough extra to keep me in photo gear so I am happy.


« Reply #51 on: September 11, 2008, 17:54 »
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I was doing 3d work for a large defense contractor (think flight simulator content).  Military work ain't my thing.

Interesting. And yes, military work is boring. Did a little myself many years ago, worked on the training manual for laser guided missile systems for Kuwait at Ford Aeronutronics (owned now by Lockheed Martin).

You do well at photography, I can tell you enjoy it.

shank_ali

« Reply #52 on: December 17, 2008, 02:11 »
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When i die and my soul is in the sky i shall remember my time on earth with my camera shooting stock for the masses...

« Reply #53 on: January 25, 2009, 02:16 »
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When it comes down to it I really dont care what I'm shooting .. I'm just happy that I get to make a living behind a camera.

« Reply #54 on: January 25, 2009, 03:25 »
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Totally agree with what Sharply_done said. 
I love taking the photos, the interaction with the models and then the photoshopping afterwards and am extremely proud of the end results, as much as if I'd painted a picture.
...
still, microstock is not artistic in many way. it's more like prefab house vs real architecture, or as an articulate purist tells me, "stock photography is like porn, it sells with a lots of potential but little true feelings". :o
I could not disagree more.

You are missing the boat if you believe this, fotoKmyst.
Big time.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2009, 03:47 by fotografer »

« Reply #55 on: January 25, 2009, 03:57 »
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It certainly has increased my skills as a photographer.

Same for me.  The kind of image I produce for microstock was new to me, and I've learnt a lot about photographing objects, isolations, etc.  Things I never had to think about when shooting landscape, nature and architecture, which are my "normal" photography subjects.

Regards,
Adelaide

I'm at the beginning of this learning curve, and am into stock because it gives me motivation to learn more about photography. I'm not good enough to earn real money, but I get some good photos of my kids in the process.

« Reply #56 on: January 25, 2009, 04:57 »
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"But it doesn't have to be that way.
Shoot what you like and how you like to make it.
Create imagery that matters to you.
Produce work that you can look (back) upon and feel proud of.
Trust that you will be successful if you are passionate enough.

Be the best you can be at making your kind of stuff and you will be rewarded in far more ways than money can ever matter. Go for it."
 Yes it is the right way to live.

Tom

« Reply #57 on: January 25, 2009, 06:22 »
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I shoot mainly wildlife and nature but found that some shots do sell as stock. Really enjoy what I do and if it sells, that's great. Never thought I could make money doing what I do, although its not enough to live on, still love it.

« Reply #58 on: January 25, 2009, 07:01 »
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Geez, you sound bitter, marcopolo.

But it doesn't have to be that way.
Shoot what you like and how you like to make it.
Create imagery that matters to you.
Produce work that you can look (back) upon and feel proud of.
Trust that you will be successful if you are passionate enough.

Be the best you can be at making your kind of stuff and you will be rewarded in far more ways than money can ever matter. Go for it.



This is also my motto - Well said!

« Reply #59 on: January 25, 2009, 19:31 »
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I enjoy a lot!

« Reply #60 on: January 26, 2009, 00:44 »
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I enjoy it all, from shooting pictures, to processing!

It's also a great feeling when somebody likes my picture enough to buy it, even if the price is very small. It would all be a dream job if I could live off of it. :)

helix7

« Reply #61 on: January 26, 2009, 01:59 »
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... That you cannot be in your studio shooting the commercial imagery while secretly wishing you were out shooting some scenic golden hour landscape or black and white artistic nude or whatever?

I think you can have it both ways. Maybe just do a mix of things. Stock can be like any other creative job in that respect. You won't always get to create exactly what you want, and sometimes you will have to do things simply because they bring in better money, which allows you to continue doing what you enjoy. In graphic design (my day job), sure I'd love to be doing logo designs all day or animating holiday e-cards in Flash. But I know that the dull newsletters we design for law firms is easy money and we keep our jobs by doing those sort of things, and so they are a necessary part of the job.

At the end of the day, if you can make a living looking through a viewfinder or laying down paths with a pen tool, and that is what you enjoy doing, you're still way ahead of the curve. Most people don't like their jobs at all. Lucky us to be able to make some (or all) of our incomes in this way.



« Reply #62 on: January 26, 2009, 07:44 »
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I will post this just because I saw there is 666 posts in "newbies discussion". I don't like this number, so with my post it's not anymore 666 but 667 posts ;D

« Reply #63 on: February 12, 2009, 23:00 »
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So this post is still going. I think people misunderstood it to mean that I hate doing it or something. If I did hate it I wouldn't be uploading images, I would take out a second job if I wanted to make extra money. I was just curious what motivated people more on here, the $$ or the intrinsic joy of creating and producing commercial stock art. Or like me, maybe they would be photographing landscapes or something if it was purely for enjoyment, but they figure if they can make money at it, there may be other ways to make extra money with but they are not as fun or creative as this.  In short, do you do this for the money, the fame, the creativity, or a combination of all of this?

« Reply #64 on: February 13, 2009, 00:40 »
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I do it for fun, for creativity and for a sense of satisfaction when somebody likes my image enough to buy it. I would like to do it full time but I just don't think it's realistic enough to happen based on the high cost of living where I am. Too bad, but I at least I'm having fun when I can have free time from my "real" job. :D

« Reply #65 on: February 13, 2009, 01:09 »
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I could never do the business people sitting around a table photo. I'm not that good at staged shots. Although I'm well aware that they sell better than my travel shots. I have tried taking photos of models a few times, I think I was lucky to get good models who knew what they were doing, as I certainly didn't. I'm just sticking to what I know best, capturing people as they are, in their natural environments. I love that.

RT


« Reply #66 on: February 13, 2009, 04:58 »
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I'm just sticking to what I know best, capturing people as they are, in their natural environments. I love that.

You've found your 'one thing' (From City Slickers movie) good for you.


« Reply #67 on: February 14, 2009, 23:36 »
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I love shooting stock.

It is how I got started in photography. I'm a web developer full-time and I came across SXC and started using images from there. My in-laws chipped in with my parents and got me a camera for my birthday one year and I decided to try my hand at giving back.

Watching the downloads climb (even if I was giving photos away for free) was very gratifying. As stated before, it's nice to know that someone was getting some use from photos that I created.

Then I noticed people in the forum talking about how they were getting paid doing this. That was it for me! I've never looked back and now have a studio in my home just for stock. Click here for some recent examples: I love what I do. I don't know if it will ever be my primary source of income, because I love my day job as well. However, as long as I'm able, I'll photograph stock!

rinderart

« Reply #68 on: February 24, 2009, 16:30 »
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The nice thing about microstock is you pretty much have freedom to do whatever you want. No clients, No boss, very few rules. If you want to try and do what other successful people are doing, feel free. If you want to be artistic you can do that as well. If you want to shoot only what you love then have at it. The choice is yours, try to have a good time because life is short and at the end of the day there are only memories. I feel fortunate to be doing stock.


YEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

« Reply #69 on: March 08, 2009, 02:28 »
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I do it for all of the reasons. Primarily I shoot stock because I love the creativity and the art of photography. Second, I shoot for the satisfaction of knowing my shots are good enough that people are buying them. Third I do it for the little bit of extra money it makes. I currently make way more money in a month as a designer and by shooting commercially for clients, but as my portfolio grows I can see money from stock being a bigger part of the equation in the future. At least I hope so! I must say that since joining the ranks of stock photographers, the quality of my photos has increased tremendously. Thanks to microstock for that!

« Reply #70 on: September 09, 2009, 15:06 »
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More than 120 days old topic... But, I must reply - NO - I don't enjoy producing micro images.

hqimages

  • www.draiochtwebdesign.com
« Reply #71 on: September 10, 2009, 04:47 »
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If you've heard of Pavlov's dog salivating at the sound of a bell because it's been trained to link the sound with food--that's what shooting stock is like to me.

I like to get some recognition for my work and my gallery sales and Microstock payments satisfy that need for me.

Pavlov called the training method with the dogs "intermittent rewards" because he knew that by rewarding the dog with food with every ring of the bell wasn't as effective as ringing the bell only some of the time.  So when I get a sale, or not, I can't wait to upload some more.

Arf.

 ;D

Moonb007

  • Architect, Photographer, Dreamer
« Reply #72 on: September 10, 2009, 15:56 »
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I don't make a living out of it, but its a great hobby.  It gives me an excuse to go out and shoot objects and make a little money from it.  I put almost all my cash to buy new toys for my camera.

« Reply #73 on: September 10, 2009, 17:11 »
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I'm coming to enjoy shooting stock more as I develop more conceptual imagery. Previously I was shooting beautiful 'found scenes' - landscape, found still life - but now I'm creating images with meaning and that is a different game and one that appeals to me.

« Reply #74 on: September 11, 2009, 02:13 »
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No. 

I don't like stock and I will never like it- there are just two things which make me continue:
I learned a lot more about my camera doing stock.
It pays for my camera gear (advanced hobbyist, still working with a good point-and-shoot) and some nice stuff more.


 

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