MicrostockGroup
Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: Whiz on August 15, 2008, 15:49
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At the iStockphoto forums, people are discussing the usefulness of certain types of keywords. I was just wondering as to how useful these keywords actually are. I try to keep my keywords as focused as possible, so I'm not sure just how useful it is to use these keywords. What do you think? Here's the list:
# Insignificant People - For those blurry folks in the background.
# Nobody - To tag a shot with no humans in it.
# Selective Focus - When the foreground is in focus and the background is not, or vice-versa.
# Blurred Background - Specific type of selective focus (above).
# Blurred Foreground - Same as Blurred Background (above).
# Blurred Motion - Long exposure maps to this.
# Full Frame - When composition encompasses entire viewing area.
# Horizontal - Wide format.
# Vertical - Tall format.
# Waist Up - Top half of human subject only.
# Waist Down - Bottom half of human subject only.
# Isolated - Separated object or person done by color or background.
# Isolated objects - Separated object or person done by color or background.
# Clipping path - Isolation includes a path embedded in the file data.
# Isolated on white - Isolated on a white background.
# isolated on black - Isolated on a black background.
# Square - Square format as the name implies.
# Copy Space (Copyspace) - has designated location for copy text.
# Still Life - For example, a vase of flowers is a still life.
# Single Object - When a single subject is the only thing in the frame.
# Concepts - A photo that tells a specific story. Think metaphor.
# Backgrounds - Photo's primary use is a background, incl. patterns, etc.
# Studio shot - Photo taken in a studio or similar controlled environment.
# Portrait - Head and shoulders shot is typical.
# Head On - Straight on (no angles) from lens to subject.
# From Side - Shot taken from a side angle.
# Profile - Same as From Side (above).
# Low/Down Angle - Taken from beneath the subject or there abouts.
# High/Up Angle - Taken from above the subject or there abouts.
# Full Body - Capture entire human form, from head to toe.
# Perspective - Any unusual angle to include Low and High (above).
# Sepia - Photo given a sepia tone process to make it look old.
# B/W (Black and White) - A black and white image.
# Monochromatic - A single color tint, usually black (with white).
# Grayscale - See B/W and Monochromatic above.
# Color Image - Shot in full color.
# Full Frame - Subject comprises entire exposure area.
# Color Image - Shot in full color.
# Single Object - I guess the name says it all.
# Group of Objects - Ditto, but multiplied.
http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=73308&page=1 (http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=73308&page=1)
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I do not know about their usefulness in sales but I sometimes use exactly those terms when I am not able to achieve the ten keywords they require. I usually do not have difficulty describing my images but the gits at IS keep rejecting a lot of my images because of "keywords" e.g. they "thought" that a photo-joke picture could not have keywords as "fun, joke, ..." etc. So sometimes I am so desperate that I use those nothing-saying-nothing keywords...
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Does anyone else submit with an abbreviated list of keywords, then once an image is accepted, update it with the full list?
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Does anyone else submit with an abbreviated list of keywords, then once an image is accepted, update it with the full list?
yep, but I often forget to go back and update (and IS is the only micro I would even consider putting in the time to do it)
re op
I use backgrounds (essential if you do backgrounds / textures) and I use isolated / isolated on white, copy space when I think of it :), sepia and thats about it from this list. I couldn't see many of the others being that useful, and IS has raised the ante recently re keywords and IMO I see a number of them as being questionable and increase possibility of rejection.
Phil
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Exclusive - then you don't need to worry about the rest :D