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Author Topic: Model on white background: still viable?  (Read 17139 times)

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ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #25 on: May 02, 2013, 18:33 »
+1
Thanks sjlocke, I didn't know outsourced retouching is not allowed. That'll cut the cost down quite a bit.
It's allowed, but it's almost certianly not financially viable.
(Psssst, from someone who doesn't do beauty work but have used this technique: 'negative clarity/midtone contrast' does wonders for skin. But don't make it look to plasticy - that is so 2011.


« Reply #26 on: May 02, 2013, 18:44 »
0
Thanks ShadySue, I'll give that a try! I really hate dealing with skin cos there's really no quick fix method that's why I rather outsource that portion.

« Reply #27 on: May 02, 2013, 19:02 »
0
What she said.  'Can not' as in 'If you want to make money in micro on simple shoots, you can not outsource work.'.

Ed

« Reply #28 on: May 02, 2013, 19:39 »
0
Real people in real situations will earn you more money.

I've got a ton of images over white...haven't licensed one in quite some time.

I agree on not spending more than $100 on a shoot - even less if you can.

For skin, If you have Lightroom, use the brush tool, set it to soften skin, move the clarity slider to 70%.

gillian vann

  • *Gillian*
« Reply #29 on: May 02, 2013, 19:42 »
+1
Thanks ShadySue, I'll give that a try! I really hate dealing with skin cos there's really no quick fix method that's why I rather outsource that portion.
I think it can be done quickly if you set up steps that you follow, and don't muck around. :)

a quick skin retouch:
remove blemishes/freckles/moles: up to 30 seconds
reduce under eye bags/dark area 20 seconds
reduce lines if needed, up to 20seconds
dodge/burn eyes and brows if needed, 20 seconds
run my skin softening action and paint in skin softening 1-3mins depending on how much.

you can chose to also:
brighten/saturate eye colour, 20 seconds
add shimmer to hair 20 seconds
of course there's a million more things you can do, but that's the trap.

I've made an action for my basic facial retouch with blank layers for these things, so i just go in and do what's needed on each layer. If you follow a routine it's quite fast.


Beppe Grillo

« Reply #30 on: May 03, 2013, 04:07 »
0
Hi Rgphoto-

Question 1

Here is the first page (popular) on Shutterstock with the keywords 'Business People' see link below

http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?searchterm=business+people&search_source=search_form&lang=en&search_group=&safesearch=1&prev_sort_method=newest&sort_method=popular&page=1


Not too many on just white.

Now lets do search of 'People and Medical'

http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&search_source=search_form&search_tracking_id=uAUOGvcBWwFMT5xrOOyDig&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&searchterm=people+medical&search_group=&orient=&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photographer_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&commercial_ok=&color=&show_color_wheel=1

Still not that many on just white background.


Now "People and Spa"

http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&search_source=search_form&search_tracking_id=cn8HQpiaDxJH4bDvuZvDSg&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&searchterm=people+spa&search_group=&orient=&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photographer_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&commercial_ok=&color=&show_color_wheel=1

Not too many on white either. 

Cannot really address #2 but that seem a bit high for just starting out. Maybe use your family or friends to keep the initial costs down to see if it produces sales. The Stock companies have told us that they want regular (Believable) people instead of fashion models. I know a few companies that want more male models instead of women as well.

#3  Always pay up front and not against your sales- talk about a pain to track against your sales as well. Remember a good seller will go on for years thus you can see the headache involved if you go by the commission to sales things.

Hope this helps...

T


Now
People + Business + White
People + Medical + White
People + Spa + White

Don't you think that it changes a lot?
;)

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #31 on: May 03, 2013, 06:17 »
0
Pointless checking at SS anyway, as you can't see the actual figures, so 'most popular' is only relative.
Try iS or DT. However, the figures there are historic, and give no indication as to whether a particular subject/style is currently popular.

« Reply #32 on: May 03, 2013, 09:07 »
0
My experience has been that white isolations sell just great but only if you find an underserved niche.   I'd say from my top 10 selling photos of the last two years, six are white isolations but they have very little competition in the same subject.   If your photo isn't in a unique niche, you can also get sells by doing something that looks different in terms of unique composition.

« Reply #33 on: May 03, 2013, 09:31 »
0


I wonder how "woman vacuuming sky on top of hay bale" images are selling these days?

Might be a good niche to explore.

« Reply #34 on: May 03, 2013, 11:40 »
-8
Thanks ShadySue, I'll give that a try! I really hate dealing with skin cos there's really no quick fix method that's why I rather outsource that portion.
I think it can be done quickly if you set up steps that you follow, and don't muck around. :)

a quick skin retouch:
remove blemishes/freckles/moles: up to 30 seconds
reduce under eye bags/dark area 20 seconds
reduce lines if needed, up to 20seconds
dodge/burn eyes and brows if needed, 20 seconds
run my skin softening action and paint in skin softening 1-3mins depending on how much.

you can chose to also:
brighten/saturate eye colour, 20 seconds
add shimmer to hair 20 seconds
of course there's a million more things you can do, but that's the trap.

I've made an action for my basic facial retouch with blank layers for these things, so i just go in and do what's needed on each layer. If you follow a routine it's quite fast.

talk, talk and talk! why don't you upload? really I love hearing pros when they do the work like Sean per example, other I just find it ridiculous, sorry! ;)

Poncke v2

« Reply #35 on: May 03, 2013, 12:15 »
0
^ Was that comment really necessary ?

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #36 on: May 03, 2013, 12:26 »
+1
talk, talk and talk! why don't you upload? really I love hearing pros when they do the work like Sean per example, other I just find it ridiculous, sorry! ;)
What a stupid post.
If you or anyone else only want Sean to answer, they can PM him directly.
The OP didn't specify who they wanted to answer.

« Reply #37 on: May 03, 2013, 12:27 »
+1
^ Was that comment really necessary ?

Ron I have nothing against you but have you became a saint now? I really believe people should talk about stuff they really know or at least are trying hard, I don't think we should talk in every possible forum/topic just to seek attention

Poncke v2

« Reply #38 on: May 03, 2013, 16:10 »
+3
^ Was that comment really necessary ?

Ron I have nothing against you but have you became a saint now? I really believe people should talk about stuff they really know or at least are trying hard, I don't think we should talk in every possible forum/topic just to seek attention
I am nowhere near a saint but Gillian just added to the discussion, I am not the only one thinking your comment made no sense.

How do you know she isnt putting in the work?

I have nothing against you either but you always seem to hand out little jabs and cover them up with smileys. I am not falling for it. Thats all.

Cheers.

lisafx

« Reply #39 on: May 03, 2013, 17:01 »
+3
I agree^^.  No reason to take a shot at Gillian.  She may be relatively new to microstock, but I believe she is an experienced photographer.  Her posting history is intelligent and helpful, IMO.

« Reply #40 on: May 03, 2013, 17:33 »
-4
^ Was that comment really necessary ?

Ron I have nothing against you but have you became a saint now? I really believe people should talk about stuff they really know or at least are trying hard, I don't think we should talk in every possible forum/topic just to seek attention
I am nowhere near a saint but Gillian just added to the discussion, I am not the only one thinking your comment made no sense.

How do you know she isnt putting in the work?

I have nothing against you either but you always seem to hand out little jabs and cover them up with smileys. I am not falling for it. Thats all.

Cheers.

believe you shouldn't talk about jabs, anyway I won't leave forum and come back as v2

Poncke v2

« Reply #41 on: May 03, 2013, 17:40 »
+1
You should


« Reply #42 on: May 03, 2013, 17:42 »
0
You should

I really believe you should have a life outside forumS

Poncke v2

« Reply #43 on: May 03, 2013, 17:47 »
0
Thats just laughable, you know my portfolio,  the images are not shot from my couch.  ;) (see what I am doing there with the smiley)

gillian vann

  • *Gillian*
« Reply #44 on: May 04, 2013, 01:33 »
+9
I do work as a photographer as my main job, and I do lots of facial retouching as part of it.... I do stock as a byproduct of what I shoot for clients, and then in downtimes I try to set up shoots specifically for stock. It doesn't return as much for me yet but I am addicted to it.  I work every day either shooting or editing. I'm also professionally trained in both photography and photoshop.

Sean may not have the time, nor be willing to share any of his retouching skills, and I wanted to offer some help to the OP by saying retouching faces/bodies doesn't have to take that much time. And I did that with a demonstration of what that meant. One of the more helpful things our teacher did for us was to set up a 5min timer and force us to edit fast.

I can (and do) have plenty of life skills outside of this forum group. I also don't hide my work and endeavour to post honestly and helpfully.

edit: must I also add   ;) to show I'm really a nice person?
 
« Last Edit: May 04, 2013, 05:43 by gillian »

« Reply #45 on: May 04, 2013, 05:09 »
+2
I do work as a photographer as my main job, and I do lots of facial retouching as part of it.... I do stock as a byproduct of what I shoot for clients, and then in downtimes I try to set up shoots specifically for stock. It doesn't return as much for me yet but I am addicted to it.  I work every day either shooting or editing. I'm also professionally trained in both photography and photoshop.

Sean may not have the time, nor be willing to share any of his retouching skills, and I wanted to offer some help to the OP by saying retouching faces/bodies doesn't have to take that much time. And I did that with a demonstration of what that meant. One of the more helpful things our teacher did for us was to set up a 5min timer and force us to edit fast.

I can (and do) have plenty of life skills outside of this forum group. I also don't hide my work and endeavour to post honestly and helpfully.

Thanks for having shared info on your workflow Gillian. It is valuable to me and many here.
Best
Jean

« Reply #46 on: May 04, 2013, 07:21 »
+2
edit: must I also add   ;) to show I'm really a nice person?

No, that's obvious without any graphic enhancement.
« Last Edit: May 04, 2013, 09:06 by disorderly »

« Reply #47 on: May 04, 2013, 08:37 »
+1
Thank you very much Gillan and everyone else that gave me valuable advise on this topic. I definitely appreciate it!

cheers,
rg

« Reply #48 on: May 04, 2013, 12:28 »
+2
95 very simple pictures done in 2 hours (shooting) with zero editing (model on white)

Revenue   $ 1555.28
Downloads   3177
Assets   95
Creation   Feb 15, 2011
Agency   Shutterstock
RPI/m   $ 0.59
RPI   $ 16.37
RPD   $ 0.49
STR   92%

can I add a ;) now?

« Reply #49 on: May 05, 2013, 15:05 »
0
95 very simple pictures done in 2 hours (shooting) with zero editing (model on white)

Revenue   $ 1555.28
Downloads   3177
Assets   95
Creation   Feb 15, 2011
Agency   Shutterstock
RPI/m   $ 0.59
RPI   $ 16.37
RPD   $ 0.49
STR   92%

can I add a ;) now?

Care to show us these images  ;)


 

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