We are not in the stock image industry. It's a crowded place with a giant successful company in the lead. Sure, we could make what we think is a better product but we would really be playing in a game that we honestly couldn't win. We're focussing on selling real photographs.
At the core of this is the belief that "real things" resonate with people. They resonate with your customers and admirers. We truly believe that by using real photography instead of stock photography you will connect better with those who are looking at your material.
Let's use a desk as an example. If you're like most people reading this you're probably sitting at a desk. Take a look at it. What does your desk look like? Ok, now go to your favourite stock photography website and search for "desk". Do the stock photos look anything like yours? Probably not. Your desk probably looks more like these photos. It might even look like this. Here's a surprise for you: That last photo has been licensed for hundreds of dollars.
So when you're putting together that great marketing pitch or designing your next web masterpiece please use photos that people connect with. Sometimes real photography may not be quite as perfect as stock but at least it is real.
If you're going for the "no one has ever sat at this desk and the light is magic because it works when it's not even plugged in" feeling them by all means, get your photos elsewhere.
Forget stock. Keep it real.
Comments
Ira J Lyles Jr - October 16, 2009 3:09 pm
Having been in microstock for several years now, if I
submitted that last photo I would HAVE to clean it up
and adjust color and contrast.
It is a fair basic photo, but I have been brainwashed,
and could not stand to license it as is. AT this point,
I want a potential buyer to have the best I can give.
Dan James - October 16, 2009 3:28 pm
Ira,
That's fair. Wanting your clients to have the best thing possible is a very good intention. Do you think that collectively the industry might have gone too far? Mentally I compare it to the photoshopping of models on magazine covers. It seems like a good idea to remove a zit here and there but if left unchecked you eventually are moving hips, breasts, smiles and the person who ends up on the cover doesn't look a thing like the one in the original photograph.
I doubt that the last photo of a desk would ever be accepted to a stock agency, even with some of your magic worked on it :)
Steven - October 16, 2009 4:51 pm
Those are interesting thoughts.
My desk actually looks like this (after a few coffees).
Dan James - October 17, 2009 10:28 am
Steven,
That's a great photo. I felt like i was being sucked into my screen.
Chuck Narad - October 21, 2009 12:35 am
You guys inspire me. My desk hasn't quite imploded like Steven's, but it is inarguably REAL...
Ira J Lyles Jr - October 26, 2009 11:52 pm
Sorry, Dan, I had forgotten this post for a while.
I suspect you're right about that last photo not being accepted,
but don't think we've gone too far yet with photoshopping.
Unfortunately, someone will go over the line eventually , and heads will roll.:)
F.57 Stock Photo Blog - November 21, 2009 6:58 am
While there is certainly a trend at the moment towards "real photography" there is still need for production values even in more real and spontaneous looking images. Also while clustershot is only offering RF licensing I think extra care needs to be taken over what is being offered. There are already images being showcased that should not be RF and could easily land the photographer and/or clustershot in trouble.
Alex
Gerry Lesmerises - December 1, 2009 1:38 pm
I just signed up with ClusterShot and I think it's great to have a place where people can post and sell their photos without some 'expert' deciding which photos are good and which are bad. Photography is art and what looks great to one person might look like just a crappy photo to another person. I'm not a professional photographer but hey you gotta start somewhere. Dan thanks for offering this site and for making it affordable.