By Shutterstock contributor Alexey Stiop

Quality standards in stock photography are climbing ever higher, so having photos that “pop” will help your work stand out and give your portfolio an edge. How can you create the most vivid images while preserving the maximum image quality?

Let’s suppose you’re already following the advice to shoot RAW or, at the very least, turning off in-camera processing of JPEG images. Vibrance and saturation sliders during RAW conversion will only get you so far before you seriously distort pixels and produce massive artifacts.

So you go out and shoot a nicely lit, colorful scene only to discover that once you’ve downloaded and converted the photo, it still looks bleak. What do you do? How do you breathe life back into this meant-to-be-oh-so-beautiful photograph and make it “pop”? Photoshop to the rescue!

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We know stock photographers are hungry for information about how to shoot good pictures and achieve the most success in licensing them. As the industry grows, there are an increasing number of books on the subject. We recently came across one that does a great job of explaining our sometimes-esoteric business.

Microstock Money Shots is a new book by Ellen Boughn, a photo consultant who has worked as an executive at several stock agencies, and who knows the industry as well as anybody. The book includes many real-world examples of top-selling images, with explanations of what has made them successful. Boughn knows how to choose subjects in high demand, cast models, and compose photos in ways that increase their potential. One chapter explains how to appeal to specialty customers, like textbook publishers and greeting card makers. (Sample advice: “Young children have to be photographed using appropriate props and wardrobes, such as wearing bicycle helmets and carrying the see-through backpacks that many schools now require.”) There are also chapters on the dry but important topics of keywording and legal compliance.

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If you’ve ever thought of taking photos of airplanes, this article will provide you with some helpful tips.

By Ivan Cholakov Gostock-dot-net

Airshows are popular events that take place in most places of the world on preannounced schedules. They are a great way to get up and close to interesting and one of a kind aircraft, see aerobatic performances or learn something about the history and future of aviation. Today’s commercial airports have increased security, making it difficult to photograph from short distances. So be sure to consult the schedule of your next local airshow and be prepared for a fun day.

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By Alexey Stiop, Shutterstock Contributor

Have you ever wanted to photograph a landmark or historic site or an interesting piece of architecture, and wished you could do it without including hundreds of tourists in your shot?

Photos of crowded places present a problem if you plan to submit them as stock – unless, of course, all the people in the shot are your friends and will gladly furnish you with their model releases.

Well, there is a way around this. You will need two things (besides your camera): A steady tripod and Adobe Photoshop Extended, version CS3 or higher.

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© frbird

You have a great editorial image/footage clip but it’s been rejected for its caption?  What’s up with that!?

For newsworthy content to have any long-term value, it must include a proper Editorial Caption that identifies the important aspects of the image/footage clip.  The easiest way to check  your  caption is to make sure it has the following qualifiers:  Who, What, Where and When.

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Bitmapping 101: Troubleshooting EPS Files in Illustrator
By Stacey Lynn Payne, Shutterstock Contributor

In a continuation of our Rejection Reasons series, Shutterstock Contributor Stacey Lynn Payne explains how to avoid rejections for No Bitmaps.

You work hard on your vector illustrations, trying to avoid any technical problems. That’s why it’s such a terrible feeling when you receive the following rejection: No Bitmaps. Bitmap images are not permitted–please see the forum.

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Shutterstock customers come from everywhere. They live in countries around the world and work in many different industries. They want realistic photos of people of all races, ethnicities and ages. If you want to connect with as many of these buyers as possible, you should keep in mind diversity and authenticity when you shoot and submit images to Shutterstock.
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