Got in and out, Stock Photography

Since this is a blog about my photography path and experience I need to mention my stock experience.

I was starting to learn about food photography. Somewhere along came stock photography. A friend asked me why not to try it. I like challenges and I was sort of stuck in the house. I thought, yeah, why not, have nothing to lose. I had a camera and food in the house, simple.

The biggest problem between stock and me is the difference in tastes. I was thinking how to be different, use different kinds of dishes and pottery. They were thinking completely opposite. But the fact is that, they’re great for learning about how to light food or products on the white background.

My first attempts were loved and understood just by me. Thanks God I posted them for a stock critique before I tried to get on a stock website. I shot buckwheat, sesame, hazelnuts, almonds, dried cranberries, dried apricots and else, on the white background. My idea to be different from others was to spread a bit of mentioned snacks in front of a small, tinny, clay jug and some more snacks to put into the jug. I’ll post my first attempts later.

Edit to add: I’ve just gone trough my drive and there’s no photos. I probably deleted them! Fool. Don’t ever delete your attempts!

The critique I got for those attempts is that no one wants to see food in a dirty dish. I was disappointed how they didn’t understand my vision and then I laughed, they’re not supposed to understand me, I need to meet their demands. White and clean are words for stock. Not my silly ideas and clay dishes. I was so busy trying to get a perfect lighting and seamless white background that I forget to think about all the aspects of stock or food photography. Believe me, lighting and seamless white are not an easy task to accomplish with the equipment I had. We’re talking about iso 200 on 2x cropped sensor.

I decided to go by their rules. To try to achieve that look for stock. The thing is, I took it as a challenge to get accepted on stock sites at the first attempt. You have to send them few photos, those photos get evaluated at 100% view and then you get notice that you’re rejected or accepted. I stepped away from isolations when I got them right and tried to incorporate some proper backgrounds.

I accomplished my goal. I got accepted on every stock site with my first application and that was it. That was the end of my stock experience. I don’t fit in demanded rules. Because stock has its own rules, if you want to sell something, better understand and like stock. I couldn’t do photography by those formulas and I’m well aware of the fact that my taste and ideas are not for everyone. Even if it’s about food. With other words, I’m not going to sell anything.

I tried and proved myself that I can do it, that’s it. Me happy!

What I get from this experience is more knowledge about lighting, composing elements, color, geometry, about product photography, isolations, subjects on white … So, it was a great experience. Maybe give it a try, you’ll learn a tone useful tricks in lighting and Photoshop. At least I did.