Cattle Grazing in Lush Pasture - My Vision

These are Black Angus beef cattle grazing in a pasture near Afton, Wyoming (USA).

Bigger is not always better - a composition tip for increasing your stock photo sales: You'll note that this image has a lot of blank space, making the main subject, the cattle, smaller. This is not only a composition choice (following the "rule of thirds"), but I have found over the years that many of my stock photos sell much better if they have space for designers to place type or other photos. By giving the designer this option, I often see my images published as the main photo in a story rather than being used as one of the smaller, accent or filler images. And if you'd like to see your images reproduced full-page, don't forget to shoot the same scene vertically as well as horizontal (see below).

The larger your images are reproduced, the more money you'll make (that's when bigger IS better). It don't matter whether you're licensing your images under a rights-managed model, royalty-free, or as microstock, larger uses make you more money. At many microstock agencies, the prices for "large" or XLarge download sizes are three to six times greater than those for "small" or medium downloads!


Another stock photo tip: if you'll looking for additional ways to increase your sales, read this short article I wrote about shooting on "spec".

You can also view my Flickr Photostream to see more of "My Vision."

Dramatic Portrait of an Actor / Model - My Vision

Earlier in the week I had been photographing glassware using a portable table-top background cyclorama, similar to a Kaiser studio kit (but one I had built myself, using translucent plexiglass, and light from underneath with strobes). I asked Gerald, the model / actor, to step over to the table-top cyc, lean over and rest his arms on the table-top background. The effect was quite dramatic, and similar to what one might see in a theater production. (Click on any image for a larger view.)

This Kaiser portable table-top studio background is a small cyc (cyclorama) that you can buy for about $1300. I build one myself using a translucent white plexiglass sheet (about 3/16" thick and about 3 x 5 feet), and a 2x4" wooden frame (minus the attached lights you see in the photo below). I would then light the table from underneath using strobe lights. It was great for doing glassware photography.


Self-Learning Tip: Always look for the catch-lights in the eyes, and you can often figure out how a photographer light a subject. You could do something similar to this by using a light table, or a lightbox positioned below (and slightly camera left) and pointed upward.

Sidebar: Some time ago, a talent agency asked me to photograph some of their clients. They mainly wanted "head shots" for their talent books. Although the money they were offering to pay me wasn't that good, I saw it as an opportunity to experiment with people who were willing to try new things, and built portfolio images for both of us. Since some of these people had backgrounds in theater, they also had access to some interesting wardrobe pieces, which can really help liven a portrait. "Trading" talent has been a tool I've used over the years to increase my experience and build my photographic reputation. This image is part of a series that has resulted from these talent trades.

You can also view my Flickr Photostream to see more of "My Vision."