To Stock or Not to Stock….

I recently signed up for a Photographer account at stock imaging source… Photoshelter.com, after hearing a podcast of Chase Jarvis speaking at one of their events.

While initially I have been hesitant about stock due to it’s impact on the business of photography, I have chosen to look at it a little differently lately. There are lots of good reasons people can argue for not “subsidizing” the stock world, but my take is this…

If I shoot for stock or better yet, don’t shoot for stock but submit images already captured – TO stock, I give myself an outlet for work that otherwise wouldn’t have had an audience. Hence, I’ve opened up the opportunity to make something from nothing.

I love the commercial side of what I do, I also love the creative work I make for myself. I have a serious problem with personal “snapshotting” as well. I often say my son is more photographed than the Kennedy’s. The image below is one such case. While I typically shoot tons of frames monthly of family, fun, personal work and general “Life” shots, most of them originally just for fun/learning/experimentation wind up being phenomenal shots. What do you do with those. Just say, uh yeah, that’s great gimme a 4×5? Or do you say, hey that’s a great shot let’s see what we can do with this to make it work for us.

This photo happened to be taken on a whim, while playing with one of my new 5D’s. Tre, our son and I were both playing Safari Photographer and generally goofing off as all boys do We climbed up onto the couch, hunching over the edge as if we were peering on a Lion ready to pounce on it’s prey. I looked over and caught this…priceless, I thought as I reviewed the LCD. I’m pretty proud too, because it made “Editor’s Choice” and graced the front page of Photoshelter.com.

Congrat’s TRE – YOU’RE FAMOUS!!!

Thanks for the great shot buddy – Love Dad