Microstock: A Good Concept

Yesterday, I talked about how to get more sales by having more photos in your portfolio. That is only one aspect of the game. A good concept is even more important in microstock. What is a good concept? Like Supreme Court Justice, Potter Stewart, once said about pornography, "I know it when I see it"... Your wallet will know it too. A photo with a good concept will get you good sales. A picture is worth a thousand words, so I will just show you an example.

Photo with A Good Concept:
http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/2767316/2/istockphoto_2767316_silhouette_lover
(Note: This photo is NOT mine, so I just use a link)

Flip through some magazines, both local & international, take a look at what kind of photos are commonly used. When you shoot, ask yourself, under what kind of theme/circustances can your photo be used?

Yes, microstock photos are different from your fine art/journalistic photos. What you think is a good piece of art may be quite useless for stock. Just keep this in mind. :)