Amateur and professional photographers alike are sharing photos like never before on websites like Flickr, motivated by “views” and comments from other users. But what few amateurs realize is: they could also be making money from their images, thanks to the booming young microstock industry.
In MICROSTOCK MONEY SHOTS: Turning Downloads into Dollars with Microstock Photography (August 24, 2010), industry insider Ellen Boughn demystifies the world of microstock, sharing behind-the-scenes secrets for posting images that will get viewed, downloaded and most important, sold.
The microstock industry has taken off, and with tens of thousand of images submitted to microstock sites each week, the competition for views and downloads is fierce. So how do blossoming microstock users make their images stand out? In MICROSTOCK MONEY SHOTS, Boughn tells readers how to break through the crowd with commercially appealing images. She explains:
- The basics of the industry
- What to shoot—and what not to shoot
- How to frame the perfect picture
- Popular themes with and without people
- Specialty markets—advertising, retail, news, and education
- How to cast and work with models
- How to navigate location and studio photography
- Keywording: The secret to microstock success
- Legalese: forms, releases, and other fine print
Illustrated with more than 200 microstock photographs and featuring additional tips and advice from top-selling microstock photographers and other industry success stories, MICROSTOCK MONEY SHOTS will help both experienced users and novices navigate the exciting new microstock industry.
ELLEN BOUGHN has worked in microstock and stock photography for more than 30 years, with experience in nearly every facet of the industry. She can be found at www.ellenboughn.com.
