How to Increase Your Microstock Photo Sales With These 3 Original Methods
Originality is the keyword for being successful in the microstock business. In order to stand out from the crowd and be noticed, it is important to differentiate yourself from the rest. The only way to do so is to think outside the box and see things from a different perspective. I would like to share with you three ways by which you can fire your thinking skills and come up with more original ideas and inspirations.
Astronomy Photos
Have you ever looked up at the vast sky above us for more than just a couple of seconds? I bet that if you are like the majority, you do not bother much what is up there in the sky. If you are interested, either you are a weather man or have a particular interest in airplanes and the like.
Under the Milky Way by jurvetson on flickr (licensed CC-BY)
As for me, I am not into astronomer, but lately a friend of mine, who specialises in astronomy photos, changed the way I look at the sky above us. The colours, textures, light and shapes that one can up with are amazing. In all fairness, this particular photographer is a keen astronomer and well equipped too, but, there is nothing holding you back from buying a decent telescope. It would open up a whole new photographic world, and more importantly, change your way of thinking. Seeing things through a different angle and magnification will motivate you to incorporate different styles and ideas in your photographic work.
Infra red and Ultra Violet
Most of us work within the visible light spectrum. How about extending that light spectrum? Two easy ways to start experiment with different light spectrums are Infra Red (IR) and Ultra Violet (UV).
Hot Dog by publicenergy on flickr (licensed CC-BY)
Did you ever consider working with a model under ultra violet light? The number of styles and patterns you can create by having your model wearing different white attires is endless. Same thing goes for infra red light. Your limitation is your imagination.
Abstracts and backgrounds are always popular with designers, and a sure way to produce creative work is by literally seeing things through a different light.
Looking for Patterns at Microscopic Level
Being a photographer, you should be aware that there are times where you have to get down and get dirty. Plainly, you should look at things more closely. Have you ever looked attentively to a dewdrop sliding on a blade of grass, dung beetle rolling manure to its nest or a fish nibbling on moss? There is a different world at ground level that most of the time we just pass by it and choose to ignore. Pay more attention to details.
on the wet grass by jenny downing on flickr (licensed CC-BY)
If you want to take it a step even further, you can buy a stereotype or light microscope and get even closer to a cellular level. The amount of patterns found naturally in living things around us is pure fascination. Just try it and you will be surprised.
I hope that I have managed to stimulate your minds in seeing your surroundings in a diverse way. Try to train yourself in thinking outside the normal parameters. Do not be afraid to experiment photographically. I invite you to visit my site at http://michaelabela.weebly.com where you can find ways to turn your photos into cash by adding those extra special effects and tricks in a way to turn your good photos into spectacular ones.
