There comes a time in the life of every photographer when they realize that the art of the hobby photograph has left them and that their habitual way of looking at images is part of a money earning, career growth concern. The path to riches is lined with…pixels! This is what makes the micro stock photographer a professional instead of an amateur.
Even the biggest memory cards get sodden with huge image files you many not have got to editing yet. Using pauses in the feline model shoot, review the “take” and get rid of shots irrelevant due to lack of composition, blur, artifacts, or subjects cut off or outside the frame. These can’t be fixed in editing. If the can be, they will require a lot of time and you might regret it later in the day when you get clipped of a great photo opportunity by a satured memory card. Free up the memory card, since reviewing old images eats time.
eBook publishers are working on projects to be released online. Their publishing costs are reduced because no paper is involved. This gives greater flexibility to using color images and the control and ability to edit microstock images and re-use them makes a personally vended low cost legal images feasible. Graphic designers can improve the image by adding design layers with mist, abstract, sharpening, texture, designs or effects. Check out some ebooks art of physical book jackets to get the idea. Original arts sells a product. Index your photos by keywords so potential clients can locate good art for their eBook jackets or vanity press publications.
3. Websites
If you happen to have an outstanding photograph, market the photo (with a watermark inside it ) to specific contact emails of websites of the topic or subject. Keep track of what sites you send the marketing emails to and put them in a folder for future reference. These can get ezine editors planning an editorial
It is advisable to constantly keep in mind that toy and game markets, amusement and entertainment venues need fresh images and tight glossy shots for promotion and product websites. Hobby webmasters, editorial photo page layout professionals, and other publishers are also always on the lookout for an image that can fill space with a few hundred words of text.
This brings us to a unique niche in Microstock photography. The luxury market of any product is going to have a website sales portal or magazine dedicated to selling that image or lifestyle. The secret to capturing the images you need for Microstock offering on a budget is finding ways to access the product that don’t cost you a fee or put a surcharge on any earnings opportunity.