The Portable Camera
structure & color
The above image was taken on a photo capture assignment for a geographically based domain name. I was surprised how an ambitious day spent capturing images could yield so much diversified microstock product. The “take” from just one day had me cropping from weeks. I saw very quickly from my volume of photos that the right camera could pullme ahead of the game.
I prefer a camera that yields images of such great resolution very little Photoshopping or polishing is required. It really can be a time absorber to have to examine filter, sharpen and crop every one of thosuands of images a week. Work with your time and shrink the image development cycle. Take smart shots on walkabout you know will matter later.
I liked being able to look for certain colors to fill up the portfolio. I also became much more conversant in how a great big shot in the pedestrian view could get really really miniscule in the microstock proportions.
The excitement I had getting all this color into the shot was fun, since the shadowed light at the end of the day provided a foreground of color within the intersecting lines. This walkabout featured a lot of pictures that filled up a image box with color.
I would submit this as one of the microstock theme sites within a portfolio and get feedback from other members. It’s possible the actual owner or operator of this business would want to buy the picture, or neighborhood business also. This image has excellent microstock potential for resale. Good keywords for this image would be structure, building, parking, modern, white, and green.
Budget constraints may require creative shopping. Is a time directive driving the camera shopping process, or is there a quality question with current images? Review which lighting settings work with what kind of lens. Do you usually work close up, or are remote magnification lenses the type your best work originates from?
Going on a photo taking journey needs mobility, energy, good light, temperate weather, and hopefully no crowds. The portable camera should not have an overly delicate assembly. Jarring during travel or walking could injure an overly vulnerable camera.
The camera should have a fixed and secure battery housing and a easily workable lens mechanism. Practiced microstock photographers taking exterior shots should be able to load new batteries, change memory sticks, and turn the camera off and on without breaking their gaze from composition material.
Battery life should have some kind of measurable efficiency. Cold weather photography sucks battery life out of cameras, dramatically shortening photography working durations. Portable cameras that go on travel excusrions need to be able to be serviced locally. An exotic model can be pricey and time consuming to repair.
Don’t believe every rating you read. Test the camera in various types of weather to check image quality in cold and hot temperatures. Electronic interface featured cameras will have extreme weather temperature “bugs”.
