Copyright Basics

Whether you are a professionally-trained photographer or a hobbyist who is moving into the stock photography market, your work is protected by certain copyright parameters. (If you decide to upload your images to a stock site that specializes in free or very cheap stock images, you will likely forfeit some of these rights). Here are some guidelines about stock photography copyrights from iStockphoto.com:

*From the moment a work is created, it is protected by copyright for 70 years after the photographer's death.

*Copyright can be transferred or renewed by the photographer's spouse or next of kin.

*The title of a photograph cannot be copyrighted and therefore has no protection under law.

*Photographers must take responsibility to monitor their own copyrights. Otherwise they may expire. Also, if an author fails to satisfy statutory formalities of copyright, the protection may be lost.

*Some photographers decide to hand over the management of their copyrights to another professional so they can focus more on their work at hand.

Creative Ideas for Your Blog Pictures

It used to be that stock photography was only available to professional marketing and graphic design firms. But, since computer technology is so advanced, now anyone anywhere can obtain a quality stock photo. So you can make your blog stand out and make it look more professional.

Use your imagination when adding photos to your blog:

*Find three different angles of the same shot and place them next to each other. This is called a triptych.

*If you use people photos in your blog, find shots where the subject is not staring directly into the camera. This makes the viewer wonder more about that photo and what the subject is thinking.

*If you use nature shots, one of the most popular types of stock photos, find one that has a different perspective than you are used to seeing. For example, a close up of an interesting leaf or a shot looking straight up from the ground at a landscape.

*Use free stock photography sites to find photos that have a theme or a color scheme. You might even create your own blog design by just perusing what is out there. It's easy to have fun with blog pictures.

Good Royalty Free Photos May Get Used More Often

While royalty free stock photography sounds like a great deal, there are drawbacks, like anything. When choosing stock photography for a presentation or graphic design project, most people want a fresh image that will not appear elsewhere. This helps get a specific message across and build a company's brand image. However, since royalty free stock photography is readily and easily available and less expensive than traditional stock photography, it may be more likely that someone else will use the same image you do. Therefore, the uniqueness of your message may be diluted. 

Pictures for Presentations: Eliminate Backgrounds

With the millions of stock photos out there for you to use in your presentation, how do you  know which ones to choose? What makes a photograph good enough for a presentation? What should you avoid when choosing a stock photo?

One of the most important things to avoid in a photo is a busy background. The eye needs enough of an interesting image to be drawn into the photo, but when there is too much to look at it becomes overwhelming. So, when there is significant background aspects in a photo of a pet or person, the quality and expression are lost. If you choose a photo with a busy background, your audience won't see the impact and emotion you are trying to get across in your presentation.

Rights Managed Stock Photography

Thanks to the Internet, lots of opportunities have opened up for savvy consumers to find photos online for a variety of personal and commercial uses. Some people jump at the chance to buy a stock photo online versus hiring a professional photographer to take a specific photo.

One type of photo you might find online is called a rights managed stock photo. These are most often of a very high quality and shot by a professional photographer who knows how to capture a compelling image. However, since professional know-how went into creating that image, you cannot use it without permission and paying a fee.

Some of the uses of rights managed photography include: advertisements, online newsletters, websites and multimedia presentations. These photos are purchased for a fee for a limited use. Rights managed stock photos differ from royalty-free photos in that royalty-free shots can often be used multiple times and for multiple uses.

What is Stock Photography?

People who make their living as photographers have a variety of ways they can earn money. Often, a client, either an individual or a company, wants a certain type of photo and so they assign that photo to a professional to take. But, another way photographers can sell photos is by taking an image and allowing that image to be used by others for a multitude of purposes. This is called stock photography. These images for purchase can be bought by more than one individual or company over time. That gives the photographer the chance to earn money numerous times for the same photographic image. It also gives the client a good photo at a lower price point.

Buying Online Stock Photos

The market of stock photography has been around for several decades, but the advancement and general acceptance of the Internet has changed the way people buy photos that are considered stock photography. In one sense, many people report that finding stock photos has become easier since the advent of digital technology. But you should be aware that all stock photography websites have their own system, log-on procedures and type of search engines. So, be prepared to spend extra time the first time you buy stock photos online.

Resolution and the number of pixels

High resolution images are composed of more pixels than low resolution images. Photos made up of many small pixels generally look smooth and crisp. Those made up of fewer, larger pixels may appear jagged and unclear. However, this does not mean that a photo with a lower dpi (or resolution) is always unusuable. If you plan to use a stock photo in a small size (such as a wallet photo), you can use a photo with a lower resolution and still get a good result.

Free Stock Photos Are Easy to Find

More than likely you have heard of stock photography before. Stock photos have been around for a long time and consist of large collections of professional camera shots in seemingly endless categories --people, places, landscapes, animals, celebrities, sports and business photos.

However, in the past several years a new trend has emerged in the field of stock photography. Stock photography websites now offer many of the shots they have catalogued free of charge. Usually, all you have to do is log on, register, read up on the subject, select your photo and then follow the download instructions.

While many professional designers and marketing experts choose to pay royalty fees for stock shots, people who need good photography for all types of print productions can choose to download a photo for free. However, when you do so, you are still required to read any and all legal rules that are associated with that photo.

To find free stock photos, just do a simple online search: use the keywords "free stock photo" and you'll be deluged with sites you can access. However, remember not all website companies are legitimate so exercise caution before you start downloading.

The Power of Black-and-White Photography

Most images, photos and advertising products are full of color. Web designers have taken color to a whole new level thanks to specialized software design programs. Companies even spend a great deal of time deciding just which shade of red or yellow most effectively communicates their particular message.

You might be tempted to think that black-and-white stock photography is old-fashioned and therefore not an effective way to communicate a message to your audience. But, photographers have special knowledge and unique ways of using high-tech equipment so black-and-white images are intriguing and memorable.

Black-and-white images play not only with composition of the subject matter, but also with contrasting light with shadow. Because black-and-white photography is more rare in advertising, this type of image may be just the one to get your audience's attention. Good black-and-white photos present the "dance" of light and shadow without a distracting flash-like glare.

Software programs allow designers to take a color shot and make it a black-and-white image. This is especially popular with architecture stock photography and is a good illustration of the power of black-and-white images.

Adjust Your Monitor When Choosing Popular Stock Photos

If you are just a beginner when it comes to buying stock photography, you'll want to avoid some of the common problems associated with downloading images. One such problem can be caused by improper calibration of your monitor. Ask anyone who has downloaded a free stock photo -- only to discover late that it has an odd tone or color-cast in the image -- and you'll learn how frustrating and time consuming buying the wrong image can be.

If you want to better your chances of choosing the best stock photo for your use, consider calibrating your monitor for the best color. There are now a number of tools that can do just this. One tool is Spyder2 from ColorVision.

You may think you are seeing a white background or a blue sky, but once you use a particular stock shot, the exact tone you thought you had might not seem right. By adjusting your monitor, you can avoid problems like these when buying popular stock photos, whether they are of people, places, nature or food.