OK, the books on this page are starting to show their age a bit, but so what? Though some are even out of print, they are ALL still attainable and contain valuable insight for stock photographers, so make the effort to track ‘em down.
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“Photographing People for Stock,” by Nancy Brown. Publisher: Amphoto Books/Watson-Guptill Publications (1993).
I’m not sure anyone on the planet could possibly provide more insight into working with people and creating stock images than Nancy Brown. After all, she was a much sought-after model for two decades, and thus understands exactly what it’s like to be on the side of the lens that the camera is pointing at. Like all models, of course, there came a point when age forced a career change, and in her case it resulted in a very seamless and successful transition behind the lens as a commercial shooter who went on to become one of the very best selling photographers at The Image Bank (prior to its purchase by Getty Images, this was the world’s largest and best-known stock picture library).
here’s good news and bad news about this book. First, the bad news: a) it’s out of print, so you have to either hope that your library has it or pick up a used copy from Amazon, and b) the almost 200 color images in the book, while providing a fascinating historical overview of people-oriented stock in the 1980’s, are horribly dated in terms of their relevance to today’s stock image styles.
Now the good news: you can still learn a hell of a lot from this terrific tome! Brown’s anecdotes and stock business insight make for a good read that’s also educational for any photographer who can get beyond the dated styles of the images themselves.
Here are just a couple of timeless tidbits that are just as meaningful today as they were when this book was first published:
t is crucial to frame subjects many ways - vertically, horizontally, up close, father back, and so forth – in stock photography. This gives clients much more to choose from for their layouts, significantly increasing your sales potential.”
“My theory about stock photography is that you should concentrate in a few areas to be really successful and to do the best work.”
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“Stock Photography Business Forms: Everything You Need to Succeed in Stock Photography,” by Michal Heron. Publisher: Amphoto Books/Watson-Guptill Publications (1997).
Michael Heron knows the stock photo business: she’s been a professional photographer for over a quarter of a century and has authored two other stock-related books in addition to this one.
Bottom line: you’re a photographer, not an attorney, CPA, stylist or studio manager, right? Right. And yet, if you don’t have at least some of the skills of all of those, you’re not going to be a successful stock shooter. So, you need this book. Period. Don’t even think about it, just go out and get it.
here else can you possibly find model release forms, production checklists, tax worksheets, budget forms, promotion analysis sheets and much, much more, all in one compendium? You’ll profit greatly from Heron’s experience, the wisdom of which is summed up in this quote from the book:
“There are an overwhelming number of details to attend to between the first glimmer of a photo concept and having a beautifully executed photograph ready to sell. Many a creative photographer doesn’t harvest the potential of stock, not for lack of talent, but because of the logistical difficulties.”
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| “Selling Stock Photography: How to Market Your Photographs for Maximum Profit,” by Lou Jacobs, Jr. Publisher: Amphoto Books/Watson-Guptill Publications (1992).
Lou Jacobs, Jr. has authored 25 books on photography, taught photography courses (including at UCLA and the Brooks Institute of Photography), and sold stock images through a variety of picture agencies. He also served as president of ASMP, and has written extensively about photography for both print and online media.
This book was published right at the dawning of the digital age in the stock image industry and it shows. The fact that “New Technologies in Stock” occupies a miniscule 7-page chapter is indicative of how out of sync this book is with today’s stock environment and its 21st century reliance upon scanning, websites and e-commerce.
aving said that, I heartily recommend that you read and pay attention to this book! Sure, there’s a bunch of stuff that’s outdated, but such sections as “Best Stock Subjects to Shoot and Market,” “Designing Good Stock Images,” “Editing Philosophy: Be Ruthless,” “Salesmanship and Business Aptitude” and “Negotiating Techniques” contain enough pearls of wisdom to justify adding this book to your reference collection. Also, the comments in the “Advice From Stock Photographers” section makes for great “from the trenches” reading and is generally still quite relevant.
Although this book is out of print, some libraries have it, and Amazon usually has used copies available for just a few bucks, so go for it!
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“Stock Photography: The Complete Guide,” by Ann & Carl Purcell. Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books (1993).
This is yet another one of those books that you can often find either in your local library or as a “used” edition on Amazon.com. As you would expect of a book that’s over a decade old, there’s very little here that’s useful regarding digital photo equipment or marketing stock via the web. And, many of the photos used to illustrate the authors’ ideas were produced in the style of a bygone era that screams “dated!”
nd yet, one can’t dismiss so easily the underlying advice freely given here by one of stock’s preeminent stock producer couples. For example: “Some photographers assume that the best stock pictures come from exotic destinations such as Tibet or Afghanistan. In fact, the very best stock pictures, ones that will sell again and again, can be taken in your hometown and often in your own backyard. The ideal subjects might be your own family.” This advice is just as true in the digital era as it was in the analog days…especially the tip about avoiding Afghanistan!
Or, how about this, related to “Pricing Your Pictures”: “Too many photographers minimize their own skills and value. The worst mistake you can make is to undersell yourself.” Some things never change, so seek out these pearls of wisdom and ignore the prehistoric stuff. And, don’t forget the pictures. I know, I said lots of them are dated. That’s true, but…because the Purcells specialize in travel images rather than, say, lifestyles, there are still a fair number of their photos that retain a timeless quality and communicative power that’s missing in, say, the images in Nancy Brown’s book.
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“Stock Photography: Professional Techniques and Images,” by Ulrike Welsch. Publisher: Amherst Media, Inc. (1999).
A native German who emigrated to the USA in 1964, Ulrike Welsh was the first female staff photographer at a newspaper in Boston. She worked at both the Boston Herald Traveler and the Boston Globe, and in 1974 she was named New England Press Photographer of the Year. Beginning in the early 1980s, she worked as a freelance photographer and participated in the 1981 “A Day in the Life of Australia” project. She has traveled extensively in German, French and Spanish speaking countries in search of stock images.
There are primarily two things about Welsch’s book that earn it a recommendation from me.
umber One, most of the books that are available on stock photography lean heavily toward the commercial side of the business. This one is different: although many of Ms. Welsch’s images would be right at home in a commercial environment, her background as a newspaper photographer, and later as a successful contributor to textbooks, comes through loud and clear. Her ability to capture photos with strong emotion and story-telling impact is vividly displayed, mainly in black-and-white (though there are some color images included as well). For those aspiring stock shooters who are not intent on shooting the all-pervasive commercial subject sectors like “lifestyles” or “business,” this book is a refreshing and perhaps even inspirational departure.
umber Two: when I read “Stock Photography” it felt like I was the photographer’s assistant, being let in on every detail and priceless morsel of knowledge, bit by bit and over time, about how a successful, working photographer practices her craft. This is accomplished by showing over 50 examples of Welsh’s best images, each one accompanied by descriptive text written in first-person. The result is a book that feels far more intimate than most “how-to” tomes. The reader gains anecdotal insight into why images were composed a certain way, which equipment was used, how to get started in stock photography, elements that make the “setting” for an image, tracking image usage and much more.
Both the imagery and the creator are decidedly “old school,” and yet there’s much within the book’s content that’s useful and applicable in today’s stock picture business. For those who are seeking something different from the usual “how to shoot stock pictures” texts, this one’s worth a read.
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