Themes and trends
When it comes to Stock Photography and Video, one important thing is that you keep an eye for themes, trends and special events and seasons.
Because those niches will have an increase of licensing images.
It is very simple. Take these images for example.
As I was shopping for a couple of groceries I needed for myself, I realised that the supermarket was already full of branded products for Halloween, so I have decided to get a couple of those to take some photos to add to my stock portfolio.
Now, when it comes to follow this trends and the seasonal themes, you need to do some preparation and plan in advance. Why?
When people are looking for images for those seasons, they need them in advance, so you have to create them and upload them probably a month in advance, so the customers haver the time to license your photos and videos and use them for their projects.
Also, when it comes to this special events and seasons, keep in mind that some editorial material will be needed. But nowadays all these seasons are about monetizing, so they will be looking for commercial images that they will also be able to monetize themselves.
I would recommend you to create as much commercial photos as you can for those photos, they will most likely get licensed way more than any editorial images you create.
Even if you are photographing something that is very commun and a lot of people will be shooting, as I said in the previous post, get some regular and traditional photos but most importantly, come out with a fun and different concept that will make your works pop up in the screen.
These images you see here are not good examples of that. They are very banal, and don't have anything special about. But this was also the first time I did "a photoshoot" that was specific to be stock photography. So I am not convinced I will get any licensed but we will see.
Back to the trends, a little research can go a long way. If you check some of the microstock agencies you are using, do some searches, see which markets and styles related with those seasons are the most saturated and have already a lot of offers. And see which ones are also popular and already have some stuff but not too saturated.
Those probably are the ones you should focus, so even if there are less people looking for it, will give you a bigger chance to be discovered.
Google can also be your friend to help you get prepared. Because yes, you have your halloweens, christmas, easter, black fridays, but what you might forget is that nowadays people come out with days, weeks, months or seasons for anything and everything. So if you can take the time, to organize it, monthly or maybe even yearly. You can do that research and come up with a calendar that will help you plan ahead and get the best photos out there.
For example, you still have a few days to create and upload for Halloween as this post came out but you should be already photographing, recording, editing and even uploading stuff for all the events that are coming in November and probably December as well.
It can feel weird to be living that much longer ahead of other people. But that what it takes to get the work out in time for the events.
Now in this case, when you are picking which events you want to create stock for, when you are doing that research on Google, don't go deep diving and do not pick something that probably no one will be looking for.
Always check the microstock agencies if there have anything there already. Because if the search results come at ZERO. That probably means that is not a very looked for theme.
Hopefully you got something from this post and it will help you to get more organised and prepared. Leading to more of your images to be licensed.
Now get out there and get photographing and recording. Grow your stock Portfolio as much as we can and make sure you are filling it up with stuff that people will be looking for.
I will also be sharing more tips and more photos from the stock portfolio so we can all keep learning together. It is never to late to start your stock photography journey.
Christmas is a big one, but also, there are already so much stock photography and video out there. And in 2024, more and more stuff will come out. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't add to it. Because your stuff might be the one to be picked.
The Microstock sites I am on:
Shutterstock
Pond5
Dreamstime
Depositphotos
500px
Posted Using InLeo Alpha
