Stock photography

[mike lee]

Taken at live wedding, using overhead lighting only.
I was thinking of using it for a stock photo, and wanted to know if there is anything one can do in post processing to make it more commercial?

Using Canon 1d + 24-105 zoom lens

This is a general question.
Can commercial photography, as in stock photography, be done live or must they be taken in studio conditions?

Thanks for your time

[camilla_k]

hmm... make it a bit more contrasty. and maybe make the colors a bit better. it needs a bit more punch. i also think the bread thing looks a little burned (haha), so maybe lighten up those really dark patches?

stock photography guidelines depend on the guidelines of the company you will end up using. they all might differ a little from each other. do some research and look at stock photos others have taken.

i dont think there is any "rule" anywhere about it only being studio shots. "lifestyle" stock is all about running on that beach with that sunny flare in the background isnt it? cant do that in a studio

[TommyO]

I think it would be very difficult to approach stock photography from a generic, or arbitrary, approach to your photography. It's just too broad of a market. The same applies for our advise or feedback. However, if you were focusing on just "food" for instance, then it would be easier for you, and much much easier for us to provide you some feedback.

For still images, like food, a studio would save tons of time in post processing. For instance in this image, Camilla is right... the colors need to be adjusted for both "pop" and clarity. Distractions need to be removed; depth of field is very important - while the bread is almost in focus, the pineapples are not. Since there is no studio lighting, you will have to add a few highlights to add sparkle to the glassware and wine bottles... and so on, and so on. Again, a studio would make it so much easier. Don't get me wrong, even in a studio things go wrong and food does not wait for you to get the best shot... it wilts, dries out, looses its bubbles, etc. But, you can control the environment.

If you're not talking food, then you would have to pick something, or some genre for us to provide constructive advise.

[mike lee]

Originally Posted by camilla_k

hmm... make it a bit more contrasty. and maybe make the colors a bit better.

Thank you.
Can you please explain what you mean by the colors. Which colors should I change? I made the plates white because they are white. So how can I change that?

Thanks for your time
mike (UK)

[mikedimples]

Great photo, it looks very tasty! Here's what I did in Photoshop CS4:

-Curves adjustment for contrast

-Curves adjustment bringing up yellow and red, masking to foods

-Vibrance adjustment layer masked to food/chairs

-Slight burn and dodge on bread to bring out the depth

-Darkening the tablecloth slightly, it was blown out when I raised the highlights (this kind of stuff works great on RAW files)

-Changed background to cool tones with a hue adjustment layer, sloppily masked to only background. This allows the warm color of the bread/pineapple to stand out more as well as separate your background.

-Cropped in a little closer to focus on the food more. I'm aware that it's slightly lopsided now, but before it seems much more edible at the closer view.

-Slight vignette, just because the edges were so white


Again, great work. Do you have a website? I'd love to see more of your pictures.

[mikedimples]

Or if you wanted to push the stylization farther, here's a rushed example of something I've been asked to do, although it's not to my taste, it might sell for you.

Do you or the photographer shoot in RAW or JPEG?

[mike lee]

I shot in RAW and... thanks for your great ideas.