A reader recently wrote in saying she was confused by what type of camera is required to shoot for stock. Do you need to have a DSLR? What about the smaller, mirrorless type cameras? Not to mention that now some agencies are even accepting photos taken with mobile phones (as we’ve been talking about the past two weeks). So what’s the deal? 
There’s no doubt about it, when it comes to cameras, there is a bewildering array of options. It can be pretty overwhelming. So, what kind of camera do you need if you want to get started selling images as stock? Simply put, you need a camera that can take high quality images. When you zoom in to 100% on the photo, it shouldn’t look pixelated or grainy. Image quality depends upon the sensor in your camera. These days, most DSLR’s and mirrorless cameras will produce the results you want. Stock agencies specify in their submission guidelines about the minimum file size they require. It varies by agency but it’s really important to pay attention to this when you upload. If you’re not sure what file size your camera shoots, right click on an image file on your computer and look at the file info to see the size. Now the one exception to all of this is the genre of “Mobile Stock.” Stock agencies understand that photos taken with phones will be of a lower quality because the sensor is so much smaller than other cameras. The reason they still want these types of shots is because the look of cell phone snapshots is a popular trend at the moment. Images taken with a cell phone need to be keyworded as “mobile” when you upload, to differentiate them from regular camera shots. I hope this helps answer some common questions. Happy shooting! — Bonnie Bonnie Caton Creator, Breakfast Stock Club
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The Latest from Your Breakfast Stock Club Facebook Page From Judith Culp:
This morning I got notice from Dreamstime that they have accepted 9 of the 10 images I submitted. Feeling validated. From Theresa St. John: Super excited! Not only do I have 2,346 images on Dreamstime alone, I just hit 65% acceptance with them. It’s hard! Just reading and paying attention to the reasons any image is declined and trying to learn from it. A year ago, I was at 28% accepted. I guess I’m a good student.