One of my favorite parts of our annual Breakfast Stock Club reader survey is getting to peek at the stock photos that are selling well for you!
A big thank you to everyone who shared their best-selling stock photo of 2017, by the way.
As you’ll see below, every single photo had one thing in common…
Simplicity!
There is no doubt about it, when it comes to stock photography, simple sells.
Here’s proof from your fellow BSC readers. Each of their images below feature a clear and obvious subject with simple, clutter-free compositions.
By Teresa Otto – Best-seller last year, too!
By Cornelia Luethi
By Mary Beth Charles
By Kim Grosz
By Theresa St John – Best-seller last year, too!
By Akvals
By Cindy M.
By Elizabeth Coughlan – Best-seller last year, too!
By Valerie Haas – Best-seller last year, too!
To create beautifully simple and saleable stock photos, keep these things in mind:
- Fill the frame. Don’t be afraid to get close to your subject!
- Avoid distractions. Watch out for telephone poles, branches, bright lights, and other potential distractions. Things like this love to creep in along the edge of the frame or hide out in the background.
- Pick a subject. With busy scenes, sometimes we have to stop and think about what our subject actually is. Once you decide what you want your subject to be, get everything that doesn’t support your subject out of the frame. This brings me to the next point…
- Less is more. You don’t have to include everything in your shot. Photos with less in them are typically more useful for photo buyers.
The next time you get out your camera, focus on creating the simplest images possible for your stock photo portfolios!
[Editor’s Note: Learn more about getting started selling your photos online in stock agencies – no matter how much or little photography experience you have – in the Breakfast Stock Club e-newsletter. It’s once a week, and it’s free to join, here.]