Any photographer who shoots for microstock will sooner or later face the fact that the work is not progressing. It seems that there is time, and no one distracts, and I want it, really, I want it, but that was not the case: there is not a single idea in my head.
Here are some tips for organizing work with photo stocks, which will help curb the rebellious muse and make sure that work with photo stocks does not slip and bring results:
1. It's no secret that in any business there is a job that we love, but there is an unloved part of it. These "unloved" parts of the job can slow down the entire workflow - and you need to come up with a way to help you turn them out of your enemies into helpers. It helps someone to do a small part of a less favorite work in small parts on a schedule - every day or two or three times a week, for someone - to start the day with what they don't like: if they did something that they don't like, their favorite activity will be reward. Finally, some of the routine work can be passed on to assistants.
2. When working on new ideas and ideas, do not forget about old ones. It is important not to let the already shot or drawn material gather dust in the backyard of your hard drive: after all, time and effort has been invested in this work. If you rake the rubble more or less evenly, everything that you have planned (and what you like now) will reach micro drains. If you postpone the matter on the back burner - and the work may cease to please, and laziness can overcome.
3. Plan every shoot. So that you don't miss out on any idea that comes to mind, plan your shoot ahead of time with a short description of each keyframe. Of course, something will come to your mind during the shooting, but without planning something you will definitely forget. The same goes for props: make a list and prepare everything in advance.
4. Catch ideas. A good idea can come to mind when you are on the trolley, or in the shower, or at a boring meeting. Something interesting came to mind - be sure to write it down. You will think about and refine the idea later when the time comes, but write it down as soon as possible. Get yourself a small notebook for this purpose, or use a voice recorder in your phone - the main thing is that later you will definitely read or listen to your sketches.
But what if nothing is invented?
Probably every microstocker has faced such a state. I ought to come up with something interesting, but no ideas. Here are some tips to help you overcome this stupor.
- Look for inspiration. Interesting ideas can be everywhere: in other photos (and not necessarily advertising ones, look, for example, the old travel guides that took you on vacation last year). Parse your mail, look at the Spam folder. We all hate advertising - but the language of advertisements is often very imaginative and can lead us to an interesting idea. Flip through the reproduction albums, and imagine that you are shooting a banal cup of coffee not in monochrome tones, but in purples, like in this picture (and it doesn't matter that the picture is not coffee, but a vase of flowers).
- Try to come up with five or six unusual uses for any object that catches your eye. For example, a pen. Maybe use it instead of a leg for a small table? Or instead of a water pistol (idea: a pen that shoots - but not with water, but with oil, for example - in the hand of an oilman. Or coins. Or wine.). And what are the disadvantages of the handle? It is plastic and breaks easily (idea: a man's hand breaking a handle). Some of the ideas may seem downright stupid to you - so be it! Sooner or later, something really interesting will come to your mind.
- Don't panic and try to shoot some simple idea, even something that seems very commonplace. Some idea may come during shooting, but the most appropriate moment. And even if not - we are not creating the "Last Day of Pompeii", it will be both tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. This kind of shooting can help the brain "get" into a working state, and come up with some really worthwhile ideas. Often, such a stupor hides the usual laziness and fatigue.
Finally, if nothing comes to mind, make a list of ideas that are always in demand (wedding, business, success, parenting …) - and think about how you can express your idea using some object. How can you express the idea of making money with a ballpoint pen? And pregnancy? And nostalgia? You've probably already had two or three good ideas in mind.
