May 26, 2012


Telling someone what to shoot already limits the growth in that particular relationship.  As Stock Photographers we get Want Lists/Briefs all the time from the big Photo Agencies.  These briefs give the photographer an idea of what to shoot and more importantly how to shoot it.  They will suggest natural authentic people doing active things in a hip lifestyle way.  By following their lead you have reduced your ability to be original and express a unique image.   You have to be in a position of power in order to create your best imagery.  When I was starting out I too would try and follow the editors lead and shoot what they wanted but over time I found that just letting go and coming up with your own ideas was a better way to go and much more rewarding.  I have had some hit and misses over the years but at least I know they were my hits and my misses. You can follow trends and be dependent on your editor coming up with photo ideas for you but what you are actually doing is following the herd mentality.  By the time an editor is suggesting an image to shoot the uniqueness is already gone and hundreds if not thousands of photographers will be shooting that idea.

Experience leads to less dependence on the so called rules of stock.  That is, work closely with your editor and let him drive the concept and art direct your shoot.  With experience you tend to do your own research, have your own ideas fermenting in your active brain and you shoot images that go with your priorities and values.  Experience will let you look at the facts of a shoot and plot a course of action that suits your inner landscape and not someone else's.

I find with this new freedom to shoot anything and everything, to immerse yourself in the infinite possibilities,  allows your ideas to germinate and come to fruition.  As you experiment with subject, composition, exposure and perspective etc.. you begin to see an image form and then you can narrow your idea down.  This creative process becomes your bread and butter for original works and not a cookie cutter assembly line reproduction of someone else's ideas.