What is microstock photography?
Microstock photography is a
subset of the stock photography industry and refers to royalty free
images sold at very low prices (microstock photography is also called
"micropayment photography"). Microstock companies source stock photos
from a large volume of photographers, and are known for being very
willing to accept submissions from amateur photographers.
Now that
you know the generic definition, we can move on to the specifics
freelance writers need to understand about this type of stock
photography. Previously I've written about how to use professional stock
photographs to help you successfully pitch and sell editors and
clients. Notice the word "professional" in that sentence.
There
are some professional photographers who go as far as saying the
microstock business is devaluing the entire profession of photography.
That is a bit dramatic, but just as successful freelance writers can
quickly tell the difference between cheaply written content and quality
copy from a professional the same is true for stock photography.
With
the benefit of being able to get cheap stock photographs can come the
tacky look of an unprofessional image. As a freelance writer it is
important to remember that everything you turn in to an editor or client
is a representation of you. If you provide an editor with superior
content next to cheap, generic photographs your entire body of work has
just become less impressive.
This is not meant to come across as a
strike against all microstock photography. There are some quality
microstock photos shot by very experienced photographers. This is just a
heeding to make sure the quality of the stock photos you purchase match
the high quality of your writing. Ideally you would be able to utilize
high quality, professional (and affordable!) stock photos to improve the
overall "package" you create for an editor or client.
The other
thing to consider is the value of your time. Usually you're using a
stock photograph to save you the time and expense of creating (or hiring
a professional photographer to create) custom photographs to accompany
your writing project. Due to the large amount of microstock photos
usually on microstock websites, you can end up spending just as long (or
longer) wading through hundreds of lesser photographs (more photo
options can be both a positive and negative) before finding the
professional, technical quality you feel confident showcasing next to
your copy.