photo by Thayer Gowdy

1. OVERVIEW
Taking great pictures of couples and families should be a slam dunk for most photographers; we all understand these relationships first-hand, and our personal networks should yield some immediate casting options.

However, buyers complained more about the 'bad acting' syndrome in this category than any other. The majority of family and couples work feels staged and dated - two total disqualifiers in the world of stock.

Not surprisingly then, the photographers we interviewed who are excelling in this field cited the following two critical success factors: 1) great casting - finding people who can act naturally in front of the camera and who have chemistry together, and 2) storytelling - setting up a conceptual framework that your models can act within, and that gives buyers a useful context for illustrating their own narratives.

Continue reading below to learn more about breaking free from clichéd family photography -- and bringing in the money from stock sales.



photo by Jon Ragel

2. DEFINITIONS
Families obviously come in all shapes in sizes, and so do couples. What exactly do buyers want to see? There is room for a range of casting here, but here are some guidelines that we discovered:

• The greatest demand involves families where the children are between the ages of 8-16. There doesn't seem to be much demand for families with grown children, and any younger than 8 and it's more about the kids themselves than a family story. The main demand is for ages 8-16, where the family is really the core institution.

• Couples can be of all ages but the primary demand is for couples in their late 20s, 30s and 40s. (Senior couples are addressed in the 'Seniors' section)

• Ethnic diversity is badly needed across families + couples.

• 'Alternate lifestyle' gay/lesbian casting is also needed.

photo by Thayer Gowdy


3. INTRODUCTIONS
It seems like almost everyone had something to add to this category - it was a fun group! We'd specifically like to introduce and thank the following experts, who had the most to say on the subject:

BUYERS

• Chris Benton - LyonHeart (Art Buyer)
• Susan Hennessy - Family Circle (Assistant Photo Editor)
• Karalyn Leavens - AgencyRX (Art Supervisor)
• Thu Nguyen - American Express Custom Solutions (Deputy Art Director)
• Ana Suarez - Grey Worldwide (Senior Art Buyer)
• Susan Wetherby - Discovery Communications (Lead Art Buyer)

PHOTOGRAPHERS

• Thayer Gowdy
• Jon Ragel

4. TOP BUYER TIPS

• Everything looks staged or dated. These are the number one and two buyer complaints in this category. Couples and family members know each other the best and are at their most natural together. Make sure that's what you capture.

photo by Jon Ragel

• 
  
• Tell a story. Resist the temptation to do family portraits - show interactions and activities. Starting with the alarm clock in the morning, plan a shotlist of everyday moments - a couple spending Sunday morning together, a busy family rushing out the door - if you can capture these every day moments beautifully, you will be on your way.
  

photo by Nancy Ney

• Stay general. At the same time, don't get too specific. Think through basic family concepts, tensions, and unifying themes - and shoot those in a way that they could be used to illustrate a wide variety of usages.

• Be subtle. It's challenging to show interactions between people in photographs without being too obvious. If you want to show a couple fighting, find a way to imply that tension without having the woman in the foreground with her arms crossed and the man expressing anger in the background. Stay away from exaggerated facial expressions and body language.

photo by Thayer Gowdy

• Show a range of emotions. Lifestyle mandates primarily happy scenarios, but buyers are trying to illustrate a range of situations. When you plan your shoot, make sure you allocate some time to get beyond the smiles and capture family or relationship tension as well.

• Get a range of set-ups. Make sure you shoot the whole family in activities, but also shoot each model independently, and then in various pairings - mom and dad, mom and kid(s), dad and kid(s), just the siblings. etc.

photo by Jon Ragel

• Cast diverse models. When you plan your shoot conceptually, search around the stock sites and see what ethnicities are missing in the topic range that you are planning. Cast models from those missing ethnicities.

• Shoot seasons + celebrations. As part of your storytelling, remember that buyers need to show families/couples throughout the day but also throughout the year. Try shooting some seasonal scenarios - think about what a family or couple does in the spring versus the winter and stage those shots.

photo by Thayer Gowdy

• Show parents and teens. Several buyers mentioned that there are not enough images of parenting situations with teens - when parenting can be at its most complex. Think through the good and the bad and capture the range of situations. Again, being subtle and realistic.

• Casting is king. Casting is so critical to these shoots. If you are casting models, make sure they look and work great together, not just individually. They should look like they belong together.
  

Real Simple, March 2008.

• Capture energy. Make sure your images have energy. You don't want to just shoot people lifelessly put together in fake situations. Get an energy-filled shot where people are interacting and having fun.

• Shoot series. As in many other categories, showing the same models in different scenarios is helpful as a series for buyers who need to put together extended narratives - brochures, etc.

• Watch your Production Values. Although buyers always want authenticity, they cannot use images that are poor quality technically or in terms of styling, props, and models. Family snapshots will not cut it. You need to cast good models (real people or actual models) and take well-lit pictures.

Real Simple, April 2008


5. PHOTOGRAPHER TIPS

• Casting Casting Casting. Thayer and Jon both have top-notch lifestyle portfolios that capture people in extremely natural looking situations. They both emphasized the importance of good casting as your starting point. As Jon says, 'You can talk to someone for 48 seconds and know if they'll be good in front of the camera. Are they comfortable with their body, the way they sit, talk, stand, and look? If you do good filtering, 9 out of 10 times good individual models will be good together - but you need to bring them back and do some casting snaps together - make sure they can find interpersonal chemistry as a duo. It's like a good meal - start with good ingredients and the meal will taste good."

Glamour, May 2008




photo by Jon Ragel

• Use real families. While Thayer and Jon both frequently work with models, they prefer to find real families. As Thayer says, "Cast for a family. I did a Dockers ad and we talked them into casting real people because we needed authenticity. It's just different. You can tell when a kid really hugs his mom." Thayer recommends finding networks of moms - everyone loves to get great pictures of their families.

• Use models for couples. Jon and Thayer tend to use models for couples - you can find two people who have never met before but who come together with amazing chemistry - the shoot takes off and you are just getting great stuff. It is rare to find a real couple where they both look great on camera and have the look you are going for. Of course, if you've got a great looking real couple, take advantage of it and capture that intimacy. But otherwise, cast models. As Thayer points out - it does actually work, she's had models start dating after the shoot!

photo by Nancy Ney

• Tell a story. As the buyers also pointed out, you need to provide a framework for these shoots. You can get creative within the framework, but either create a conceptual situation or an actual activity for the models to work within. This is especially true with real people - they aren't actors. You will get more natural shots if you give them something to do. It will also be more fun - make it an adventure.

• Use natural lighting. Again, this stuff needs to look real. Don't over-light your shoots. Understand your locations and scout at various times of the day so you can plan your shoot around the best light.

• Engage in the shoot. Get your models to relax by being personally energetic and involved. As Jon says, 'People need the feedback, they need to hear the camera clicking - if you stop or act unsatisfied, they will lose energy and motivation."

All You, May 2008

6. KEYWORDING TIPS + MODEL RELEASES

• Always get model releases
• Specify age and age range of the models in your keywords ('teens' etc.)
• Include gender and ethnicity as keywords
• Include 'family' or 'couple' as keywords!
• Indicate the season (summer etc.)
• Always describe the emotional tone of the picture: sad, serious, crying, happy, surprised etc.
• Describe the colors in the picture, especially of clothing
• Describe the story: breakfast, Sunday, morning, etc.
• Use concepts - family tension, teenage angst etc.
• Describe the setting - outdoor, indoor - any attributes of the environment

photo by Jon Ragel


7. SHOTLIST [download]
Here are some ideas to get you started. As usual, just consider these a jumping off point - buyers really want to photographers come up with new scenarios here. As always, consider all of the following scenarios across all ethnicities.


COUPLES

• Cooking together
• Hanging around non-sexually - doing everyday things
• In bed having fun, being intimate/massage/kissing
• Looking bored/having relationship problems/concerned/fighting
• Getting ready in the morning- getting dressed, brushing teeth together
• Driving together
• Eating breakfast/dinner at home
• Eating out
• Watching TV
• Looking at a computer together
• Leisure- at the beach, in a hotel, on a balcony, skiing (non-cheesy travel)
• Overall hugging, holding hands, mostly happy/laughing but some serious variations of each shot are be useful too
• Couples with pets

FAMILIES

• Parents getting kids ready for school- dressing, making lunches, brushing teeth
• Eating breakfast/dinner together at home- should be vibrant and full of energy but bright and clean
• On vacation- packing up the minivan, going camping, on the beach, at the pool
• Mom and kid, dad and kid- having fun
• Natural interaction all together in the living room, kitchen, watching TV
• Activities- board games, video games, outdoor sports- catch, hula hoops, riding bicycles
• Tension in family during teen years
• Positive scenarios during teen years
• Families cooking together and making healthy food choices - preparing fruits + vegetables
• Series of images - family going through the day
• Halloween
• "Lush, magical holiday photography"
• Family with dog or cat on carpet/rug
• Family finances
• Busy families heading out the door
• Divorce situations
• Families having fun outdoors
• Family shopping
• Mom + daughter arguing over shopping/fashion
• Families using technology

photo by Thayer Gowdy


8. PARTICIPATE
Are you a buyer or photographer with extensive experience relevant to this category? We'd love to hear from you! Please email us with any additions to the Shotlist, Tips, or any other sections of this article. We look forward to it!

photos (l-r): Nancy Ney, Stephen Zeigler, Glenn Glasser


1. OVERVIEW
We have established 'Lifestyle' as the cornerstone category of the School of Stock because it is the cornerstone of stock photography in general.

To many people in the industry, Lifestyle photography is synonymous with stock photography. At its worst, Lifestyle is a laughably robotic parody of real life. At its best, Lifestyle is the apex of sellability and perfection in commercial photography.

While we cannot present you with a single, precise definition for 'Lifestyle,' we have tried to present below several visual and written descriptions that together will provide a tangible understanding of what this elusive term encompasses.



photos: Thayer Gowdy, Eric O'Connor


2. DEFINITIONS
We asked 20 different buyers for a definition of Lifestyle photography and received 20 different answers - although they all hinted at the same aspects. The same was true for a related term: 'non-stocky.' This is what we've gleaned on both fronts:

A) What is Lifestyle Photography?
Lifestyle photography is pictures of people doing everyday things - cooking, on vacation, parenting, dealing with health or financial or business situations - the list is endless.

In most cases, Lifestyle photography is upbeat, optimistic, fun, and lighthearted. The lighting is usually natural looking; the aesthetic effect is "light and airy." The models are above-average attractive and energetic, but not 'model pretty' - they need to be believable. 

And the locations are actually locations. If they are in a studio, then an environment is staged to help tell the story of the image. There is always an implied context or story to the images.

Lastly, because it is aspirational, Lifestyle photography needs to have great production values. This is commercial imagery that paints an ideal - all of the details must be attended to including lighting, casting and styling.


 
photos: Andrea Wyner, Jon Ragel, Emily Nathan


Here are our experts describing Lifestyle photography in their own words:





photo by Andrea Wyner






photo by Alex Tehrani


B) What do buyers mean when they say we want images that are 'non-stocky'?
Buyers basically here are referring to the worst of stock photography: posed, over-lit, dated, cheesy, heavy-handed.

In their own words:





photos: Brad Nelson, Kathy Quirk-Syvertsen







 
photos: Inti St. Clair, Andrea Wyner


3. SHOTLIST
We recommend you read through all of the sub-articles within Lifestyle, as well as some of the general topic articles - especially 'Production Values.'

But because there is needed imagery in Lifestyle beyond the sub-categories we chose, here also is a more general shotlist to consider as a jumping off point. Remember to cast diverse models across all of your shoots.

NOTE: General lifestyle images can encompass basically anything a person or group of people could do with their day. Any of these topics could be shot using people of any gender or age, with couple or families, and where applicable as groups of friends.

• Waking up
• Brushing teeth
• Making Breakfast
• Taking medicine
• Taking a shower
• Putting on makeup, other female grooming scenarios
• Shaving; men's grooming
• Getting dressed, choosing clothes
• Traveling to work, or school (public transportation, driving, biking)
• Working or being at school (every kind of job, from blue collar to professional, all levels of school)
• Having a social/business or school lunch
• Using a laptop to do work, schoolwork at a desk with or without laptop (use modern technology)
• Making a phone call, cell phone, home or desk phone (use modern technology)
• Reading
• Going to the gym, exercising, sports, after school activities
• Doing homework, working in a home office
• Preparing a meal
• Having dinner
• Watching TV
• Leisure home activities, like playing in the backyard, having drinks on the porch, playing video games, hobbies - this is a broad area.
• Nightlife activities, at a bar, restaurant, dancing, party, going to the theater, movies etc.
• Romance, dating, intimacy, friendship, family love, sexuality
• Pets, activities with pets, pet care
• Cleaning
• Working on the house home improvement
• Shopping
• Getting in bed, tucking in the kids
• Sleeping

The following requests were provided directly from buyers as part of our recent survey:

• Obesity - overweight people in normal situations that are not disrespectful/ridiculing
• Women and hobbies (crafts)
• Teamwork
• Men or women cleaning
• Adult college education/adults learning
• Barefoot on carpet/rug
• Angry or unhappy, frustrated people
• Beautiful women of all ethnicities in 20s/30s, smiling - portraits
• Spontaneous, active people outdoors
• Wedding situations
• Waking up
• 40-somethings doing anything (especially women)
• Women with appliances
• People with flaws
• People driving
• NYC/urban/artsy lifestyle
• Woman at garage sale
• Woman with an injury
• Non-posed social occasions
• Walking/jogging
• Musicians/singers
• Very stylish people in  various settings - but not fashion
• Racing fans
• Motorcyle enthusiasm
• Quirky people
• Everyday activities being executed clearly (taking out garbage etc.)
• Suspense
• Surprise
• Feeling of freedom
• Riding lawn mowers
• Men with babies engaged in daily activities
• Normal people doing extraordinary things
• People packing for a trip
• People in nightclub
• Indoor lifestyle shots with a large amount of floor visible
• Friends hanging out
• Folk music
• Feet in  boots walking in water
• Drinking water from glasses (not bottles) after working out and otherwise
• Men working out
• Confidence
• Women walking - not for exercise - walking dogs, in nature etc.
• Camping
• Advocacy
• Real disabled people doing everyday activities
• People writing
• Women in positions of power
• Woman or man in danger
• Social issues
• Handsome men/cowboys
• Series: same person in various stages of the day (day in the life)
• Pride
• People in costumes
• Lifestyle centered around movie making or movie festivals
• Hospitality
• Homeless
• Hip/trendy people on locations
• Full body shots or poses of men/women
• Distraught people
• Co-teachers
• Contemporary urban lifestyles
• Mom making school lunches
• Crowds at events
• Boat lifestyle
• Happy exuberant women - NOT jumping
• Abstractions
• Women with money
• People jogging/doing activities in suburban environments
• Women with bandanas/hats
• Close-ups of hands/hands doing actions
• Etiquette
• Lifestyle centered around wine
• Contemplative mature women
• RV lifestyle
• Stylish faces with different expressions

photo by Glenn Glasser


4. PARTICIPATE
Are you a buyer or photographer with extensive experience relevant to this category? We'd love to hear from you! Please email us with any additions to the Shotlist, Tips, or any other sections of this article.

We look forward to it!

photo by Jon Ragel

1. OVERVIEW
'Diversity' is not so much a category unto itself as it is a basic tenet of all stock photography that should be taken into consideration every time you approach a shoot. If you were to read just two articles out of this entire blog, it would be this one, and 'Production Values.'

Shooting across ethnicities is one of the best business decisions you will make as a photographer and is also a critical re-orientation that needs to occur in our industry. The need for diverse models is not driven by a feel-good desire to be politically correct - it is driven by the fact that images need to reflect real life. As Senior Art Buyer Leah Hamilton says, 'Show me the truth or I will have to shoot it myself to get it right.'

Looking at the US alone, 1/3 of our population is non-white; that's 100 million people. Hispanic and Latino Americans count for half of our annual population growth, and 45% of American children under the age of 5 are non-white. Looking across the world, 92% of the entire human population is non-white. That's 6 billion consumers - do you think the magazines, advertising agencies, publishers, and corporations we sell our images to are ignoring this population in their sales and marketing plans? Then why are stock photographers?

As individual photographers and as a company, the strongest message we could send to the buyer community would be to suddenly provide them with a fresh batch of lifestyle photography that runs the gamut of ethnicities. Let's get with the program photographers. Let's get out there and shoot REAL LIFE.




Heart and Soul, July 2008; photo by Inti St. Clair


2. DEFINITIONS
What exactly do buyers mean when they say they want to see diversity? Does this mean 'the Benetton ad' where a group of people includes someone from every corner of the earth? Which ethnicities should I represent?

While there are a lot of questions around how to achieve 'diversity,' there are no definitive answers- except probably for 'all of above.' But here are some general guidelines to go by as you cast your shoots:

• If you are shooting anything having to do with business, health care, education, or kids, make sure shots including more than one person represent more than one race. In this case, yes, think of that Benetton ad. Also shoot the models individually so you have individual scenarios covered as well.

•  For any other areas, either find gaps in the marketplace and represent them (i.e., there are very few pictures of Indian, Hispanic or Middle Eastern babies) - or just make it a business habit to shoot an assortment of models.

•  If you are from a non-white ethnicity and have access to neighborhoods or scenes that really reflect that culture, then take advantage of that and explore the cultures around you.

photo by Nancy Ney


3. INTRODUCTIONS
Quite literally all but one buyer we talked to emphasized the importance of diversity - and they spoke effusively! We are grateful to all of them, but especially want to thank the following experts for providing us with such dedicated time and energy on the subject:


• Leah Hamilton - Senior Art Buyer at NYC advertising agency
• Karalyn Leavens - AgencyRX (Art Supervisor)
• Lisa Mullenholz - McGraw Hill (Image Editor)
• Doug Schneider - Benchmark Education Company (Director of Photography)
• Lexi Walters - BabyZone.com (Senior Editor)
• Karen Weiss - MTV (Project Manager, Off-Air Creative)
• Susan Wetherby - Discovery Communications (Lead Art Buyer)
• Michael Wichita - AARP Bulletin (Photo Editor)
• Anonymous - Advertising
• Anonymous - Advertising

PHOTOGRAPHERS

• Lauri Lyons
• Nancy Ney
• Inti St. Clair


4. BUYER TIPS

We have tried to consolidate the buyers' main points into these tips, but they spoke so emphatically and urgently about this issue that we really encourage you to also read the interview excerpts included below to understand first-hand how critical this issue is.

photo by Lauri Lyons; Latina, June/July 2008

• Cover the gamut! Not sure what a non-white model is? The buyers we talked to consistently referenced the races they always portray: Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, and Indian. Several also mentioned that there is a quickly growing need for Middle Eastern images, and a steady need for American Indian images.

• Shoot the same scenarios across ethnicities. You don't need to do anything special to capture diversity. Buyers often need to produce the same ad in several different versions; not being able to find the same scenario across the races can be the reason they commission photography instead of buying stock. Just rotate different models through the same scenarios.

• Shoot the gaps. But there are some areas where diversity is especially lacking. Buyers repeatedly advised to know the market - do searches on the major stock sites for various scenarios and see which ethnicities are missing. Go shoot these ethnicities - this represents a major business opportunity for you.

• Stay away from stereotypes! This can range from clichéd and heavy-handed cultural cues (bodegas on the corners in urban images), to stereotyped cultural statements (non-white janitor). Think about your own pre-conceptions and be aware of implications your images might make.

• Know your subject. This applies to everybody who wants to shoot a race or a culture different from their own. You need to research that culture and/or get a guide or consultant who can help you learn the nuances. Buyers also noted that the clothing will be styled incorrectly if the stylist doesn't know the culture in question, and doesn't do his or her research. If you just approach the culture cold, you will probably misinterpret it and the market will recognize it.

• Keep it natural. Visit a park or a concert and see who is hanging out with each other, and recreate that in casting. Make sure the mix of people looks natural and diverse without seeming forced.

Ebony, July 2008

• Kids learning must be diverse. Ok here, think along the lines of the Benetton ad, you do need a balanced mix of ethnicities - and don't forget to get individual portraits and scenario shots of all your models. Also include disabled or special needs children if possible.

• There's a need for 20- and 30-something mixed race imagery. This is another gap consistently cited by our experts - youth culture across the races and within groups of kids - doing everything that kids do.

• Know your sub-cultures. If you are shooting the Latino culture, understand the difference between Puerto Rican, Columbian and Dominican. This gets back to knowing your subject - if you are going to shoot another culture, do the research necessary to shoot it accurately and respectfully. Read the magazines, walk thru the neighborhoods.

• Consider Gay/Lesbian and Special Needs. Beyond ethnic diversity, there is a gap in the market for alternate lifestyles and disabled people. If you have access to people within your family or network who would like to work with you, try including them in your work.

photo by Nancy Ney

• There's a need for non-white babies. As Lexi Walters says, 'There seems to be a lack of multi-ethnic babies and kids, from newborns through the toddler stage. There definitely should be a bigger pool of better, more diverse models to choose from."

• There's a need for multi-ethnic affluent seniors. This is another huge gap. Think of all the financial and insurance companies out there trying to advertise to seniors across markets. Thu Nguyen at American Express told us that diversity applies to everything they do, and one of the hardest things to find is multi-ethnic affluent seniors.

photo by Inti St. Clair



5. PHOTOGRAPHER TIPS
If you don't believe us yet - hear it first-hand from photographers who have incorporated diversity into their businesses.

• Diversity images are best sellers. Nancy Ney's everyday scenes of African American models have been best sellers on Getty Images for almost 10 years. Inti St. Clair spends far less money on Caucasian stock shoots because she knows she won't get as much of a return on it from sales. For example, she would spend thousands on a Latino Baby Boomers shoot, because she knows there is a lack of that type of imagery in the marketplace. She focused early on the Hispanic market because of its emerging importance to US marketing.
  

photo by Inti St. Clair

• Diversity images have higher acceptance rates. Tired of submitting entire shoots to stock houses and getting only 2 images accepted, if any? Shoot with non-white models and see your acceptance rates sky rocket (given solid production values of course).

• Research holes in the market. Per above. Shoot the gaps.

• Understand the culture. Per above, if you're not from the culture, research it or get a guide into it.

Cookie, June 2008; Heart & Soul July 2008

• Cast believable models. As Lauri Lyons says, "For stock, casting has to be believable - you can't just fill it in with people of different colors. And not only must you believe all these people would actually hang out together, but do they look good together? It still has to work as a strong commercial image."

• Plan to shoot across ethnicities for shoots. As much as possible, stretch your production investment by arranging to shoot your scenarios across at least 2 different ethnicities. If you are shooting families, yes this means casting 2 entirely different families. Some of Nancy's best sellers have been shot of pregnant women and babies across several ethnicities - she shot 4 different models for each and has been selling them for years.

• Keep your eyes peeled for great models. Always carry business cards and be ready with your pitch.

photo by Jon Ragel




6. KEYWORDING TIPS



Lexi is right! Always identify:

• • Race
    
  • Gender
  • Age (specific or general range: use '3 months' for a baby, but '50s' for a senior)
    
  • Any disabilities or special circumstances (i.e., Autistic, learning disabled etc.)
  • If pursuing an alternative lifestyle (Gay, lesbian, etc.)
  
  
  • And when you are tagging for different races, cover your bases on racial terms. Don't just say 'African American,' also use 'Black.'
    
  
  

photo by Inti St. Clair


7. SHOTLIST [download]
The shotlist for diversity is as infinite as the shot list for the entire realm of stock photography. Our main instruction here is to read the shotlists for all of the other articles on School of Stock and shoot them across ethnicities. But buyers from our interviews and our survey did identify some specific gaps, so we will include these here.


General - applies to all races - we need:

• Every other shotlist included in any other section of the School of Stock, but done with models across the major ethnicities
• Diverse kids learning - kids in classrooms, doing homework, any learning scenarios portrayed with diverse groups, and as individual shots across the races. Classroom settings where the teacher is non-white.
• Parent-child scenarios in non-white families (kids being scolded, or riding bikes with parents)
• Portraits across the races
• Multi-ethnic affluent seniors (see Active Seniors shotlist)
• Pictures of different ethnicities outside of America - in Asia, the Middle East, modern Africa (not National Geographic! People in classrooms, teaching, business, families - images portraying day-to-day life.)
• Feet of all colors
• Diversity in the workplace
• Any diverse healthcare images (doctors in a hospital or clinic, doctors with patients) where the doctors and patients are a mix of ethnicities.
• Social diversity - a racially-mixed group of people at a restaurant or party - people of different races hanging out together and having fun
• Women/beauty shots across the races
• Business images showing diverse people over the age of 40
• Fitness images across the races
• Diverse crowds that don't look staged
• Construction - portraits and group shots of multi-ethnic workers
• Ethnically and age diverse lifestyle shots of normal, lower/middle class people - non-whites are often over-portrayed as geniuses, millionaires or leaders!
• Diverse group of kids in school bus
• Diverse teens hanging out
• Ethnically diverse holidays
• Modern multi-ethnic families
• Babies and toddlers
• • Non-white and non-black babies
  • Non-white babies potty training
  • Kids whare sick - colds and flu's
  • See extended shotlist under 'Kids' article

Middle Eastern and Indian:

• Lifestyle across every possible scenario- from pregnancy and babies, to kids learning, youth culture, families, business and adult situations, and retirement.
  

African American - existing stock is very dated and recycled:

• • Families
  • Portraits of men and women
  • Women with short hair
  • Beauty pictures of black women (skin, beautiful nudes, feet, body shots)
  • 20-something's hanging out or studying, using technology (non-steretyped, not looking like MTV - real college kids)
  • 30-something's hanging out or general lifestyle pictures in this age range
  • Chefs (cool, contemporary chefs, not a hotel dude in a hat!)
  • Mothers/daughters
  • African American seniors
  • African Americans near water or interacting with nature
  • Contemporary lifestyle images of black women
  • Black couples
  • African Americans using technology
  • Black women getting hair done by black stylists
• 
  
• Asian:
  

• • Asian seniors
  • Asian bank employees
  • Asian men + women over age 50
  
  

Hispanic:

• • Hispanic home owners
  • Children
  • Families
  • Seniors - over 50
  • Couples (show wardrobe isn't dated!)
  
  

Native American:

• • Children
  • Native Americans doing everyday activities (non-ceremonial)
    

photo by Emily Nathan; Easy Living June 2008


8. PARTICIPATE
Are you a buyer or photographer with extensive experience relevant to this category? We'd love to hear from you! Please email us with any additions to the Shotlist, Tips, or any other sections of this article.

photo by Alex Tehrani

1.OVERVIEW
When you talk to buyers about their needs for images of younger kids - babies through 10 or so - their needs are all fairly consistent. But when you talk to them about portraying adolescents and young adults - their needs can really diverge.

Some buyers still want images of kids shown in a mainstream, timeless, lifestyle format-- integrated into their families, schools and other institutions. But other buyers want to show kids as a sub-culture where individualism counts and adults are not necessarily welcome. This is the indie, skate, surf, music crowd where clothes need to be modern and even trendy - a wardrobe essential in almost no other category of stock.

Either way, Youth Culture is a fun category, extremely important in the stock world, and not necessarily for the shy or faint of heart.Good luck!



photo by Brad Nelson


2. DEFINITIONS
Youth culture means anything involving kids from the ages of roughly 12-22, in some cases even older.

This category includes both edgy photography and mainstream lifestyle imagery showing kids on campus, watching TV together or playing sports. It encompasses every type of kid or activity you might find in this specific age range.




3. INTRODUCTIONS
We have to admit - this was a particularly cool set of experts - a big thanks to all of them for lending us some of their street cred!

BUYERS

• Anthony Annandono - MTV (Designer)
• Martin Berman - G2 (Associate Creative Director)
• Jess Levey - CosmoGirl (Photo Editor)
• Thu Nguyen - American Express Custom Solutions (Deputy Art Director)

PHOTOGRAPHERS

• Alex Tehrani
• Stephen Ziegler

Blender, October 2007

3. BUYER TIPS
Again - buyer needs varied - some designers wanted edgy individualists doing their own thing, others wanted mainstream kids on campus. Here is a consolidated list of tips.

• Kids hanging out. This is a universal need - regardless of age, attitude, style, or gender - was for images of kids just hanging out with each other. Either on campus or outside of school. Walking down the street, playing basketball, getting coffee, watching movies, at parties, in cars, on skateboards, on bikes - whatever! Talk to kids you know, figure out what they do, and shoot them doing those things.

• Use diverse models. As always - shoot diverse kids hanging out with each other and as single-ethnicity groups.

• Capture 'un-moments.' Get a variety of shots - always get that shot of someone looking into the camera, but make sure you get other moments too - the images that don't look staged, that describe a subtle emotion, that capture an interaction between people - that tell a story indirectly.

• Kids using technology. This is a major need - kids of all ages using laptops, iPods, Blackberries, texting, or on cell phones.

photo by Jon Ragel

• Not cheesy or dated. So much of what buyers see and dislike in stock imagery is that it is either hopelessly dated stylistically, or it is fake and "cheesy." Don't just set up the shots; hang out with kids and photograph what they naturally do. Don't use exaggerated facial expressions or literal gestures.

Teen, Summer 2008

• Do your research. Youth culture images are used in all kinds of outlets - from teen magazines to consumer product advertisements to non-profit and government brochures. These all have very different styles and will want to see very different types of kids. Pick the genre that you are trying to target. Become an expert in terms of how images are used iand the types of clients that buy stock. Get lots of teen magazine subscriptions!
  

photo by Stephen Zeigler

• Tell a story. One of the biggest pitfalls of shooting youth culture is just photographing kids without any articulated thoughts regarding what you are trying to say or what you bring to the image in terms of a point of view. Don't just shoot pictures of kids dancing at a party - have a mental focal point for the image. One way to consider this is by reading teen magazines and noting the story topics:  break-ups, friendship, humor, embarrassment, parties, depression, having fun - think about what your image might be illustrating.
  

photo by Stephen Zeigler

• Get campus shots. There is a constant need for anything related to school - high school or college.

• Get stuff with parents too. It can be really challenging for buyers to find parents and teens hanging out in realistic, non-staged settings. Think about the interactions the kids have with their parents, both positive and negative, and get those shots - parents being aggravating or angry - or engaging positively - at high school sports events teaching them to drive, dropping them off at college, etc.

• Use great models. You need to be more careful casting teens than younger kids because you don't have the 'perfection' aspect once kids become teens. Teens are much more self-conscious, and cosmetics become an issue - skin, hair, weight - you've got to find models who look great (but not too model-y), and who can be comfortable and outgoing in front of a camera.

photo by Brad Nelson

• Be trendy or don't be trendy. Either stick with mainstream kids and shoot in simple J. Crew-esque clothes, or dive into the sub-cultures (surf, skate, music) and shoot up-to-the-minute trends. The trendy imagery will date quickly but it's sort of the point - sell it while it's hot.

• Shoot ethnic cultures + sub-cultures. Immerse yourself! Hang out in concentrated ethnic parts of town and document that segment of youth culture. Or find a sub-culture like surf, skate, music or fashion and document those kids. Also capture the cultural and environmental details - in Hispanic LA, document the rosaries or flags hanging from the kiosks. Show what cars are they driving, what bikes they ride, what skateboards, what clothes - document the sub-culture.

photo by Stephen Zeigler

• It's ok to be edgy. A lot of the buyers in this category are edgy magazines or media properties, so there's room for edgy or raw photographic values, and unorthodox angles. Channel your inner Terry Richardson, if you must! Don't be afraid of using vibrant colors as well.

Nylon, July 2008

• No alcohol. If you're shooting party scenes, remember that alcohol in the shots make them almost totally unusable (this applies to adult party scenes too).

• Show faces. Get a variety of shots - it's good to get some close crops on body parts or environmental images - but always make sure you are covered in terms of getting peoples' faces in the shots.

Blender, October 2007

4. PHOTOGRAPHER TIPS

• Don't be a creep! You really need to be comfortable with teens and have a natural 'in' to their scene in order to shoot them. If you don't know anyone in this age group, maybe pick an event like a big music festival and put an ad on Craigslist looking for a group of kids going to the festival who might be up for having a photographer tag along in exchange for prints. Also, be outgoing - tell them what you are doing and why, make them feel like collaborators. Don't just start hanging around a crowd in a shy or voyeuristic way. You need to be a social person to shoot kids.
  

• Don't try to be cool. The fact is that most likely you are an outsider and the kids are the insiders, and you have no way of changing that. Don't try to act like you are one of them, just be yourself and show enthusiasm for what they are about.
  

photos by Stephen Zeigler

• Think about how it's going to look. It's surprisingly easy to take boring and uneventful pictures of interesting kids! Make sure you know how you want your image to look in terms of composition, lighting, and colors - and take the steps to get that result. Bring your own style as a photographer to the shoot.

• Find personalities. Usually if you find a real person with a strong personality and great personal style - someone with a lot of energy -, you are on your way to great images.

• If you don't know the sub-culture, get a guide. If you don't come from the surf or the skate world, you may not be able to capture it authentically. So if you don't intrinsically understand it, find someone who does and get their help.

photo by Jon Ragel

• Have a point of view. Again, don't just take 500 pictures of the scene and think that they'll stand out. Understand the scene going into it and have an opinion or a set of scenarios you want to capture. As Alex Tehrani points out, if it's a party, is it pathetic or awesome? Is it Spring Break or a Friday night in January? Do you shoot the life of the party or the lonely people in the corner? If you can't articulate this vision to yourself, you can't articulate it in a picture.

5. MORE VISUAL EXAMPLES



Cosmo Girl, June 2008


Teen, Summer 2008


Teen, Summer 2008


6. KEYWORDING TIPS + MODEL RELEASES

• Yeah yeah yeah, get model releases! Your images are not much good without them! And remember, if your subject(s) is under the age of 18, you need the release to be co-signed by a parent of guardian in most jurisdictions.

• Include age, gender, ethnicity, emotion, and literal descriptions in your keywords.

• Always include 'teen' and 'youth culture' as keywords.
  

photo by Jon Ragel


7. SHOTLIST [download]
More important than this shotlist is just finding cool kids and capturing their day-to-days, but here are some thoughts based on what buyers said they need.

• Watching tv
• Hanging out with friends
• Couples - hanging out, kissing, breaking up
• Playing video games
• Watching movies
• Eating pizza
• Doing homework
• Spending time with parents/family - either negatively or positively
• Skating boarding
• Biking, Surfing, Soccer, Football - any athletic activity, especially informal with friends
• Playing in park
• Shopping in mall or in urban environment
• Driving with friends
• Teen driving that is safety related
  
• Learning to drive
• In dorm room
• On college campus
• Reading a book
• Talking on cell phone
• Getting ready for school
• Eating with friends - at home or in a restaurant
• Walking a dog
• Going to a party
• Going to a club
• Dancing
• Listening to ipod
• On computer
• In classroom
• Study group
• Painting and drawing
• Taking a photograph
• Drinking
• Going to prom
• Graduation
• Packing to go to college
• Volunteer work
• Public speaking
• On beach with friends
• Kissing
• Holding hands
• Getting yelled at by parents
• Teens in any kinds of family situations
  
• Sleeping
• At concert/indie concert settings
  
• Playing an instrument
• Putting on makeup
• On a date/dating
• Young couple in love
  
• Watching a movie in a theater
• Depression
• Suicide
• Drug abuse
• School dances
• Trendy, cool, hip kids across or within all ethnicities hanging out
• Sub-cultures: music, surf/beach, skate
• Teens in backyard settings
• Teens in swimming pools
• College kids on spring break
• Teen  boys hiking or camping

photo by Jon Ragel


8. PARTICIPATE
Are you a buyer or photographer with extensive experience relevant to this category? We'd love to hear from you! Please email us with any additions to the Shotlist, Tips, or any other sections of this article.

We look forward to it!

photo by Emily Nathan, shot for Apple.

1. OVERVIEW
Kids are a mainstay of lifestyle photography, for good reason.

We've learned from buyers that there is insatiable demand for modern pictures of kids doing just about anything you can think of. And we've learned from photographers that kids can be ideal subjects for great lifestyle imagery because you can shoot them without incurring a lot of overhead on shoots. Kids are perfect just as they are - they have great skin, perfect hair, and they give you endless un-self-conscious moments in front of a camera.

However, there is still an art to be learned about photographing kids, and complexities to address. What ages of kids should we shoot and what should we have them do? Should the parents be on set or is that a distraction? What is the model release situation? What scenarios are most in demand and what are some common mistakes photographers make that result in unsellable images?



photo by Andrea Wyner


2. DEFINITIONS

For our purposes, we are defining 'kids' as newborns through age 12. Once kids hit 13 we are adding them to the 'Youth Culture' section in this blog. We will include expectant mothers in this 'Kids' category.

In terms of end-uses of your images, consider these types of clients:

• Magazines and other editorial publications - both print and online - are significant and frequent purchasers of children lifestyle images. Think of how many magazine articles you've seen on pregnant mothers, and how many magazines and websites are dedicated to parenting.

• Advertising agencies also send out constant research requests for kids doing stuff - think also of how many consumer products are geared towards babies, toddlers, kids and moms. Shampoos, toothbrushes, grocery items, clothes, medicines - all of this needs imagery.

• Textbook and other book publishers - kids learning is a massive, massive industry. There is a major dearth in the market for modern and diverse pictures of kids learning, and these publishing clients eagerly sweep up any new work that enters the market.

• Government + Non-Profit entities also often are creating websites and brochures for educational and family issues and are significant stock purchasers.

 

photo by Denise Crew / #PSC000551974

1. OVERVIEW
In stock photography, as in life, 'green living' is uncharted territory. When photographers are asked to provide examples of green living, there are few real life examples to draw on; consumers themselves have not figured it out!

Buyers do unanimously report that there are too many photos of the obvious examples: recycling bins, wind turbines, farmers markets. But there is huge demand for the elusive non-stereotypical 'green' images. This section will help you imagine new ideas for conveying environmental topics and green living. Here's the thing: If you can find creativity in this topic, your work will fly off the shelves.

We especially ask in this section that you share with us any great images of your own, or tear sheets and shot list ideas - let's help each other!



photo by Eric O'Connell


2. DEFINITIONS
Green living includes the entire range of emotions and lifestyle scenarios connected to the idea that human behavior is negatively impacting the environmental stability of the planet.

Green Living can include positive changes we are making as a society or as individuals to be less wasteful. It can include depictions of nature that are more serious or have more of an edge than the typical landscape shots. Green Living also includes food ( including both organic products and more thoughtful agriculture and eating).

There is also typically an aesthetic association with 'green' that dictates a clean, natural photographic style.

photo by Glenn Glasser


1.OVERVIEW
If you were to spend a day talking to advertising agencies across the world about their image needs, 'Active Seniors' would be a term you would hear on repeat. Why?

Partly because the world's population is aging (think lower fertility rates and longer life expectancies globally), and corporations everywhere are scrambling to create special product lines for this market. But it is also significant that such a large portion of ad dollars is spent by pharmaceutical companies - and some of their most important products target aging seniors.

There is massive demand for current, diverse, high quality images of seniors doing just about anything you can think of. We cannot summarize it better than one of our clients, who shared with us that their fantasy get-rich-quick plan is to "start a new stock website called older-people-doing-stuff.com."

Read on to learn how to approach this subject with commercial success.