Canon® EOS 5D Digital Field Guide

Chapter 9. Stock and Editorial Photography

In This Chapter

• Overview and trends

• Inspiration and creative resources

• Packing your gear bag

• Shooting stock and editorial images

• A compendium of practical advice

Nowadays, the line separating stock and editorial photography is blurring as stock agencies initiate news- and feature-related photography assignments, and as editorial photographers market outtakes to stock houses.

Regardless of where the image originates — shooting for stock or shooting on editorial assignment — the shooting techniques and subjects are often similar, and both areas represent a continuing source of income for photographers. Of all the areas into which photographers migrate, stock and editorial assignment shooting are perhaps the areas where change is the norm, and are the subject of heated debate. Changes in the stock industry during the past five years — everything from on-demand assignment shooting to "dollar," or micro stock — has put new perspectives on rights management and income expectations. Editorial shooting, like stock, is ever changing, but it remains a solid starting point for photographers. Editorial photography, in particular, offers an opportunity for creative storytelling that is unique among the specialty areas.

Overview and Trends

For stock photographers, change is the name of the game, both in terms of image content and in modifications to strategies for dealing with stock houses. In past years, the shift in content has gone from nature, landscape, ...