Three Simple, Surprising Sellers in Stock

With stock photography, what sells well is not always what you might expect. Simplicity is a real key to good stock.  The simpler the better, so designers can easily work with your image according to their needs.
The “simple” shots are easy to incorporate into websites, brochures, ads, and so on. Here are three of my surprising best-sellers — each one is in my top 20 downloaded files…
*The red curtain:

This is the type of shot that designers use as a background or texture, typically only one element in a grand overall composition. I’ve actually never seen it in use — at least I haven’t recognized it if I have — but since it’s in my top 20 downloaded photos, it’s been used quite a lot. It was extremely simple to take, and it’s even simpler for designers to work into more elaborate designs.
*The office away from home:

This was an easy shot with nothing more than daylight streaming through the window. The hardest part about the shot was to see the light and recognize the potential for a good photo. It has been used in a variety of ways, from realtor and property sites to business ideas and hotel sites. This photo has been used in places as close as L.A. to places as far away as the U.K. and Russia.  Where I’ve spotted it, it’s almost always in its full form without cropping or changing … which means designers have found the shot that works for them and speaks to the concept they are trying to convey. They are able to just drop it in, nice and easy.
*People photos:

This shot is of my niece and nephew. It was a candid moment at the end of our little impromptu photo-shoot; the white background is the sky. Technically, it’s not a perfect shot, but it does what designers need it to do and it sells well as a result. This is the second most downloaded photo in my whole portfolio. I imagine partly because of its candid “real people” quality and the white background that makes it easy for designers to drop in anywhere they want it.
I’ve seen this shot cropped, flipped, and changed, which is what a shot like this allows designers to do without a huge amount of effort.  I’ve seen it used a LOT of times … not surprisingly on a lot of military-, veterans- or support-our-troops-related sites, but also on auto-dealer, loans, student, and even jewelry sites.  I’ve seen it used a lot online, but also in print, newspapers, magazines, on a book cover, as well as on TV — and even in Time Square and on the American Music Awards. Companies like AT&T and USPS have even used it. It’s exciting for me to see any of my photos in use, but especially ones like these that have such a personal connection.
Of course, sometimes I do more elaborate compositions, themes or subjects. But, to be honest, the best-sellers for me are always these straightforward, simple shots.
[Ed. Note: Shelly often joins us for our live workshops, where she shows attendees exactly how you can create shots like these in your own portfolio. Find out about our upcoming events here.
Learn more about how you can turn your pictures into cash in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel.  Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Selling Photos for Cash: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]