Please give me some advice on my portfolio.

[Young]

Hello everybody.😀

Please give me some advice on my portfolio. 

Especially I doubt CAPTIONS, when I do with my imperfect English. 

[I’m working on key-wording. ]

And the technical advice ,,, research stuffs etc.  

I’m a stock photographer type.

https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/649375.html

Thank you.

 

 

[Chuck Nacke]

You have some good images, but your captions say almost nothing?

Who, What, Where, When, Why and How.  Basic journalism...

 

Chuck

[Young]

Hi Chuck. 

It’s true. 

5W 1H. I never thought. (Alamy is journalism based site. Not stock photo type if I understand well.)

on plus I send photos quickly and I sometimes forget completing Captions.  

Thank you for your advice. 

[sb photos]

As Chuck said, you have many good images. If I were you, I would fully utilise up to the permitted 150 characters in describing the image, many are too brief. For instance, M84HFN caption is morelia mexico. You haven't mentioned or described in the caption the carnival procession featured. More details could also be added to the tags, such as the reason for the carnival procession and that it was photographed from an elevated position etc.

 

A quick browse through your portfolio indicates you shoot predominately stock, but if you shoot more events such as your carnival, you could adopt the approach mentioned by Chuck. Base the caption on what's applicable from Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. 150 characters may be too short in some instances, so the reportage upload path might be more suitable, as it allows captions up to 600 characters, and images are available for sale a day quicker than stock.

 

You could continue uploading a basic caption and tags, but then when the uploads appear in AIM expand on what you previously entered. Personally I prefer to prepare in depth captions and tags before shooting, then apply to all applicable images before uploading. Later customising when available in AIM. 

 

The front page of your portfolio is intended to show off your work, but I think you have stronger images to display. Also there are too many similars displayed, cat images and vectors. Had you selected your best images or those similar to those selling and moved them to the portfolio page?

 

It all takes time that is often in short supply, shooting the images is only part of the job. I wish I had more time.

 

[Bill Brooks]

Nice images, you have a good eye and a sense of composition.

 

You are sometimes shooting very tight, and close in, to the point that sometimes your main subject touches the edge of the image.

This can lead to cropping problems for the client. So leave a bit of room around your subject. Move the subject a bit away from the edge of the frame.

 

One art director described it as "room to breath".

[Young]

7 hours ago, sb photos said:

As Chuck said, you have many good images. If I were you, I would fully utilise up to the permitted 150 characters in describing the image, many are too brief. For instance, M84HFN caption is morelia mexico. You haven't mentioned or described in the caption the carnival procession featured. More details could also be added to the tags, such as the reason for the carnival procession and that it was photographed from an elevated position etc.

 

A quick browse through your portfolio indicates you shoot predominately stock, but if you shoot more events such as your carnival, you could adopt the approach mentioned by Chuck. Base the caption on what's applicable from Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. 150 characters may be too short in some instances, so the reportage upload path might be more suitable, as it allows captions up to 600 characters, and images are available for sale a day quicker than stock.

 

You could continue uploading a basic caption and tags, but then when the uploads appear in AIM expand on what you previously entered. Personally I prefer to prepare in depth captions and tags before shooting, then apply to all applicable images before uploading. Later customising when available in AIM. 

 

The front page of your portfolio is intended to show off your work, but I think you have stronger images to display. Also there are too many similars displayed, cat images and vectors. Had you selected your best images or those similar to those selling and moved them to the portfolio page?

 

It all takes time that is often in short supply, shooting the images is only part of the job. I wish I had more time.

 

Hi SB.

Thank you for your advice.

 

M84HFN is one of the photos which I uploaded too quickly to put details.

I'm working on captions of these photos. (Photos from India also,,)

 

I didn't prepared the front page of portfolio cause I did only the classification of that (like JAPAN, INDIA, LIFESTYLE, FOOD).

It's true that It was the most important page!!!.

I start modifying the front page now.

I classified

-summer beach (cause It's summer time. or maybe too late? I should put photos of autumn?)

-Food ( my principal  subject)

-Garden and Nature stuffs ( my principal  subject)

-Architecture ( my principal  subject)

-Lifestyle ( my principal  subject)

 

I don't have yet Reportage pass.

I'll see if I could get it or not.

 

What do you mean by AIM?

 

 

 

[Young]

3 hours ago, Bill Brooks said:

Nice images, you have a good eye and a sense of composition.

 

You are sometimes shooting very tight, and close in, to the point that sometimes your main subject touches the edge of the image.

This can lead to cropping problems for the client. So leave a bit of room around your subject. Move the subject a bit away from the edge of the frame.

 

One art director described it as "room to breath".

Hi Bill.

 

"room to breath" good to know a point of view from an art director.😉

 

Since one year or so I started shooting close to objects for I found my old photos too ordinary and boring.

The composition of my photos were too complete. ( I put every elements inside)

Today I think why not zooming or even cutting objects.

 

It's true that I can put "room to breath" cause its clients who crops the photos as they want to, not me.

and think about a composition,,

 

Thank you.

 

[Mr Standfast]

Hello,

 

AIM is an abbreviation of Alamy Image Manager

 

Nice pictures.

 

Cheers

 

 

[Brian Yarvin]

13 hours ago, Young said:

5W 1H. I never thought. (Alamy is journalism based site. Not stock photo type if I understand well.)

 

Young:

let's clarify here. Alamy is an agency site that does well with journalism, but it does just as well with commercial work. When we speak of a journalistic approach here on this board, we mean that you have to think like a journalist when you upload your images. Accurate keywording, succinct captions, and proper descriptions. In the sense we mean here, you can upload the most commercial stock images that you can imagine, but in order to make them earn their keep, you'll have to act like a journalist when you're entering your data.

[Young]

9 hours ago, Mr Standfast said:

Hello,

 

AIM is an abbreviation of Alamy Image Manager

 

Nice pictures.

 

Cheers

Good morning  Mr Standfast

Yes indeed.

It makes sense.

Thank you.😀

 

[Young]

9 hours ago, Brian Yarvin said:

 

Young:

let's clarify here. Alamy is an agency site that does well with journalism, but it does just as well with commercial work. When we speak of a journalistic approach here on this board, we mean that you have to think like a journalist when you upload your images. Accurate keywording, succinct captions, and proper descriptions. In the sense we mean here, you can upload the most commercial stock images that you can imagine, but in order to make them earn their keep, you'll have to act like a journalist when you're entering your data.

Hi Brian.

I changed my mind.

Alamy is about Journalism, so I have to have an journalistic mind.

The captions and keywordings also should be journalistic.

 

 I'm not at all journalist, though journalistic attitude will help me sell more photos in my opinion.

Thank you.