What's your stock workflow? - DPChallenge Forums

07/28/2008 06:15:30 AM · #1

Subject asks it all.

As I am getting a bit more serious in stock, I'm facing the usual challenges and growing pains managing my stock collection in my current workflow. I'm curious to hear from those who have "a system" worked out for themselves and how it works for them.

I personally am especially interested in hearing from Lightroom users (since I use LR as my primary interface), but I'd love to hear from everyone -- I'm sure we can share some ideas and war-stories and learn something from one another's stock process(es).

So, here are some questions to get started -- don't feel like you have to answer all or any of these, but these are some things that come to mind when I think of stock workflow:

- What's your stock workflow? Shoot to "live" image on stock site(s).
- If there is any difference, how do you manage shoots specifically done for stock, vs. "hey, this would make a great stock shot" images from other shoots.
- How do you manage and track your stock inventory? Related: If you submit to multiple sites, how do you track which images are active where, etc.
- How do you consistently keyword and/or caption your images?
- What sort of shortcuts or tricks have you found in your software-of-choice that help you deal with stock-specific issues and/or metadata management?

That should be plenty to get the ball rolling... ;)

07/29/2008 12:38:19 PM · #2

bump

Bueller?..... Bueller?..... :P

Slagathor

Nikon D300

07/29/2008 10:03:48 PM · #3

I suppose I use a rather untrendy system. I adjust my images in PhotoShop. Once I have finalized my image technically and artistically, I use MS Access since it comes with MS Office. In it, I store my own image number, the reference numbers used by the agencies, a description and the keywords.

I type my keywords into Access. Since I have access to the keywords of my other images, I can cut-and-paste as appropriate. I'll then copy the keywords into the appropriate IPTC data field in PhotoShop. Then send'em off.

I also enter the sales into a separate table. With that, I can run some interesting reports, such as sales, most profitable images, etc. It's helping me analyze some sales patterns.

I've never had a chance to try Lightroom. I'd love to try it sometime.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

08/02/2008 04:53:38 PM · #4

bumpity.

Thanks very much, John. Anybody else?

leaf

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

08/03/2008 03:23:37 AM · #5

I store all my images in the same place, in individual folders for each day of shooting that are labeled with year-month-day, the images are named year-month-day-hour-minute`second

That way when an image is saved another place i know where the original is.

When i edit a photo for stock, I save the tiff in a 'stock tiff' folder, I keyword the image at the same time as I edit it.
Once i have 50 new images in the 'stock tiff' folder i process the images into jpgs and upload those images to the sites I want. I save the jpg files in a 'stock jpg' folder.