Do Art Directors Use Ridiculous Concept Images?

Posted on 1/25/2011 by Jim Pickerell | Printable Version | Comments (8)

When the Huffington Post starts lampooning what they call “Ridiculous Stock Photos” will art directors judge the concepts as something to avoid in the future?

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Comments

Ellen Boughn Posted Jan 25, 2011
I don't care! If I see another photo of business people at the starting blocks of a footrace, I'll retch on my laptop. Well I better retract that threat as I'll probably see such a photo today.

Seriously isn't it part of our job not to chase the visually ordinary but to encourage the visual literacy of our clients and customers by providing new and more authentic versions of common themes? The more s**t we provide, the more s**t gets shoveled.

Jon Feingersh Posted Jan 25, 2011
Actually the comments for the photos are pretty funny. And the pictures are so bad they deserve to be pilloried. I myself am shocked, shocked, that anyone would steal my original idea and copyrighted pose of a doctor with his arms crossed!!

Dean Siracusa Posted Jan 25, 2011
Ellen, with the amount of imagery available on the internet today, there really is something for everyone. And, if you're a photographer looking to make a living at stock photography it would be wise to create work that you think will make the most money. If that means more pictures of business people at starting blocks, so be it.

It's funny when those in the photo industry think they're going to somehow change the mind of an art director who's looking for an image to fit a concept they've already gotten approved.

Shannon Fagan Posted Jan 25, 2011
It's interesting to observe here in China, the vast difference in creativity and uniqueness between top images added to art directors' lightboxes vs. top images actually bought and downloaded. I don't believe that any site in the industry allows for a search by "top lightbox images" as opposed to "top sold"...the disparity is revealing as to what is on buyers' minds.

Dean Siracusa Posted Jan 25, 2011
Shannon, that's a very interesting point. I wonder if there's ever a trend towards top sold from old top lightbox images.

That might actually show what art directors like versus what they need for their current project. That might be helpful if it were possible.

John Harris Posted Jan 26, 2011
Stock is the very opposite of real photography -- ubiquitous, uninformative and uninformed, truly the lowest common nominator, fantastic!

Leslie Hughes Posted Jan 26, 2011
In all my years in stock, I was always surprised by the " most sold" and images that sold for the highest dollar. Most often a basic image, or image with a "subtle" concept that would hit you over the head. All seemed to speak to the imagination of the ultimate customer more than the art director, I think. Worries me what they must think about their own customers! But telling when you target your efforts.

Jim Pickerell Posted Jan 28, 2011

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