Socialstock-The Social Image Specialists

Grant Falvey Environmental Photographer finalist.

2011-09-07T16:43:00.000+01:00

One if our photographers, Grant has become a finalist at the Environmental Photographer of the year awards, which we featured on a previous posting here. This is what Grant has to say and his images...good luck!

"the fox and the banana"

It was a very cold and snowy December in 2010 and I was on assignment to photograph Bluewater in the snow from the cliff tops around the complex. After taking a few frames from my usual spot, I moved onto a housing estate to try and get access from a block of flats for a higher position, but as I was driving into the estate I could not believe what was looking straight at me from a hedge.

It was a very glossy and healthy fox just standing watching me drive past. It did not move and did not seem to be afraid of the car, it just stood there. So knowing that I had my 300mm on board I pulled over, set up and took a few quick frames before he ran off!

But he did not run, in fact he came closer. He must be hungry I thought. So being a quick thinking photographer I ran back to my car and grabbed the first piece of food from my lunch that came to hand, which on this day happened to be a banana.

Thinking to myself, do Fox's eat banana's, I just threw the fruit into the snow and got ready to shoot just incase they did! To my amazement this cool fury brown character walked over picked up the banana and legged it into the hedge. Wow, they do eat Banana's! I laughed to myself.

Checking my image's on the pre-view screen I could not believe it. If you had told me before I left the house that day that I would have pictures of a fox holding a banana in the snow by midday I would have laughed in your face.

Even more crazy was the fact that not only did this brave fox take my banana he had come back for more. So I gave him two more, that's three banana's in 10 minutes, my sandwich and a few biscuits.

The fox had cleaned me out! So feeling hungry myself and needing a Christmas picture I popped to the local shops to buy a pack of mince pies and went back armed with them to try my luck again.It worked, the chap ate the lot, and six mince pie's later I had one very nice frame of a fox holding onein his mouth.

A great morning and one that was topped of for me 9 months later with a shortlisting in an international photographic competition with one of these pics. " The Fox and the Banana" has been shortlisted in CIWEN Environmental Photographer of the Year 2010 to the last 377 out of 10.000 images from photographers in 105 countries .

Fingers crossed you never know!

Grant Falvey

A new selection of disability images

2011-09-06T15:42:00.001+01:00

Our photographer Jon has just sent us a great new collection of disabled youngsters playing football in electric powered wheel chairs.
To see more click here

Some of your recent work

2011-07-20T11:47:00.000+01:00

We have a link here to http://www.local.gov.uk/ one of our clients who has just used Socialstock to re-vamp their website, worth clicking through and seeing what images are being used.

Images that are selling...

2011-07-18T12:45:00.001+01:00

Below are some of our images that are been viewed and are selling at present.
The categories are very much centred around local communities and those clients who are buying, are in the local and central government sectors. We still need more images to cover this subject area.

Keep uploading.....

Socialstock's new website is now live!

2011-07-08T16:48:00.003+01:00

Finally after much hard work we have re-launched with our new site, more images, credit/debit card payments, easier to understand pricing in cash or credits and loads more which we will tell you about over the next few weeks, below is a sample of some of our new pages...

Environmental Photographer of the Year 2011

2011-05-11T14:58:00.000+01:00

This came in today for those photographers who are interested in environmental photography.

Nick Fallowfield-Cooper

Dear Socialstock,

The deadline for the Environmental Photographer of the Year 2011 competition is approaching fast, so please do tell the photographers that Social Stock represent that they have until 5pm on 31^st July to enter.

And please note that this year we introduced a new video category for short film clips of between 5 and 30 seconds on all environmental issues.

As always, the competition is completely free to enter and is open to international amateur and professional photographers of any age, encouraging entries that are contemporary, creative, resonant, original and beautiful. The winning photographs come together to form the most outstanding collection of environmental, social and natural photographs in the world.

The 2011 competition categories are:

· Mott MacDonald’s Changing Climates

· The Natural World

· The Underwater World

· Quality of Life

· A View From the Western World

· CS2’s Building Our Future (New for 2011)

· The Young Environmental Photographer of the Year (Under 16 & Under 21)

· Environmental Video of the Year (New for 2011)

For more information, or to enter pictures, please go to www.epoty.org. Photographic libraries are allowed to enter photographs on their photographers’ behalves with the appropriate permissions.

Many thanks and best wishes,

Emily Doyle

Marketing & Media Manager

Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM),

Covering the Paralympic build up and training with photographer Ron Coello and competitor, Sophie Christiansen.

2011-04-14T16:11:00.000+01:00

Our photographer Ron Coello has been working closely with Paralympic equestrian competitor, Sophie Christiansen. Ron will be following Sophie as she trains for the Paralympics and we will be adding new images as they come in.
Socialstock wishes Sophie all the best with the training and hopefully we will see some more medals next September in London. Good luck Sophie.

Nick Fallowfield-Cooper

Here's Ron's and Sophie's story so far

I first met Sophie in 2009. I got to know her through her dad, Karl, head of
humanities at The American School in England (TASSIS) where I was a guest
lecturer and had and exhibition of my work in late 2006.

Sophie was born two months prematurely with cerebral palsy. She recovered
and started riding aged six as a form of physiotherapy and has gone on to
become a top horsewoman.

Sophie won 2 golds and a silver medal at the Beijing Paralympics games in
2008. At the 2009 European Championships she won individual gold and silver
medals as well as a team gold. At the 2010 World Championships in Kentucky,
she won 2 golds and silver.

I will be documenting Sophie's build up to the London Olympics, with the
view of producing a body of work for an exhibition and book.

Ron Coello.

Proof is in the Pudding!

2011-04-06T16:11:00.002+01:00

After talking about representing mental heath issues in the last post we now have a image published in the Guardian today. Please keep them coming in, some of you have responded well but with more stock we can approach our clients with a greater choice of appropriate images in the mental health sector.

Representing mental health

2011-03-30T11:36:00.003+01:00

Representing mental health can be a difficult area to get right. Over staged images tend not to work so well for example head in hands looking over desperate.
Below is a selection of images that we feel give a good sense of isolation and loneliness without over dramatising the situation.
Our clients tend to use images for case studies, so the need for a good cross section from teenagers to the elderly is always required.

Next time your on a shoot please bare this in mind, a few extra shots in a similar vane to the above could generate some extra sales.

Nick Fallowfield-Cooper

The development of photography over the last twenty years.

2011-03-23T10:55:00.000Z

Pete Jenkins, one of our Socialstock photographers has written this interesting article about the changing face of professional photography over the last twenty years with it's trials and tribulations.

Nick Fallowfield-Cooper

Why is it that so many professional photographers seem to be having such a difficult time at the moment?

Why is it that so many professional photographers seem to be having such a difficult time at the moment? It isn’t just the economic crisis that seems to have been triggered by the banks, as many editorial photographers at least have been under increasing financial pressure over the past ten years.

Many have blamed digital imaging, but that is not really true either, although without question the ‘digital revolution’ for want of a better expression has certainly been a trigger. There are many myths about digital photography, not least being how easy it makes taking good quality photographs, and how cheap it makes photography. The former is of course nonsense, as the skill required in taking a good picture has not changed since the day of Fox Talbot.

Even though we now have auto-focus, auto-exposure; the taking of a high quality photograph still lies in the hands of the camera-user (photographer), and no amount of automation can determine the exact moment to press the shutter or the framing of the image. (Even with the fastest of motor drives, and greatest of luck, the choice element is still with the photographer).

Many people think that good exposure and sharpness denotes good photography - which is of course nonsense. These are merely, (and there are exceptions), the most basic, taken-for-granted requirements. All good photographs should be well exposed and well-focussed, all digital imaging has done is remove the mystique of the darkroom, and replaced it with the joys of the computer. Because in this day and age, even our children are taught to use computers, the familiarity with PCs has given so many people the false illusion that comfort in using a keyboard is the same as actual knowledge and skill. How many times has ‘John’ in ‘I.T.’ been given the job of producing photographs based on nothing more than the misconception that proficiency with computers is the same as thirty years professional experience with a camera?

Despite so few of us being real masters of colour management (and I include myself in this), the entire population now truly believes that the mere ownership of a digital camera makes one a photographer, with the acquired skills of thirty years professional photographic experience.

Even those people who really should know better, the editors who so often are those most directly involved in selecting imagery have been sucked into this idea that it is all now so easy. Easy then becomes synonymous with cheap. Remember when the travelling editorial photographer had to use those Hassleblad drum scanners, and the horrendous price they cost. We were all (newspaper photographers) told that without them we would not get any work, only those who invested in the equipment. Hundreds of us (thousands), spent (perhaps) £20,000 even then. The papers saved a lot of production time and effort, and yes we got 'wire fees' but probably not enough to quite balance the extra cost of the equipment, and the papers were 'quids in' as we say in the UK.

The next big step (1992?) was to ‘Macs’ and ‘Coolscans’. Thousands of us got sucked into this one. Something like £5,000 to buy an Apple-Macintosh laptop - mine was a 180c, a Nikon Coolscan and ‘Codex’ modem, plus the software to make everything work. No tuition, all skills acquired on the job. This equipment was the minimum required for the sole trader working on his/her own. We produced 4-megabyte files that would be laughed at now, but they did sell well for newspapers, and was the base of an income for many of us for maybe seven years. But this kit had to be upgraded, three times during the next few years and the increased costs were rarely fully recoverable, and within a couple of years, the newspaper clients that had insisted we buy all this still slashed the fees they were prepared to pay for all this extra digital work. The Sun started it and the rest of Fleet Street followed suit, and I am sure there was a similar progression in the US and other market places. The papers saved a huge amount in equipment costs, not to mention manpower, as the images were supplied already digitised, and in many cases practically ready to use bar perhaps a simple digital conversion.

Once so many of us were 'mobile' and able to produce and send imagery almost immediately the papers began to trim the numbers of photographers being commissioned to cover events. Why send your 'own staffer' on commission when you could get regular submissions from the local guy? As this progressed, it became why take stuff in from the 'local photographers', when you could get material in from the regional agency. Which today has become why use any agency when we can get the stuff on the PA feed, which we pay for on subscription?

From a situation where each paper (probably) directly or indirectly employed two or three hundred photographers, we now have papers directly employing five or six with maybe a similar number on contract and possibly using the occasional regional freelance for those 'special' stories too far to send their own guy/gal. Multiply this by the more than a dozen national daily and Sunday newspapers and one can see how our marketplace has changed. No doubt the scenario is repeated in the States, Europe and elsewhere.

These skilled photographers no longer getting work from the national press are doing what? Some (many) have left the industry altogether, but those who remain are working in ways that enable them to earn a crust. Many produce stock. It isn't all amateurs that the professional full-time stock producer is now competing with, but skilled professionals moving over from other parts of the industry.

As for the latter suggestion that digital photography is cheaper, well anyone who is caught in the trap of upgrading, whether it be cameras, computers or software knows that this to be a serious error. Back in 1980s, I had Canon A- 1s and F1s that lasted what ten years? In fact they never needed actual replacement, but I chose to go down the EOS1 route in 1990. The EOS-1 was a wonderful camera, but cost more than three times that of either of its predecessors (£1500), just buying two was a huge investment. True these cameras also lasted me until I was market led into going digital thirteen years later, but the difference in price from a conventional body to an electronic one has set a trend which has not slowed down. Whilst in £s and pence terms the price of cameras may seem to have stabilised, market requirements (and the lack of longetivity of the bodies themselves) have meant that they need upgrading perhaps as often as biannually. Each body, far more expensive than the F1s of yesteryear.

And then one has to take on board the cost of the computer kit that makes all the imagery work. That first 180c Macintosh laptop was £3,500, Photoshop, £500+. Whilst today's computers are no question cheaper, their operating life seems to be no more than two years. More cost in both machine and software.

In 1994 I worked out my operating costs including overheads, running a separate office and working on a 48 week working year, four day operating week, (one day in the office), and my running costs were £50 per day. This included replacement equipment, servicing, car, phone everything. I did the same exercise in 2006 and came up with a figure of £105. In the twelve years between the two calculations my overheads and operating costs had doubled, whilst the commission fees paid by newspaper clients had remained static. Worse than this the expenses paid by those clients had fallen dramatically.

I did the same exercise last year and my overheads have reduced slightly to £95. I now work from home, have an older vehicle, etc.

Whilst I am fortunate in that some of the excellent lenses I purchased back in 1990 are still serving me well, like every other professional I am forced to upgrade camera bodies, computers and software at least every three years. If I don't, I remain less competitive in a market where there is now more competition than ever before.

As a photographer I have had to reinvent my business many times, and in today’s difficult economic climate that is an absolute essential. I am continually examining the services I provide and the markets within which I provide it. I no longer supply to newspapers (95% of my work in 1994), but my main selling point remains personal service and quality.

If my Unique Selling Point (USP) were price, then there would always be someone prepared to take me on. Providing a better service makes my clients loyal, and despite the difficult times helps provide a regular income.

I no longer do sport either, something which I was heavily involved in from the mid seventies until the end of the last century; that market has died for all but the persistent few who have made themselves an unassailable niche (it can still be done). Sheer quality will always win through, although due to the nonsense thinking in the current market place which places (in so many cases) price above quality, (‘Never mind the quality, feel the width’), one still has to work hard and be diligent, and not expect the earning power of even fifteen years ago.

The myth that digital, has made processing unnecessary is a difficult one as well, as many operators out there do none at all, and even more clients accept this, which is shocking. Gone are the days when film could be given to a specialist processor and a while later prints are produced which the client paid for (all the processing costs). Now, the photographer does that processing – what we need all that expensive hardware and software for. Even with my limited knowledge of colour management I spend between 100% and 400% longer digitally producing the files that my camera produces before I am prepared to give them to a client, than I do actually taking the photographs themselves, it is as much my diligence to processing and editing my images that makes me a quality photographer. This sort of thing is difficult for non-photographers to take on board. I have had many editors simply refuse to believe that this work is needed. What clients deem unnecessary they simply refuse to pay for. These are the clients who want to employ a photographer by the hour and receive a CD of JPEG images totally unedited after the job. Known as ‘Dump and Run’, there are many less professional photographers who simply see this as the way a photographic business is run. No wonder the marketplace thinks that photography is cheap, and why in so many cases the photographs we see in print are so poor quality. Since when did ‘Good enough’ become a marketing strategy for professional photographers?

The days when our collection of stock (our stock library) was for most of us seen as our pensions have gone, (this was a huge shock to me), but photography is not dead. There are more images used today than ever before. The marketplace has changed and we simply have to change with it. It doesn't mean that we have to lower our prices or our service, or quality, but rather those we have to adapt our rather unique services to fit in with client requirements. It also means we have to be evangelists, for quality, colour management and service.

With everyone else chasing prices down to the bottom, there comes a point in every market place when low price simply isn't enough, and clients start asking for something better - quality. The trick for most of us will be to survive until that pendulum swings our way. That means we have to keep our wits about us! :-)

Pete Jenkins.

Street Photography by Pete Jenkins

2011-03-17T10:08:00.000Z

Street Photography

Can we or can’t we?

There have been a number of well publicised cases over the past few years where seemingly normal, perfectly law abiding citizens, (yes photographers are citizens too you know), have been stopped from doing what everyone had assumed was perfectly legal and publicly acceptable, that is to take photographs in a public place. Or as we call it, ‘Street Photography.

Q. Is street Photography legal?

A. Yes, of course it is. It is no more illegal for you, than it was for famous street photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, probably the most famous street photographer of all.

Q. So why do I keep reading about photographers being prevented from taking pictures in public places?

A. This is the sixty four thousand dollar question isn’t it? I have read of, and photographers have regaled to me first hand, dozens of tales of being stopped in the street, and in the case of professionals this has often gone on to include arrest and even detention. But why this is happening when the Government tells us there are no laws against taking photographs in Public Places, is generally down to ignorance and foolishness, and by no means am I referring to photographers?

Ok, before we go any further I want to stress that photographing in public places is perfectly acceptable in UK law. Let me quote from the Metropolitan Police’s own guidelines to their officers

“Freedom to photograph/film

Members of the public and the media do not need a permit to film or photograph in public places and police have no power to stop them filming or photographing incidents or police personnel.”

So if this is the case, why do we hear of so many instances where it appears there is a problem?

The problems occur because so many individuals, including private security firms, individual police officers, and members of the public do not understand the rules laid-down by law, and react in a way they think is appropriate, rather than the way that is correct.

Common fallacies:

“You can’t take my picture – it is counter to my civil rights.”

Or “it’s against the law”, or “it is against the data protection act” (yes that was been said to me J). A typical example of this was a ‘traffic warden’ telling me I could not take her picture whilst she was working.

Many people think, (wrongly), that one is not allowed to take a photograph in a public place. There is no law that prohibits taking pictures when one is out and about, and certainly no member of the public has the right to make you stop, nor, the right to see or delete your images, or remove film from your camera. Security guards and traffic wardens, as well as community support officers do not have this right either.

“You can’t photograph this building it is private property.”

There is no law in the UK that prevents a member of the public taking photographs of any building, providing the photographer is in a public place. This is different from being inside someone’s house or on private land where the owner or landowner can have some control and ask you not to take photographs

“You can’t take photographs in Trafalgar Square”

Well actually you can. A commonly held misunderstanding, notably held by the wardens who patrol Trafalgar Square, is that one is not allowed to take photographs, and reports have it that these people can be quite vociferous, poorly trained, and ‘jobsworth’ about their imagined duties. Without exception, all restrictions regarding filming and photography in Trafalgar Square refer to the use of film crews, tripods, and other paraphernalia that might endanger the general public. In which case you need permission booked before hand to enable suitable facilities to be provided, and to be suitably insured.

There have been other reported cases where agents of local authorities mistakenly think they have the power to stop individuals taking photographs, and in all cases reported so far the actual rules are similar to those concerned with Trafalgar Square.

An amateur with an SLR – you go on and take your pictures, the regulations have nothing to do with you J

Common Police errors

“I am a policeperson and I can stop you taking pictures.”

Well actually, not unless there is a dammed good reason you can’t, no.

A police person can ask you to stand behind an indicated line in the case of an incident.

A policeperson can ask you what you are doing if there has been a reported breach of the peace, and you can be asked to identify yourself and account for your activities, but there does have to be real justification for the policepersons actions. Merely taking a photograph is never on its own, a breach of the peace.

Even the Terrorism Act 2000 does not prohibit people from taking photographs or digital images, even in an area where an authority under section 44 is in place.

From the Met Police Guidelines

“Officers do have the power to view digital images contained in mobile telephones or cameras carried by a person searched under S44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, provided that the viewing is to determine whether the images contained in the camera or mobile telephone are of a kind, which could be used in connection with terrorism. Officers also have the power to seize and retain any article found during the search which the officer reasonably suspects is intended to be used in connection with terrorism.

Officers do not have the power to delete digital images or destroy film at any point during a search. Deletion or destruction may only take place following seizure if there is a lawful power (such as a court order) that permits such deletion or destruction.”

However, Officers are not allowed to use the Terrorism laws as an excuse to interfere with ones lawfully taking of photographs. There has to be a legitimate reason to stop you, and that is not simply because you are a photographer. To be stopped under section 43v of the Terrorism act the policeperson has to reasonably suspect the photographer of being a terrorist. This is not something that can be done on a whim.

From the Met Police Guidelines

“Photography and Section 43 of the Terrorism Act 2000

Officers have the power to stop and search a person who they reasonably suspect to be a terrorist. The purpose of the stop and search is to discover whether that person has in their possession anything which may constitute evidence that they are a terrorist.

Officers have the power to view digital images contained in mobile telephones or cameras carried by a person searched under S43 of the Terrorism Act 2000 to discover whether the images constitute evidence that the person is involved in terrorism. Officers also have the power to seize and retain any article found during the search which the officer reasonably suspects may constitute evidence that the person is a terrorist. This includes any mobile telephone or camera containing such evidence.

“I am a policeperson and I have the right to delete any images that you have taken.”

Absolutely not! Under no circumstances, can an individual policeperson delete images, as if an offence may have occurred, those images might well be needed as evidence!

From the Met Guidelines:

“Officers do not have the power to delete digital images or destroy film at any point during a search. Deletion or destruction may only take place following seizure if there is a lawful power (such as a court order) that permits such deletion or destruction.”

Are there any exceptions?

Well yes, and no. On actual private property, the owner does have the right to say, ‘no photographs’. The owners of ‘Canary Wharf’ for example can legally ask you not to take photographs of the tower, but they can only do this whilst you are on the land owned by them. Five hundred yards away on public land, you can photograph the tower to your hearts content. Should you choose to argue with the security guards, or not put away your camera, the guards themselves can (legally) do nothing except call the police.

One is not allowed to photograph Magistrates courts from within the bounds of the court, outside that boundary you can click away.

A policeman can ask you to justify your actions if you are seen to photograph a police constable or a member of the armed forces (all under section 58a of the Terrorism Act).

A simple explanation of your legitimate acts and verification of your identity will normally satisfy any enquiry.

There are certain restrictions on Photographing HM Prisons, Armed forces facilities, but most of these will only be an issue if you are seen to be loitering. Be prepared to have a very good explanation of what you are doing, if stopped taking photographs at this sort of location…

What of Privacy?

Whilst there is right of privacy in a public place in the UK, it is still against the law to harass another person, and there are obviously circumstances when taking someone’s photograph can be perceived as harassment. Continually taking someone’s picture after having been reasonably asked not to, standing very close to someone with a wide angle lens (clearly invading personal space), acting in a such a way as to cause a hazard or distress to someone else, would all be held in a dim view by a court.

What of data Protection?

The Data Protection Act refers to the use and storage of personal data. An unidentified image taken in public would have no bearing or relevance to the act, but if one were taking many images of people, and identifying them, and storing them, then one might be perceived to be controlling personal data. If you are in this position you might well be covered by the act, and in that case you should certainly take proper professional legal advice.

However, I know of no case where an amateur photographer has been caught by this act and there are general exceptions when it comes to artistic material.

What about photographing children?

Children have exactly the same rights as any other citizen. Society, led by certain national middle market national newspapers seems on occasion to have a paedophilia phobia, and many photographers have found themselves accused of being a ‘peado’, or similarly unlawfully harrassed because they are seen photographing children in public places.

Due to the emotive nature of people’s thoughts regarding children, it is almost irrelevant what the law says and one would have to advise common sense. I photograph my own children at will, and will continue to do so, but I am very careful and wary when I photograph other people’s offspring. I recommend that you do likewise.

How do I deal with confrontation?

The best way to deal with confrontation is to avoid it.

It is illegal to obstruct the public right of way, and it is a sure fire way to attract the attention of a constable, so tripods and other heavy equipment are generally not a good idea.

If confronted by a constable, treat that constable with respect and answer all reasonable questions, politely.

Under the Terrorism act you are not obliged to identify oneself, but of course to refuse to co-operate with a police officer might well be regarded as suspicious, so please use your common sense.

Use longer focal length lenses so that you are not overtly invading people personal space.

Even if accosted by a rude, obnoxious, jobsworth, security guard, treat that person with respect and don’t give them any reason to call the police. Make sure you are always in the right.

Choose your battles carefully. Even if you are 100% totally in the rights, sometimes it is simply better to say OK. You can always return later.

If in doubt walk away, and return to photograph another day

London Street Photography Festival 2011

2011-03-14T12:33:00.000Z

This came in from event organiser Bret Jefferson for the London Street Photography Festival 2011.

Click here for more details....

http://londonstreetphotographyfestival.org/support-the-festival

Representing people in the right light.

2011-03-10T13:18:00.000Z

I spoke to Nick Fallowfield-Cooper on Thursday evening about a need he had for atmospheric shadowy images of hooded girls hanging out on street corners. Friday afternoon I decided to head out to the local council estate at around 3.30/4.00 when I was sure I would come across such suspect individuals..! Not a bit of it! All I encountered were delightful happy polite and well intentioned young youths enjoying the first of the Spring sunshine to start their weekend! They were to be found against the backdrop of uncannily beautiful tower blocks bathed in the late afternoon rays. It seems however hard I try, I cannot stop portraying everyone, the world over in their best light!

Dee King

www.deeking.co.uk/blog/

Nick says...

My request for teenage gangs went out last week and Dee responded with positive images, this is certainly not a problem as the majority of our images sold have a 'air' of positivity. The representation of teenage gangs in Britain over the last ten years has been negative but the use of images of teenage gangs are generally taken in positive or at least a neutral light.
Why is this? Clients using images such as the police or local councils need positive images, for example to represent local projects or case studies, portrayed in a good way.

Negative images do come up but these are normally taken on the 'front line' for the press.

Another good example is the representation of the homeless, we sell more images of people with a feel of positivity rather than down and out street shots, there is of course a market for both but positive images seem to sell more.

In conclusion, try not to preconceive genres and keep it positive!

Issy Oakes Private View

2011-03-09T12:27:00.000Z

One of our photographers, Issy has an opening of her new exhibition on 14th March until the 19th, 2011. For anyone who is in the north London area, I would highly recommend you paying a visit.
From our point of view, Socialstock loves this kind of environmental portraiture.

Nick Fallowfield-Cooper

Stoke Newington Library Gallery,

Church Street,

London

N16 0JS

14/03/11 – 20/03/11

Private View: Friday 19^th 6-9pm

People of Stoke Newington

'People of Stoke Newington' is a social documentary about place I have come to call home. This pocket of civilisation is bustling with a variety of shops, bars, restaurants and studios, but it is the people who work in them that give Stoke Newington its life and soul. Many members of the community have taken part in this project resulting in a collection of images that celebrates the diversity of our community. It is my hope that from seeing this body of work you will remember a few faces and perhaps next time you top up your Oyster card or buy beer in the pub, you might recognise them and say "hello".

Getting CRB checked

2011-01-25T17:55:00.001Z

At Socialstock we are always asked about getting CRB checks from our photographers. At present we are looking into this so that the process can be made easier.

Below is a piece from one of our photographers, Kitty who managed to do this through the social services department of a local borough council. It should be noted that Kitty has been employed by the local borough so the process was made a little easier.

Despite this I think there is some important pointers that may help anyone else who is looking to get CRB checked.

If anyone has had problems or found the process easy to obtain a CRB please leave your comments below.

Nick Fallowfield-Cooper - Picture Editor

'I had to have a CRB check because I was working part-time with a vulnerable young adult. The Social Services department of the borough in which I was working gave me the application form. After I had completed it I had to show them proof of my ID, which they photocopied and sent off with my application. (Passport, Birth Certificate, driving license, current utility bill.) Because the CRB check was a prerequisite for my employment, they paid for it to be carried out.

The Criminal Records Bureau check is called a 'Disclosure', and is confidential. My details were checked against Police Records and ISA Vulnerable Adults Barred List information. The process took around 2 months. The Disclosure is therefore an indication of trustworthyness'.

For more information their web address is www.crb.gov.uk

Kitty

Being motivated

2011-01-20T12:46:00.000Z

This piece has come in from one of our relatively new Socialstock photographers.
Grant has been working hard and getting sales. In his article he writes about a shot of two community police officers, well I know we have a client looking at these shots at the moment for an educational book publication, hopefully another sale!
As Grant mentions, leg work is needed at the start to build a 'decent' number of images but this is an investment for the future.

Nick Fallowfield-Cooper -Picture Editor

Here's what Grant has to say...

Working for social stock as social documentary photographer is not a short term deal!

It takes time, skill and a lot of patience and effort. That old chestnut the more you put in the more you get out applies to this job. Being pro active and getting out on the streets is key.

On many occasion when I am feeling lazy or really just don’t want to turn the photographer charm on which means I have to talk to people, oh what fun that can be.....I just go and stand in the middle of the high street step back into a door way and watch the world go by rather than trying to come up with lots of fantastic ideas for pictures just let them come to you, stepping away and relaxing as the world goes mad. I can guarantee you will get pictures every time . On one occasion I remember seeing two community support officers walking down the high street on patrol, it was a rain day so I was standing well back in a shop door way so as not to get my new Nikon 200mm f2.8 wet, hood on lens and my head too, taking pictures of people trying to hold on to their umbrella’s, great pictures and fun to watch especially when they don’t know I am taking picture of them, people act natural then.

Anyway these two officers one male one female on patrol nice picture always needed just had to do it without showing their faces and if possible without them seeing me so just for fun I did the old surveillance route having a bit of fun jumping in and out of shop doors behind a phone box trying not to be seen while taking pictures I know I know what a big kid but you know what , it was great fun and the officers never saw me and I got another cool picture in one of those doorways of a woman dragging on a fag in the rain with umbrella up, easy work if you can get it.

On the way back home I took the short cut through the park you never know what you will see, this is also something I do a lot but I always have my press photographers ID round my neck .

It was a sunny day people chilling walking over a small footbridge sometimes hand in hand (see social stock for that picture) but one man was sitting on a bench with his head in his hands which is great straight away as I can’t see his face don’t need consent as he can’t be identified he looked very stressed some sort of personal life problem, so me being me making the best of a bad situation and all, shot of two frames nice picture. Job done on to the next one that picture sold two weeks later. It’s a tough game but someone has to do it, so it might as well be me.

In the four months I have worked for social stock over 1000 images uploaded that’s a lot of key wording. and pictures have sold every month too. I set myself targets for uploading my next target is to have 2000 on file by June 1^st. “That will be hard work but fun”

All the best

Grant Falvey

Happy New Year from Socialstock

2011-01-05T09:29:00.000Z

A Happy New Year from Socialstock and a big thank you to all of our photographer's who have worked hard over the last year.

We are in the process of a re-brand on our site, with new features which will make image buying even easier for our clients. I shall post a popular image selection this week so that you all know what our customers are looking at. Keep uploading and lets make 2011 a prosperous new year.

Environmental Photographer of the Year 2011

2010-12-22T10:21:00.000Z

This has come in from one of our clients...

I am hoping that you can pass on to the photographers you represent that the Environmental Photographer of the Year 2011 competition is now open, and this year a new video category has been introduced to further raise awareness of environmental and social issues.

Organised by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), the Environmental Photographer of the Year is an international showcase for the very best in amateur and professional environmental photography, and is one of the fastest growing photographic competitions in the world – receiving 4,500 entries from photographers in 97 countries in 2010.

EPOTY celebrates photographers who use their ability to raise awareness of environmental and social issues. It is open to professional and amateur photographers of any age from anywhere in the world, and encourages entries that are creative, resonant, original and beautiful. Subjects include wildlife and marine life, environmental degradation, street photography and urban lifestyles, technology, landscapes and portraiture.

As always, the competition is completely free to enter and is open to international amateur and professional photographers of any age, encouraging entries that are contemporary, creative, resonant, original and beautiful. The winning photographs come together to form the most outstanding collection of environmental, social and natural photographs in the world.

The 2011 competition categories are:

·        Mott MacDonald’s Changing Climates

·        The Natural World

·        The Underwater World

·        Quality of Life

·        A View From the Western World

·        Building Our Future (New for 2011)

·        The Young Environmental Photographer of the Year (Under 16 & Under 21)

·        Video (New for 2011)

Individual pieces are judged on impact, creativity, composition, originality and technical abilities. Winners receive cash prizes and all winning entries are displayed in the Environmental Photographer of the Year exhibition, launched in London. Copyright is retained by the photographer.

See past winning entries, competition details and news coverage from 2010 at www.epoty.org <http://www.epoty.org> . You can also watch a brief video <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCj9Y_QiTe4> of the 2010 Awards Ceremony. You can also keep up to date with any new developments by joining our Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20793482240> group.

The competition will run until 31st July 2011, with judging taking place throughout August and September.

Many thanks and best wishes,

Emily Doyle
Marketing & Media Manager
Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM),

Key-wording tips!

2010-12-08T13:28:00.002Z

The one thing that stock photographers generally struggle with is keywords! The problem is that every photographer will do it slightly differently but there are some basic rules to follow. Follow them and you will get more customers viewing and hopefully buying your images, this is very important!
Below is an example and a breakdown on how I would key word this image.

Firstly the Description...

Four adults, one with a young child are walking down a snow covered street in rural Britain. They struggle through the snow with bags of grocery shopping, as the roads are impassable.

Now the keywords...

Step one: Take out all the key words from the description...

four, adults, young, child, walking, snow, covered, street, rural, britain, struggle, bags, grocery, shopping, roads, impassable.

Step two: Add similar key words that are in step one, including singular and plural versions...

4, men, women, female, male, toddler, baby, walks, snowy, snowing, snows, covering, streets, countryside, country, england, english, britains, struggling, bag, carrier, plastic, food, groceries, road,

Step three: Add new adjectives...

ice, icy, cold, coldest, freezing, frozen,

Step four: Put yourself in the position of someone searching that image and add any final words that represent the image and think big!

extreme, weather, conditions, winter, local, community, communities, help, helping, others, isolated, stocking, up, supplies, family, families,

You will then end up with the following keywords...

four, adults, young, child, walking, snow, covered, street, rural, britain, struggle, bags, grocery, shopping, roads, impassable, 4, men, women, female, male, toddler, baby, walks, snowy, snowing, snows, covering, streets, countryside, country, england, english, britains, struggling, bag, carrier, plastic, food, groceries, road, ice, icy, cold, coldest, freezing, frozen, extreme, weather, conditions, winter, local, community, communities, help, helping, others, isolated, stocking, up, supplies, family, families,

Remember this is how I would do it and I feel this image is now covered with most of the keywords that would be used to represent this image and used in a search. I'm sure some of you would find some other words? This is not a test!

Nick Fallowfield-Cooper

A nice little set of images

2010-12-08T12:09:00.000Z

This has just come in from our photographer Simon, working hard! Click on the image to see the images plus a few more extra shots. Have a look at Simon's keywords and description, I think they are just about right.

Getting out there!

2010-11-23T12:07:00.000Z

This inspirational piece has come in from our Socialstock photographer, Simon Ford, who contacted me a few weeks ago about popular images Socialstock were being asked for.
After a short chat, Simon has made contact with a local community centre and shot the following collection.
Simon also got model release on all the images.
From my personal opinion, we will start selling these images quite quickly.
Please read and be inspired and as Simon says, you can always give me a call.
If you click on the images you can view them in our library, you will also see a good short description of each shot and the keywords, which I think has been executed very comprehensively.

Nick Fallowfield-Cooper

'Sometimes working alone from home can lead to loss of motivation and inspiration if you do not keep keep on top of yourself. Many freelancers do work alone and some of us can lose focus when commissioned work is short and the days are grey, short and miserable as well. Events to photograph on spec are few and far between this time of year and normally at the weekend anyway. So what do you do to keep the images coming?
I decided to take a pro-active and research the market and see what is being published. A good place to start is to speak to the picture editors of the libraries I use and see what is popular and what is selling. I had spoken to Nick Fallowfield-Cooper last week about key wording and we had a general chat about what was selling on Socialstock and from there I decided that I could not wait for opportunities but had to make them.

Given the client base of Socialstock I decided to trawl the local council websites to see what services they were offering and when I found a suitable area of interest I looked up the relevant person to contact and obtain permission to come onto their property and photograph. Once I had explained my intentions I was invited to attend the premises and met the manager who introduced me to the staff before being given open access to all areas of the facility. It was down to me to then approach the subjects and begin chatting to them and take a genuine interest in them and their story rather than see them as a commodity. Personal skills are important and first impressions go a long way, so does a round of teas or two. I had an enjoyable days shooting, given access to other centres and made a number of contacts for future shoots.

Research, effort, personal skills and cups of tea are just as important as an eye for a picture and a nice camera. But also, keep in contact with your picture editor who will know what is selling and what is being requested.'
Simon Ford

A word or two on key wording from Alison.

2010-11-22T14:10:00.000Z

Alison, one of our Socialstock photographers has kindly sent this great piece in about key wording images. I think anyone who has to key word, (you know who you are!) will learn something or at least sympathise when trying to conquer the art of good keywords...

Thank you Alison

Nick Fallowfield-Cooper

Keywords...Yeah right!

Do you remember when you started taking photos and discovered how good it felt to be behind the camera? Taking photos and every so often taking one really fantastic shot which made the hair on the back of your neck stand up!

Then suddenly someone says 'Can you keyword it?'. 'Sorry, I have just taken my best shot ever and you are asking me to what....?! '

Honestly, unless you have managed to change career and left the English department of a top university then it is difficult!! The rest of us poor souls have to struggle with the English language and guess what, it is not easy.

Or maybe not...!!

I have a confession and that is I actually enjoy keywording.

When I started submitting photos I hated that sinking feeling of knowing I would have to sit down and write! Also, unlike most of my fellow contributors out there, I fall flat at the first hurdle by submitting single subject images, which means no 'cut and paste' for me, but long hard thinking needed on each and every image.

However I have come up with something that works for me... (Can't guarantee it will work for everyone but just thought this might help another lone fellow photographer out there!!)

Firstly I have to come up around 25 keywords for each image. It is kind of setting myself some sort of challenge!!

Then I look at the image several times from a different perspective. I have found that by doing that it helps refocus my mind and I actually get more words - honest!!

1. Look at the photo and list absolutely everything obvious. eg man, woman, child, car, road, wall, buildings, roof, pavement,

2. Look for any colours that appear in the image eg black, blue, grey,

3. Look to see what is happening eg talking, holding, hands, looking, thinking

4. Look at the people and describe their emotions eg happy, sad, anxious, depressed

5. Look at the people (ethnic background) eg White, Black, Muslim, Oriental

6. Look again at the surroundings eg inside, room,

7. Look again at what actually could be happening (making up a story) eg 2 girls - friends, sisters, teenagers,

8. Remember each word is separate, eg traffic, lights, signal.

Finally the description has to be spot on! Keep it simple and to the point, so the viewer knows
exactly what is going on eg Two work colleagues outside their office.

Now if at this stage you have got completely stuck and have still only got 6 words then I suggest the following...

a. Grab the dictionary or thesarus to get similar words for the same thing eg bright, shiny, glowing, sparkling,

b. Or alternatively, get "some smart alec 12 year old" (most households have one!!) who thinks they know it all and guess what, they do!! Seriously though, another person can sometimes spot the obvious!!

Remember the better the keywords, the better chance you get of being selected

If all else fails ring Nick..... or give up photography and become an English teacher!!

Interested to hear what anyone else thinks!!

AH

Popular images viewed this week...

2010-11-18T14:35:00.001Z

Below are the popular images customers are looking at and buying during the last week.

New in this morning a new collection on the hard of hearing.

2010-11-15T13:06:00.001Z

Click on the image to see our new collection, dealing with the testing of hearing and the fitting of hearing aids. All images are model released.

Surgeons... an exciting new collection at Socialstock

2010-11-12T13:24:00.002Z

We have recently struck a deal with the NHS and now have a new collection of images coming our way based on all aspects of health care in the UK. We will keep updating the collection here as it grows.

Click on the image to see the whole collection.

Popular Images...

2010-11-12T09:55:00.001Z

This will be a new feature coming each week. The images below are the images that our clients have been either looking at, talking about or buying in the last week.

Welcome to the Socialstock Blog

2010-11-11T11:54:00.001Z

Our aim on these pages are simple, a friendly home for our photographers and clients to pass comment on our images and see the developments that Socialstock are going through and to make image buying a simple process for our customers.

We want to showcase our photographers work, keep our photographers informed of clients image requirements, advice on good key-wording, tips on increasing sales, competitions to enter, exhibition to see, technical help and generally be a fun and informative place to be.

For our customers, we want to show that our team of social documentary photographers are working hard to find the right images for them but also taking all feedback on board and make Socialstock an easier place to source UK images...

Socialstock-The Social Image Specialists

Grant Falvey Environmental Photographer finalist.

A new selection of disability images

Some of your recent work

Images that are selling...

Socialstock's new website is now live!

Environmental Photographer of the Year 2011

Covering the Paralympic build up and training with photographer Ron Coello and competitor, Sophie Christiansen.

Proof is in the Pudding!

Representing mental health

The development of photography over the last twenty years.

Street Photography by Pete Jenkins

Street Photography

“Freedom to photograph/film

Common fallacies:

“You can’t take my picture – it is counter to my civil rights.”

“You can’t photograph this building it is private property.”

“You can’t take photographs in Trafalgar Square”

Common Police errors

“I am a policeperson and I can stop you taking pictures.”

“Photography and Section 43 of the Terrorism Act 2000

“I am a policeperson and I have the right to delete any images that you have taken.”

Are there any exceptions?

What of Privacy?

What of data Protection?

What about photographing children?

How do I deal with confrontation?

London Street Photography Festival 2011

Representing people in the right light.

Issy Oakes Private View

People of Stoke Newington

Popular UK social documentary images - we need more of these!

Getting CRB checked

Being motivated

Happy New Year from Socialstock

Environmental Photographer of the Year 2011

Key-wording tips!

A nice little set of images

Getting out there!

A word or two on key wording from Alison.

Popular images viewed this week...

New in this morning a new collection on the hard of hearing.

Surgeons... an exciting new collection at Socialstock

Popular Images...

Welcome to the Socialstock Blog