STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

I am going to try my hand at the world of Stock Photography. IF they allow me "in." Standards, you know!

I've been taking photos since I was a teenager, all over Europe, then as high school yearbook candid photographer. This qualifies me for nothing, but it does say I've been around single and double lens reflex cameras since a long time ago. Now with digital, I feel my work has progressed to a point where I might even sell something.

However, there are two obstacles:

1- You have to be blessed as appropriate by whomever runs the stock photo 'shop' you choose.

2- You have to get signed releases by anyone who appears in a picture. That's where I get weird... do I run after a jogger I just snapped and try to convince them to stop and fill out a form for no good reason? Or does their ego help me out there? The stock shops won't even take a picture with a person if you don't have the sign-off in the release. Since there's such a demand for people pictures, I have a big hurdle there. I don't want to hire models. In fact, I have to start without spending, so I may have an insurmountable hurdle.

Wish me luck! And if you are nearby, will you sign a release and let me follow you around for a while with my camera? No posing!