So you’ve joined PIXERF, Asia’s visual community and marketplace, and are raring to go carve a niche for yourself on our Marketplace. Our buyers are always looking for authentic, unique Asian stock photos to use in their campaigns, but what does that really mean?
We have received messages and emails from photographers all across Asia asking for advice, which prompted the editorial and curatorial departments to put our heads together, look at the data we have and present some guidelines on producing sellable Asian stock photos.
1. Diversity is highly sought after
Asia is a diverse landscape made up of people, cultures and traditions, and these elements seep into every aspect of life – from food to architecture, fashion, working life and much more. Images that convey a strong message of diversity often sell well because they accurately reflect the cosmopolitan life of many modern Asian cities.
2. Move away from the cliches
A common trap photographers fall into is focusing too much on the traditional aspects of Asian culture, which have been overdone and are outdated. Asia is now a hot-bed of cafes, co-working spaces, electric vehicles and massive skyscrapers. Images that accurately capture this dichotomy of life sell well because they are the most relevant and speak to audiences better.
3. Capture the unfamiliar
Are you roaming the streets of Vietnam, surrounded by locals drinking coffee and chaotic traffic scenes? Shots of this have been taken and circulated probably thousands of times. Seek out the unfamiliar and undocumented. Some of our best-selling images are those that stand out from the rest.
4. Keep ahead of the local news
Get on Twitter, see what’s trending in your country or the city that you are in. Read the news columns and get a pulse on the latest events. Campaigns are sometimes driven by sentiment, and agencies often look for appropriate images to respond to what audiences are saying or doing, based on the news.
