Great Escape Publishing

Posted August 22nd, 2016 by Bonnie Caton & filed under Travel Photography.

Whew, August is flying by and so are our Summer Sprints. One month to go!

I’m continually inspired by your photos and I’m so excited that we’re building up our stock image portfolios in time for the fall buying rush!

In looking through your image submissions from these past couple months of our Summer Sprints, something special jumped out at me. I noticed that there were several shots that captured something that’s pretty elusive…

All of the reader images below struck me as having a very ‘in the moment’ feeling to them. These photographers all captured a passing moment with a story to tell.

Here’s what I mean:

By Patrick Civello

I love the perspective of this image. Patrick made a great choice to angle his camera up and position the sun behind the bridge. Including the choppy waves and the illuminated flag blowing in the wind gives a strong sense of energy and movement.

By Tara Shannon

Here’s a creative take on a portrait! Tara found the perfect moment with her subject peering out from the slightly opened doorway, which creates a feeling of curiosity and mystery. She included just enough of the environment to make me wonder about this girl and her story, while also keeping the image beautifully simple and free of anything that would distract from her subject.

By Maggie Martin

What a great moment caught between these two birds. By getting in close and blurring the background, Maggie has simplified what I imagine was a pretty chaotic scene. This keeps my eye locked on this interesting interaction, wondering what happens next.

By Ann Moore

Here’s another powerful and unconventional portrait. The empty chairs in the background, combined with the subject’s gaze towards the window creates a feeling of waiting, wondering, and expectation. This is something we can all relate to. Ann has done a great job of keeping the composition simple while including enough of the environment to tell the story.

Any photo that captures a moment and holds the viewer’s attention is likely to do well as stock. As you’re out photographing, keep in mind that buyers are always looking for compelling images that tell a story.

Of course, there are moments and stories happening all around us every day. The trick is to use your camera to simplify a busy world with uncluttered compositions.

We’re coming up on our final push before the busy fall buying season begins! Get out your camera, take some shots, and upload, upload, upload. Let’s do this!