Who or what is iStockphoto.com?

Who will use the images?

Stock photography is, by definition, accessible to anyone who agrees to the provisions of the user contract and purchases an image from an image library (such as iStockphoto). There are several protections to ensure that your face doesn't appear on a poster advertising (for example) an acne medication! Such a promotion would require a special release and would not be permissible under the standard usage contract.

However, if you had done a beachside shoot there would be a good chance your face might appear in a magazine article or advertisement about fun summer holidays.

In general, if you're overly worried about your anonymity, stock photography is probably not for you. But if you don't mind the chance of being occasionally recognised in a mainstream advertisement or promotion, and think you'd like to try something different, or that your career could benefit from a little publicity, stock imagery is the perfect way to raise your profile (and make some money).

How much money does the photographer make?

This is not a get rich quick scheme. In fact, I'm sure we could make more money waiting on tables, but it would certainly be a lot less fun! As stock photographers, we need faces in our photos — chiefly because "people" shots are always a useful addition to any portfolio.

Many photographers entice their friends and family members to be models. We prefer to offer people a small fee or the option of an image disc for his or her own personal use.

Please note, there is no guarantee we will profit from our photos. There are already more than 2 million images on iStock and, given the increasingly ubiquitous presence of high-resolution digital cameras, it is a very competitive field.

To some extent, we take a calculated financial risk every time we pay a model. To recoup our investment, we must rely upon our knowledge, judgment, experience and technical expertise to create images that designers will want to buy and use in their work.

Can I have part of the future profit from my image?

At this stage, returns do not justify additional payments. Payment of ongoing royalties would be prohibitively expensive to initiate — and bureaucratically cumbersome to manage in the long-term. We would need to employ an international lawyer, paying (no doubt) several hundred dollars in the process. To justify such expenditure, you would have to be a high-profile model. But if you are already a super model, then it is unlikely stock photography will be of much interest to you :)

However, if you know better and would like to propose some form of profit-sharing, please go ahead.

Will my image appear on a adult site?

Are there any other requirements?

We were going to say that you must be human — but that's not strictly true. If you feel your cat or dog is somehow an added expression of your own sparkling personality, then bring them along too! Please give us plenty of advance notice, though!

We are looking for both male and female talent — of all ages* (people under 18 years of age must have the written permission of their parent or legal guardian).

When you decide to work as a photo model, you must sign a release that registers you officially and allows your image/images to listed as stock photography (as outlined above). Proof of identification — for example: photo ID, a passport or driver's licence — is required.

*If you are younger than 18 years, you must have permission from your parent or guardian to participate. Parents are welcome to accompany their children as chaperones — or as part of the shoot.

Once we're ready to start, we normally schedule a one- or two-hour shoot to start with. After the shoot, we'll either pay you straight away or arrange copies of the images for you, either on the same day or soon after (see note concerning 'personal use' outlined below).

Once the photo shoot is completed, there is still work for us to do before a graphic designer can use the images. Each image must be cropped, sweetened and sharpened, removing minor blemishes or any identifiable logos and correcting any minor technical problems.

Overall, one hour of shooting usually requires about four to six hours of post-processing.

After processing, only the best images are uploaded to iStockphoto for consideration. Competition amongst photographers is fierce. Even if your photographs are very good, there is no guarantee the photos will be accepted or commercially successful. If we have negotiated an hourly rate, this is a risk that we assume.

Once a photo is accepted for the on-line image library, it becomes available as a royalty-free photo, accessible to graphic designers (under a licensing agreement with iStockphoto).

How much money can I make?

In terms of payment, there are two options. We can negotiate an hourly fee. Or you can work in exchange for portfolio images on disc. We prefer the latter of course, and not just because it is less of a financial risk. Time for print or CD is often an ideal starting point for people hoping to launch their career. It all depends on how much experience you've had, and what you hope to achieve from a shoot.

If you've never done modelling, working as a stockphoto model is an opportunity to learn, and gain both confidence and experience. It's also a fun way to be creative, without feeling under pressure.

How does the modelling process work?