Glow Images Blog

A Moving Look at Glow Images Microstock

Posted on 27. Aug, 2010 by Glow Images.

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Photoshop Tip: How to Recreate a Blue Sky

Posted on 26. Aug, 2010 by Glow Images.

Have you ever wanted to turn your gray skies blue? Well, here is a tip that can really help make your photos pop!

Jackie of Jacklyn Byrd Photography will take you through 10 easy steps to get it done.

Jackie says:

1. Open up image in Photoshop.

2. Select a color that would be closest to a blue sky.

3. Select the gradient tool.

4. Your gradient will appear on your photo.  Sometimes you may have to switch the angle to the correct area.

5. Select areas in which you would NOT want the blue to overlap on important parts of your image.

6. Make sure you feather the selection usually 3 to 5 px will do.

7. Take your paint bucket using the black to remove the blue in the selected areas.

8. You may now use the brush to remove any areas that did not get covered on the selection that you prefer not to be cover by the blue sky.

9. Make sure your gradient layer is selected and change to Multiply or Darken.

10. You can now change your opacity to make the sky look more realistic.  Usually anywhere between 50%  to 80% will work.  And now you have a blue sky!

Congratulations! You’ve brightened your day!

Visit Jacklyn Byrd Photography to see more of her work. And don’t forget to check out Glow for all your image needs.

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Find the Differences II

Posted on 25. Aug, 2010 by Glow Images.

It’s time again to test your eye for detail. Look closely. Can you spot the 5 differences between these two photographs? Good luck!

Check to see how good you are. Here are the answers.

© Glowimages. Image #101-5678954.

Need a closer look? Click here.

Thanks again to Jacklyn Byrd Photography for retouching this photo for us. You are a  Photoshop guru!

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Capturing Speed and Motion

Posted on 24. Aug, 2010 by Glow Images.

Although you may be working with still images, that doesn’t mean your work has to be static. You can use images that give the illusion of motion and jump off the page/screen.

© Aflo Relax. Image #AFR-IE-11809.

One classic example of this is long exposure photography, as in the image above. There is a healthy supply of these types of stock images. Stationary objects remain still while objects in motion become blurred. In this case, the headlights and taillights of cars appear to be rocketing through the photo.

© PhotoAlto Premium. Image #PAA529000035.

Multiple exposure images can also give you the illusion of motion. This usually results in what looks like a series of the same object moving across the photo. In this image, the multiple exposure method results in a ghostly trace of the man running. It is a cool effect and really gives you a sense of speed.

© Glowimages. Image #101-9644909.

And there is always just a blurred motion image to fall back on. An image like this seems much more active and physical than the same image without the blur effect. There are lots of images like this in the stock photography world, but they are effective.  It is an easy way to show motion and speed.

For more great speed and motion images, check out Glowimages.com.

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Keywording Tips for Stock Photographers, Part 7: What Am I Really Looking At?

Posted on 23. Aug, 2010 by Glow Images.

Details are important when keywording stock images, but stock photographers shouldn’t get so wrapped up in the little things that they forget to take a step back and look at the big picture (pun intended).

For each of your stock images, ask yourself what is the story that this photograph is trying to tell?  What are the most significant aspects of the image?  In short, what is the image “about?”  Once you’ve got this figured out, the keywords for your stock images will come easily because most of them will point back to that main theme.

Also keep in mind that there may be a difference between the things that are significant to your stock images and the things that are relevant to stock photography buyers.

For example, in a stock photo of a businesswoman working on a laptop computer at an outdoor café, business, technology, and connectivity are the significant themes of the image; however, the woman’s hair color, facial expression, and ethnicity aren’t that important to the image itself, but they are all relevant elements that stock photography buyers may use as search terms.  On the other hand, the types of trees in the background and the specific food on her plate probably aren’t that significant and shouldn’t be included in the keywords.

Developing a sense for what’s significant and relevant for your stock images’ keywords will help you master the complicated art of keywording for stock photography.  If you haven’t already, don’t forget to check out our earlier Keywording Tips for Stock Photographers.

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