I spend part of my career speaking at industry conferences. This gives me an opportunity to see who’s exhibiting, as well as talk to vendors and photographers to see what’s on their minds. I wanted to quickly share five things that I’ve noticed popping up more and more. Consider adding these areas to your service offerings to expand business opportunity:
3D Photography
Right now, this is actually starting as a consumer trend. We’re seeing cameras like the Sony Bloggie 3D as well as some mobile phones starting to pick things up. But 3D is on the rise and I expect things like iPad, phone, and computer displays to not be far behind. If you’re into product or location photography, give it some serious thought.
- Here’s an example of web usage that’s pretty cool from Vision3 Imaging
- You should also check out lenticular printing such as Snapily.com
Video
I know for some this is old news… but interest continues to skyrocket. My dSLR classes at Photoshop World sold out in record time. I was amazed at how many people in the photography world are interested in video and have clients willing to pay.
- Want a jump on understanding video and DSLR – check out From Still to Motion
Time-lapse Photography
A close cousin to video is the art of time-lapse photography. In this case the photographer shoots several stills sequentially using a timer or intervalometer. An exposure can be taken as often as every second, but often longer intervals are used to show the passing of time. There is high demand for time-lapse photography within the stock community and it’s a heck of a lot of fun.
- Want to be inspired, visit timescapes.org
- Want to learn about time-lapse? Visit Triple Exposure
Metal Printing
One of the most popular output options these days is metal printing. Whether it’s large sizes for walls to smaller panels for installations, you’ll find that many vendors are now offering this service. Two things to think of – first shop around… because this is a new service… prices are vary wildly. Second, most printers tell me to reduce the contrast and saturation a bit as the metal will intensify both.