Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic

srbeckle · Joined: 15 Jul 2006 Posts: 20

OK, it's time to start a list of photographic styles and techniques that have become so prevalent as to become a cliche....you see them everywhere. At the top of my list is photographing moving water at nothing less than 1/2 sec. shutter speed. We get it.... doing this causes the water to look like mist, cotton candy, whatever you want to call it. It was neat the first 83 times I saw it done, but now it's boring.

Paul_Lewis · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:23 pm

How about shooting people from the top of a ladder so their heads are huge and their feet are tiny? Yawn.

kaycee · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:47 pm

hilaryaq · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:51 pm

Jumping.. god its boring, although ok I have done a few jumping shots, but the really famous photographers for Vogue and the like are STILL doing the jumping shots with the relaxed face, oh look, the model is floating
* yawn!

A new idea is needed there!!

turboal1960 · Joined: 11 Dec 2008 Posts: 272 Location: Argentina

All in focus, all clear, all sharp, all with cero grain or noise… I know that for Stock it is necessary. But trends to do to a plastic look to the images. And it is the same with the sky and clouds always in vibrant tones. So, images like this, which I have too in my portfolio, become cliché.

No matter if a new idea appears. If it is popular, will be reproduced until it becomes a cliche. But why some cliche images are very boring, when others still catch our attention?

riffmax · Joined: 10 Mar 2005 Posts: 2877 Location: Florida, USA

Oh Lord, the list goes on....

What about the single tree in a field - preferably with a dirt road running beside it....

The front or read quarter panel of your favorite car (guilty)

The proverbial girl on a cellphone (guilty)

The handshake (guilty)

.....and on and on and on.....

cardmaverick · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 1:40 pm

Wedding pictures with only the flowers in color. I can see it making sense in a close up where the flowers are the subject, but I also see that in wider compositions where the flowers are NOT the main subject. I'm sorry, but that makes no sense to me.

jps · Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Posts: 6944 Location: Denmark

autumn leaves.
arrangements with autumn leaves, seminaked girls "relaxing" in leaves.
But worst is stones and rose petals in fluid wellness arrangements.

Anyway, I might do them.
Microstock is one big cliche.
But they sell.

tonygers · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 1265 Location: Sweden

Green grass with blue sky (Guilty)
*Silhouette 'illustrations' (Guilty)
Brushed metal backgrounds (Guilty)
Las Vegas sign (Guilty)
*Fractals (Guilty)
Beach scenes with palm trees to the side (Guilty)
Groups of business people in meeting scenario (NOT Guilty, but would be if I could afford the set up)
Close up flower shots (Guilty)

Jeeze, what am I complaining about???

;-)

Tony

*Illustrations can be very cliche too!

kaycee · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:04 pm

sunsets over the ocean.........guilty
cristal clear turqoise sea.........guilty (at the moment my bestseller)
very cute animals................guilty
fresh green and blue stuff in one image.........guilty

rinder99 · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:57 pm

Brick Walls
Meercats
Strawberries
Kiwi
Ducks,pigeons
Pepples
clouds
travel snapshots
Household objects on white
kids looking at a Laptop
sunsets with a palm tree
any money,Stacked coins,rolled up money
Pen laying on a Financial Report
Dice Playing Cards,poker chips
Office Buildings
Coffee Beans
Dried Pasta
parts of cars
Doorways and windows
closeups of cracked paint
Floral Illustrations
Any Macro of computer parts
USB cables
anything with the flood filter
computer keyboards
WWW symbols
candles
airplanes landing
any street signs
Pencils lined up
Fences going nowhere
Hand on a mouse
lightbulbs
open books
Lipstick kiss on paper
remote controls
Dandelions
People shaking hands with camera
Handing over keys
Tomatoes and apples
Neon signs

builttospill · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:30 pm

I was thinking flood filters the whole time reading this thread, then I got to Laurin's post. Looks like he covered it (and a few others). I think I'll add one more to the list though: sepia.

tonygers · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 1265 Location: Sweden

mandy · Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Posts: 1650

You forgot the people that take shots of every tool in their toolbox.

rinder99 · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:37 pm

LOL Tony. I have 95% of them also in my first 10 pages.Although, It is quite amazing as a reviewer, I still see all of these every single day.