500px Commercial Grants: Breaking the Mold

500px strives to capture authentic representation within the global experience. As part of the 500px Commercial Grants program, we provide photographers with opportunities that encourage inclusivity within commercial photography. 500px is awarding five $1,000 US Commercial Grants to photographers who want to tell LGBTQI+ positive stories as part of the Breaking the Mold Commercial Grant.… Continue reading 500px Commercial Grants: Breaking the Mold

Celebrating Earth Day in commercial photography

Last year, on Earth Day’s 50th anniversary, a survey from Kearney revealed that even amid the pandemic, consumers feel a strong and growing interest in the environment. Almost half (48%) said that the pandemic had made them more concerned about the environment, and 55% said that they were more likely to purchase environmentally-friendly products as… Continue reading Celebrating Earth Day in commercial photography

Challenging gender stereotypes in commercial photography

To coincide with International Women’s Day in March, the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and Facebook IQ released a new report on representation and inclusion in online advertising campaigns. They found that women in ads were 14.1 times more likely than men to be shown in revealing clothing and 6.9 times more likely… Continue reading Challenging gender stereotypes in commercial photography

Landscape vs. portrait: What’s best for Licensing in the age of social media?

At the start of this year, the Special Covid-19 Edition of The CMO Survey revealed that social media spending increased to 23.2% of marketing budgets by June 2020, up from 13.3% in February. As brands turned to social media to connect with customers, the visual marketing landscape shifted to suit a new era—and new platforms.… Continue reading Landscape vs. portrait: What’s best for Licensing in the age of social media?

10 tips for avoiding creative burnout

According to a 2020 survey, 75% of workers have experienced burnout on the job, with 40% saying it’s a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re living in an uncertain time, and between schedule changes, remote work, and longer hours, stress feels inevitable, even for people who love their jobs. For photographers, burnout can take… Continue reading 10 tips for avoiding creative burnout

Bringing realness and authenticity to your commercial portfolio

You might not have heard the phrase “perfection fatigue,” but we’ve all experienced it. For decades, many brands have contributed to unrealistic beauty standards through the use of overly retouched photos, but fortunately, in the last few years, the tables have turned. Customers are speaking out about airbrushing and demanding more inclusive marketing—and companies are… Continue reading Bringing realness and authenticity to your commercial portfolio

What to expect when submitting your photos to commercial Licensing

2020 was the year of the “side hustle,” with people around the world turning their passions into passive income or planning to do so in the near future. For many photographers, in particular, that meant selling presets, opening an online print shop, or selling their work as creative stock photography. Stock photography, also known as… Continue reading What to expect when submitting your photos to commercial Licensing

2021 color trends in commercial photography

There’s a famous moment in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada where Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) lectures Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) about color trends, explaining how Andy’s seemingly average cerulean blue sweater was, in fact, influenced by years of high fashion. The scene is fictional, of course, but it does have some roots in… Continue reading 2021 color trends in commercial photography

Four commercial photography categories that are always in-demand

Commercial stock photography has been around for more than a century now, and in that time, the industry has undergone countless evolutions in terms of what photographers shoot and what buyers want. The past few years have been reshaped by trends ranging from in-demand topics like sustainability and technology to stylistic choices like minimalism and… Continue reading Four commercial photography categories that are always in-demand

Best practices: 5 editing tips for great commercial content

With the global photo editing software market size expected to reach $1,183.8 million by 2026, it’s never been easier to enhance your images in post-processing. Editing apps are more accessible than ever, and professional and amateur photographers alike are boosting their potential with smarter, AI-driven tools. It’s no longer necessary to outsource editing and retouching… Continue reading Best practices: 5 editing tips for great commercial content