5 Art Photographers Take on Stock Photo Cliches
Stock photography is a massive industry that involves the most creative people on Earth: photographers who produce content and designers who use visuals. It changes quickly and is always on top of new trends in photography and design. So how is it that we still see an enormous amount of outdated, stereotypic and dull imagery around us?
Stereotypes thrive in visual culture and the reason for this is laziness. It is much easier to follow cliches and stick to standard interpretations. For example, the portrayal of a businessman in a suit. It would take some more reflection and thought to capture a businessman (or woman) in a more imaginative way.
We asked 5 talented photographers from different genres to re-invent the most common stock cliches: a woman with salad, a happy family, a business meeting, a party, a lady shopping and the concept of a sprout. They had 1 day, up to 6 models and a couple of locations to produce their stories. Here is what they came up with.
Happy family
By Portrait and landscape photographer Roman Pashkovskiy
Father and son, a fragile creation and an adult man. This story about closeness and authenticity of feelings is about the moment during which a child learns about the world together with his father, behind his strong shoulder.
Party
By Art photographer Polina Karpova
In the shoot with a party there is an introvert character, tired of the event.
Shopping
By Fashion photographer Max Finogeev
A reference to the deliberate and bright pop art which first started to criticise the mass consumer society. Behind the screen of flat forms, you want to make out the person and not his acquisitions.
Business meeting
By Photojournalist Ivan Chernichkin
The photographs that I have taken for this project are to some extent a test for the audience. In every one of the shots I have taken, there is a reference to famous works of art or the works of famous photographers.
Sprout concept
By Nude photographer Maia Iva
This is a self-portrait and it is about the unification of a person and nature. Has it ever seemed to you as if flowers are about to grow out of your ears, hands and toes? I feel like I’m in a permanent process of transforming into a plant. Incorporating the soil the way I did during the photoshoot, I probably sped up this process.
For more photographs and the full story, visit depositphotos.com/reinventing.
