When it comes to stock photos, trends and the the cool factor have a shelf life. What is cool or in style today may or may not be fashionable 5-10 years from now.  Even so, trends still hold a great niche in the wonderful world of royalty free stock photos.

Here is a stock photo of a young man wearing thick black framed nerd glasses.  It’s funny (when you really think about it) that the styles from the 70s and 80s are all back, and many people see vintage and retro styles as cool again.  This is just what happens in the world of fashion. Everything has been done under the sun, so trends seem to repeat themselves after some time. Nonetheless, these nerd glasses series images have been licensed hundreds of times within the last few years.

Another example is hair feather extensions.  They are the hottest thing since sliced bread in the hairdressing and beauty world.  They might already even be on their way out.  Easy come, easy go.  Will women be clipping bird feathers in their hair a few years from now?  What about 10 or 20?  We can only wait and find out.

When producing royalty free stock images, we have to realize and acknowledge that images like these may or may not have a lasting shelf life.  While some looks and some models (including their clothing and hairstyles) will be able to hold up to the tests of time, others will fall flat on their face.  Not many graphic designers or art directors are going to approve of using stock images of business people wearing plaid suit jackets from the late 70s or early 80s.  Even photos of kids, or senior citizens with certain hairstyles can be considered.  How long until this royalty free stock photo of a skateboarder becomes obsolete?  There’s no way to tell how long skateboarders might be into wearing plaid shirts.

This is exactly why when you’re in the business of shooting and producing stock imagery, it is a non-stop job.  Images, themes, and subjects will require constant refreshing and updating on a regular, yearly basis.  Some of these stock images are going to have a shelf life (like an expiration date on a milk carton), some much longer than others, depending on how generic we can make them.  Covering stock image subjects with both the “cool factor” and the ability to withstand the tests and trials of time, are always on our minds.  We all know what is considered cool today might be dumb tomorrow.

Tags: buy stock photos, cool factor, fashion trends, royalty free stock images, royalty-free stock photos, stock images, stock photos, trends, trendy

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 at 9:21 AM and is filed under Stock Photography. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.