Learn to Keyword like a Boss
I know keywording kinda sucks, but it's about to get a lot faster and easier!
Many people screw-up this crucial step, but you can jump ahead of 90% of the stock photo world by just doing your tags well. It's not hard to do, and I'm gonna show you some tricks for getting it done right.
Here are the links:
Cavan's Keywording Worksheet
https://bit.ly/3a6tPuF
Copy and paste this into your own Google Sheet and customize it for your shoots.
Cavan's Keywording Spark Page
https://adobe.ly/3oHzfQQ
We have some examples and helpful info here.
Thanks to Boone Rodriguez for the great photoshoot.
More in Submitting
Technical Requirements for Video
Filmmakers should deliver final clips with simple, good-looking color correction. This would mostly be contrast and basic color. Clients usually want to add their own look.
No Audio
Format
Our preferred file format is QuickTime .mov, but we also accept .mp4
Clip lengths are around 5-60 seconds
Codecs
If shooting RAW/uncompressed footage you should deliver .mov files with prores(4444) codec.
Otherwise, we support unmodified camera-native codecs, Apple ProRes, H.264(MPEG-4/AVC), H.265(HEVC)
Resolution
We'd like the highest native resolution you have, 4K and up are best - Our minimum is HD 1080p (1920x1080)
Frame rates
Supported frame rates are 23.98p, 24p, 25p, 29.97p, 30p, 50p, 59.94p, 60p
Technical Requirements for Stills
File size must be a minimum of 3500px on the short side.
Native file sizes that are larger are fine and encouraged, don't shrink them.
You can res-up an image to meet the minimum requirements, but do this sparingly and with care - Make sure to maintain a high quality file.
Images should be saved as level 12 jpgs, 8bit, sRGB color space.
Here are some mistakes to avoid:
- Lack of critical focus
- Don't sharpen your files in any noticeable way. Best to not do it at all.
- Clean your sensor - No dust please
- No digital artifacts, color banding, color blocking and excessive noise
- Really grainy stuff will be rejected
Model and Property Releases
Commercially Viable Content Is Important
Released, commercially viable content, is worth about 800% more than "editorial content". Commercially viable content is the No.1 most important factor for creating value in your stock portfolio. Always get releases and avoid un-release people, property and intellectual property.
Model Releases Legally Speaking
Model Releases are required for all images that contain "recognizable" people. This means if a person in the shot can say "hey, that's me!" then you legally need a release. Keep in mind, tattoos make a person identifiable. Even a shot of a small part of a person with a tattoo, needs a release.
Model Releases Practically Speaking
Lots of clients won't touch an image with a person in it, recognizable or not, unless it's released. Your goal should be to always have releases for any and all people in your shot.
Property Releases
Property Releases are needed for all images that contain recognizable private property. Generic, unrecognizable interiors and exteriors are fine without a property release. Private properties among many, that are not singled out in the composition, are ok un-released. For example, images of a neighborhood block that include many houses are ok without a release. Images featuring a particular house would require a property release. All artwork in a shot, including sculptures, painted walls and graffiti, require Property Releases, or need to be removed before submitting final imagery.
AI Content
Any AI content based on real people or a real private property, needs an appropriate release. Read more about AI Content in our guidelines hereSubmitting Mobile Phone Content
We only accept content from the latest, top-of-the-line, phones from Apple, Google & Samsung.
Keep in mind, phones are not the best option for your stock portfolio, so if you’re going to use one, make sure you know the phone's limitations and work within them.
Phones have a much harder time under less-than-ideal conditions, be aware of this and only submit technically sound files. Don't use filters or things like "Portrait Mode" This looks fine for your Instagram, but is not good enough for stock collections.
Make sure your settings are set to the highest quality possible - most phones do not default to these settings, you have to set them yourself.
Make sure stills meet our minimum file size standards of 3500px on the short side & videos are shot in 4K.
Commercial & Editorial Content - What's the Difference?
Commercially Viable Content
Commercially viable content is the No.1 most important factor for creating value in your stock portfolio. Released, commercially viable content, is worth about 800% more than "editorial content", so always get releases and avoid un-release people, property and intellectual property.
Releases can be found on Your Cavan Dashboard
IP (Intellectual Property)
IP consists of things like, logos, branding, trademarks, license plates, boat names & numbers, publications and printed works, sheet music, books, games, puzzles, original artwork & photography, including graffiti, painted walls and art on walls, etc.
Getty made a pretty good IP Wiki that contains a lot of surprising IP issues photographers should know about.
Did you know that the Eiffel Tower is fine to shoot in the day, but at night the light show is copyrighted and can’t be used commercially? How about the green color on John Deere farm equipment? Nope, trademarked, can’t be used without the color being shifted in post production. These and lot’s more should be learned from the Getty Wiki
Editorial Content
Any content that has unreleased people, private property, or IP in it, needs to be marked “Editorial Only” during the submission process. Keep in mind, editorial content will be worth much less to you, so it is worth the time to retouch things out and get releases.
Cavan is Content Exclusive - Here's Why
Cavan is a "distributing agency". This means we sell direct and automatically distribute work to the best partner agencies around the world.
So, please make sure the work you send to Cavan does not go to other agencies. We can't have stuff double-up at our partners.
Abusing this policy can result in your Cavan account being closed, so keep it fresh and let us do the distribution work for you.
Our approach creates some benefits for artists:
- You only upload to one place, but your work goes to every agency
- We work with everybody like Adobe, Getty, Shutterstock, and about 30 other agencies, Cavan's network is the largest in the world
- With Cavan's network, you have the largest buyer audience possible
You can still use your content:
- You can post on social and do any kind of promotional work
- You can sell your work directly to buyers
- Publish books of your work
- Sell fine art directly to buyers
Just don't send to other agencies. Your stuff will already be there if you're working with us.
Similars & Market Ready Content
Similar Content is legally defined as content "industry experts" would say looks similar. What the heck does that mean?... We know, it's a little vague... Here's how we see it - If it's the same shoot, same model, in the same clothes - it's probably similar. If it's the same subject matter but the composition is different, it's probably still considered similar. If it's the same day, same model, different clothes, in a new location, you're probably good to go. Basically, use your best judgment and mix it up if you want lots of unique content. Reach out to us anytime if you are unsure about a specific case.
Learn to Keyword like a Boss
I know keywording kinda sucks, but it's about to get a lot faster and easier!
Many people screw-up this crucial step, but you can jump ahead of 90% of the stock photo world by just doing your tags well. It's not hard to do, and I'm gonna show you some tricks for getting it done right.
Here are the links:
Cavan's Keywording Worksheet
https://bit.ly/3a6tPuF
Copy and paste this into your own Google Sheet and customize it for your shoots.
Cavan's Keywording Spark Page
https://adobe.ly/3oHzfQQ
We have some examples and helpful info here.
Thanks to Boone Rodriguez for the great photoshoot.
AI Content Guidelines
Overview
Cavan accepts AI-generated content, as long as it meets our quality, legal, and technical standards.
Requirements
- You must use the latest version of Midjourney - We are not accepting other programs at this time.
- Choose the AI submission path
- Cavan Pros must be opted into micro. (All free Cavan accounts are already opted-in to micro)
- Illustrate known clients needs - Creative Briefs can be found here
- Carefully select images with unique value and illustrate the creative briefs.
- Maintain high quality. AI often gets the rendering of anatomy and other aspects wrong. Look out for common mistakes.
- AI content depicting a real person or private property must have a proper release. (See below)
Things To Avoid
- Don't submit bad AI renders - This is the number one reason for rejected AI content. Make sure there are no badly rendered parts, like hands, teeth, weird proportions, and other common AI mistakes. Repeated mistakes can get your account closed, so please check your work carefully.
- Don't submit works of "newsworthy events" and do not tag content with current event tags - AI is not real and can not depict the news.
- AI will occasionally generate real logos, make sure to retouch those out.
- Don't iterate or generate from other people's AI works. Start from your own unique prompts.
- Don't describe, keyword or depict subjects or locations in ways that may mislead buyers. For example, do not use the keyword photography, or don't create a beach shot and say it's Fuji, Bora Bora, and the Caribbean. You can pick one and carefully create content relevant to the actual place, but it can't be two places at once.
- Don't spam the submission with multiple variations of the same prompt. Submit unique and relevant content. AI outputs are infinite. Part of the art of using AI is carefully curating the results. Read our Spam Guidelines here.
Cultural Appropriation
- Be very careful with cultural appropriation in AI, especially when you get into traditions and traditional dress that have spiritual or religious meaning, or when it becomes an offensive stereotype. Content of this type will not be accepted in our collection or partner collections. AI, most often, does not render important factors of these situations correctly and having them incorrect can, in some cases, be offensive. Content of this type should be avoided.
Model & Property Release Requirements for Real People & Private Property
Any AI content that depicts, is based on, or is intended to portray an identifiable person or private property requires a release. For example, if you prompt AI with a photo, or the name of, a real person or private property, you need a release. Learn more about releases.
Spam Policy
Learn about Premium & Micro Collections
Keywording Knowledge
The Most Important Concepts
Keywords should be single words 99% of the time
If you have logical double words, also separate them out - e.g. Arctic Fox, & Arctic, Fox,
Make sure your headlines and keywords are descriptive and accurate
Keywords need to be in English
Things to Avoid
Inaccurate titles, or keywords, will get your content rejected
Bad keywording degrades the customer experience and repeated abuse can get your account closed
Don’t keyword like you’re doing hashtags - don't combine words like hashtags, e.g. outdoorliving, wanderlust, vanlife, You can use Van life, and van, outdoor living, and outdoor, living, are good
Do not use any brand names, your name, or the models name in the keywords
Use Lightroom or Bridge for headlines, keywords and locations.
Our system will automatically read the Lightroom and Bridge IPTC data.
Using our Google Sheet Method will save you a lot of time (as seen in our video) - Make sure to spell-check your Google Sheet
Test one file in your first submission to make sure you have the right fields filled out.
More info on this in our Keywording Video.
More Detailed Keywording Information
Cover your headline as keywords
Repeat the important words in your headlines as keywords - Separate them into single words for tags.
Location fields need to be at least "City, Country"
Content without a proper location will get rejected.
You should add other key location elements as keywords like what river you're on or what mountain range is in the shot. Help the clients find your work.
How Many Keywords?
A good number of tags is 20+ and 50 is the limit. Be accurate and give the buyer a few good ways to find your content.
What to Cover
Think like the client - Keyword for the search words a client would use to find your shot.
What’s in the shot (Tiger, Office, Woman, Cocktail, mountain, river, valley)
What's happening (Run, Jump, Sing, Swim, Laugh, Smile)
Use Synonyms - Help clients find your work by giving them several words for key subject matter For example, (exercise, fitness, workout, recovery, PT, physical therapy, physical, therapy, heart healthy, heart, healthy,) (kid, child, girl, female, daughter, sister, student,)
Tell The Story
After describing the basic elements, add conceptual keywords describing feelings, mood, or trends, like Love, Solitude, Peaceful, Childhood, Milestone, Conservation, Adventure
Describe the Scene and Season
Use keywords like indoors, outdoors, day, night, sunny, cloudy, interior, exterior, spring and summer to help set the scene- be accurate.
Describe the People in the Shot
Include descriptive terms for age, a numeric age range, gender, and ethnicity (teen, 14-15 years, boy, Asian, Japanese) (hipster, millennial, baby boomer, retired).
Indicate Relationships & Rolls
Couple, mother, parent, family, teacher, musician, captain, entrepreneur, CEO, leader.
Describe Emotions
Use keywords like happy, sad, angry, proud, smile, laugh, frown, tired, energetic.
Call Out Important, Distinct Appearances
Describe clothing, hair, and other attributes like, beards, or eyeglasses to help buyers find the appropriate subject.
Plants & Animals
Plants and animals should always include the most accurate information possible, including the common name and scientific name.
Don't
Cute, Puppy, Dog,
Do
Loyal, Friendly, Puppy, Young, Dog, Dalmatian, Canis Lupus, Mammal, Carnivore
Don’t
Pretty, Butterfly, Flower
Do
Monarch, Butterfly, Danaus, Plexippus, Pollinate, Milkweed, Asclepias, Syriaca, Flower, Summer, Traverse City, Michigan, United States, North America, North, America, etc.
Travel & Landscape Content
Always use the most specific & accurate location information possible.
Don't
Hiking, Mountain, Trail
Do
Hiking, Hike, Trail, Fitz Roy, Trek, El Chalten, Los Glaciares, National, Park, Patagonia, Argentina, November, Summer,
Don’t
Venice, Canal, Bridge
Do
Academy Bridge, Bridge, Ponte dell Accademia, Grand Canal, Canal, Venice, Italy, May, Spring, etc.
More Pro Tips In Our Video
Making Your First Stock Images
Get Started
- Download a model release
- Find an interesting person you know that likes to do something interesting, and set up a time to do a small photoshoot of them.
- Pick a spot that has nice natural light
- Think of 5 ideas that tell a story about that person and their interesting thing they do. If you can, pre-scout the location with your camera and see what compositions work and where the light is going to look the best. Look for great places to shoot your 5 ideas for your story.
- Think about your shoot as a mini picture book telling a visual story about this person and their interesting thing.
Day Of The Shoot
- Have your subject sign the model release at the start of the shoot
- Make sure there are no logos you can’t handle retouching out - Ask the person to wear things that don’t have logos if possible.
- While shooting your 5 ideas, try to stay open to things you didn’t think of - Allow for an additional 5 impromptu things to just happen - A great shoot has a good balance of planning and space for unexpected creativity.
Post Production & Keywording
- Edit the best 3-4 frames for each of your 5-10 situations
- Process them with settings that keep them normal but with a slight punch to them - not over saturated, no blown out highlights, blocked up shadows, don’t sharpen etc. Keep it normal then push just a bit to make it feel as ad-ready as you can. Good examples are here
- Watch our keywording video and use the Google Sheet method - Keyword and add locations in Lightroom or Bridge
Submitting Your First Shoot
- Drag your images into the content manager
- Attach your model release to the images of your person and fill out the model info on the release part of the submission.
- Keywording and locations should already be done and the system will add them appropriately.
- You should be ready to submit - Great job!
When Are Releases Required
Model Releases
Clients do not like content with un-released people in it, "recognizable" or not. Your goal should be to always have releases for the people in your shots. Released, commercially viable, content is worth about 800% more than editorial content, so it's worth your time to get those releases. Download a Model Release here.
Property Releases
Property releases are required for all images that contain featured, or recognizable, private property.
Generic interiors do not need a release. Private properties way off in the distance, or properties not singled out in the composition are also ok without a release.
For example - A suburban block with lots of houses is ok without. However, an Image of a family in front of a single house would require a release. Same would apply to a city skyline vs a shot featuring a building.
Artwork of any kind, including graffiti, requires a Property Release, or needs to be removed before submitting to Cavan.
Download a Property Release here.
Why Is My Release Invalid
Usually Missing Information
Every field contained in the Model or Property Release must be filled out. All signature fields must be signed. Additionally if we detect any falsehoods, it will be marked invalid.
Common Technical Issues
Common Technical Issues That Can Be Fixed
Problems with retouching
Dust on your sensor
Crooked horizon line
Post production Problems:
Over-saturation
Too much contrast
Over-sharpening
Banding (Usually in the sky)
Over-vignetting
Overall too heavy-handed, pushed too far
Examples To Learn From
The goal for a stock image is to have a little punch and vibrance, but don’t push too hard to where it gets cheesy. You want to hold your own on a page of search results, but not look too stylized, or too far in any direction that you limit your possible clients.
Model Releases
Technical Issues
- Camera resolution / quality is not good enough for stock collections
- Excessive grain
- Out of focus, blurry, or movement