The wonderful world of stock photography

The world of stock photography never interested me very much.  Not until I found out I needed it:  for book covers for my e books/stories, for booktrailers, and for my web site.  Since April, I've spent a decent chunk of change with several stock photography sites and I don't see any end in sight.

My first purchase was for the cover of Abused: A Daughter's Story, which is to date the best selling title I have up on Kindle.  We're talking over 800 sales since the end of April.  Why?  I wish I could say it's the writing that's sold it, but I have to believe it's actually the picture of the crying child on the cover.  Doesn't the look on her face just break your heart?  (Too bad Kindle only shows you the B&W version.  I'm hoping the Nook's color screen will sell hundreds more. BTW, Kindle has been selling it for 89 cents -- a 10% discount. There go my profits!)

I bought several other photos for other covers, and then, when I couldn't find pictures for a couple of projects, took them myself with wonderful results.  (We're So Sorry, Uncle Albert was one, and the other was a picture of a gallon of antifreeze for my book trailer.)  Sadly, I haven't got the means (or the proper lighting) to take all my own pictures.  So, back to iStock I went.

I'm waiting for the day when my rights are returned for Dead in Red.  And you know what, I've already bought the rights to not only the red sparkly shoe for the cover, but a better bloody hand, as well.  I don't know if I'll go with the color blend (white to black under the shoe) or the white to read on the type.  Time will tell.  And don't tell me I can't use the same layout idea on my version of the cover--it was me who suggested it to my publisher!

Recently, I've put together the recipe pages for my Lorna Barrett and Lorraine Bartlett sites.  They needed something that said COOKING!  So off to iStock I went.  I wanted to showcase chocolate chip cookies on the Lorraine site, but the last time I made them, I wasn't thinking about other possible uses when I took my own photographs.  (Note to self:  start thinking of such things.)  So I ended up buying this picture.  Doesn't it make you want to haul out the flour and sugar and start baking?

Okay, back to writing.  And thinking about my next iStock purchase.  (Hey, I still have 11 credits left to spend.)