Morf-stock

How did you originally get into stock?

I had just gotten a new camera and started playing with Photoshop when I found DeviantArt and their stock section. After using a few stock images I thought it might be fun to post a few images I wasn't using at the time in hopes someone may find it useful in something they were working on. A way to contribute back to the community. Once I started seeing what was made with my photos I was blown away and posted a bunch more. It wasn't till a few years later after I had kinda forgotten about the account for a while that I saw how much it was being used so I upgraded my camera and started posting regularly.


Why did you leave the deviantArt stock scene? And what made you come back?

Short and sweet, I left when the fun left. I came back cause I missed it and all the friends I had here. I was also in need of some inspiration myself and sharing stock and seeing how it inspires people is a lot of fun. It's amazing to see all the different ways in which one photo can be used and interpreted and all the different styles.


Tell us a bit about your stock shooting set-up.

My camera is a Nikon D80, the rest I have to get creative with. I usually use a blank wall or a clothing rack covered in a sheet with a blanket or some padding on the floor. For lighting I have an 18x24 box i made with four light bulb sockets in it, a few clip on desk lamps, and anything else I can find around the house.


How do you come up with such dynamic poses?

Sometimes I try to view it as still frame acting and how I could use it for something of my own. Just like hitting pause in the middle of the movie. The camera could be a person, an object, or just an observer of the scene... you choose the scenario and act accordingly, the art gods will create the rest of the visual reality. Other times I just get stupid and start taking pictures of whatever and hope for the best.


What makes a good stock photo, in your view? What makes you add a stock photo to your favs?

For me the quality of the photo is the most important. If the lighting is bad or it is blurry or pixelated you become really limited on what you can do with it. It is also key to get the entire subject in frame, cutting off body parts like fingers and toes is painful. I love amplified perspective and true expression, the crazier the better.


Other than stock, what do you like to do in your free time?

Art pretty much consumes my life, if I am not taking photos I am drawing. Pencil portraits and digital painting are my favorites but I like to try a little of everything from woodbuning to butter sculptures. I recently started playing with Sculptris and Blender 2.66 in an attempt to bring some of my drawings into the next dimension. I also started updating my art account on here as well Morfland




Show us a few of your favorite stock uses!

It is really hard to pick favorites and to be honest from being gone so long there is a ton of work I haven't yet seen. But if I had to pick three off the top of my head that really stick out to me right now I would say these might be them...




Would you rather be covered in kittens or covered in cheese?

If they were Egyptian hairless Sphinx kittens then yes, by all means bring on the feline infestation! If not I'll take some fresh mozzarella and a snorkel, please and thank you.


And if there's anything else you want to share, go for it!

I want to thank everyone for the love and support over the past years and look forward to many more years of deviant fun. If anyone has any requests or questions just send me a note and I'll see what I can do. I can't wait to see glimpses into other peoples imaginations!