Before I get into what this is all about I would like to apologize for not posting a new article for some time. I've been on a health drive, doing a lot of running. To take it to it's final conclusion, it almost was for me, I decided to run one of those strong man races.

Well, I'm no strong man but I am a survivor - luckily - as I got lost after one and something miles. That was in June. I've just got back. The furthest I am now allowed is Selfridges, so the next article won't be so long in the making - unless I have trouble finding a down escalator, which I sometimes do.

Stock photography, now that's a nasty term for any type of photography. Unfortunately, our friends across the Atlantic, the U S of A, thought it appropriate, so it stuck. Photo Libraries, as stock agencies have been known here in zero growth UK, isn’t any better mind you.

It does seem as though stock agencies are very much influenced by these dreadful terms though, as they seem be taking the literal meaning all to seriously. If ever the cheese has been left in the burger it seems be with stock photography producers and in particular (as usual) the microstockers – the penny stockers.

I know I am always taking large swipes at much of what these guys produce for microstock consumption, but this time it's not just me poking a bit of fun - thankfully.

It has become very popular for creatives with a steady hand (it’s difficult when you’re laughing so much) to produce their own versions of some microstock 'classics'.

Here are a few examples, straight from the often entertaining site http://stockingisthenewplanking.com set up by Jamie Graham & Dennis Van Huffel.

We spoke to Dennis to find out why he believes people are so into doing it and he said, “I think because people, especially those of us that work in digital media who have any degree of experience working with stock photo agencies, appreciate the parody and the inherent weirdness of a lot of images. And that’s a fun thing to call attention to. It’s ironic because the original stock photos often feel like a parody of natural human behavior as they fill a need that isn’t truthful and are painfully contrived.”

Stocking is the new plank

UriStock

Dennis continued, “Also, the tools are available to most people to create these images, but it does take some degree of creativity/ingenuity to produce. Collaboration factors in heavily too. Our team has had some really fun moments producing these images. It’s been somewhat of impromptu team building exercise which speaks greatly to the culture our founders Jeff Steinberg and Peter Eckert have fostered.”

Stocking is the new plank

Cordlessstock

The feedback according to partner Jamie Graham “has been really positive. In terms of what people extract from our project is a mixed bag: some people have mentioned ideas about gender and identity and apply some critical thinking to the juxtaposition of these images. Dennis and I both went to art school so it’s impossible for us not to apply some of that thinking and we appreciate that. And a lot of people just laugh, which is great – that’s the first reaction we had and the number one reason we pursued the idea.”

Stocking is the new plank

nonstickstock

Now cheese does sell, although to be honest you can’t call actual American processed cheese, cheese. In my view they are infringing the trades description act. It took me a while to realize that Rubbermaid didn’t actually sell cheese. They do, however, sell cheese containers if that’s of use to anyone?

Please take note microstockers, this parody, although fun, has a serious undertone, it may tell you something about how clichéd a lot of the material you produce is, which isn’t great for creativity or client choice. Having said that much of it sells real well, so who’s to blame?