A Taste of the Darkroom

Picibee has worked very closely with influential photographers such as Duke Photography in assessing the unmet needs of today's busiest photographers and the role Picibee can play in meeting those challenges.

One of the most challenging areas facing every professional photographer is the seemingly insurmountable cost of background and set building for a shoot. Whether in a studio or on location, creating backgrounds demands a substantial amount of time and expense. On-location, the cost involves researching, scouting, getting permits, waiting for the right natural light and, of course, lets not forget the actual cost of the shoot. In-studio there is the cost of building a set and all of the limitations that come with that set, such as storage, or dismantling and discarding. You can certainly buy already existing muslins and rolls and rolls of backgrounds but imagine the headache of continually changing from one to the next until one fits the shoot and the creative vision. Then there is also the cost involved in the purchasing and storage of this collection.

Picibee is determined to continue to deliver the most exciting, never seen before and, in some cases, never before imagined backgrounds. These backgrounds serve not only to enhance captured photography but as a cost saving mechanism.

We don't just cater to professional photographers either.  Any of this imagery can be used as a photo album background for the hobbyist photographer too.

On the Move!

Short tutorial on how to achieve a motion blur using your camera:

If you're looking to produce motion lines in your imagery, here is a short tutorial.  See the image above of London Taxis. The technique seen here is pretty much the old fashioned "pan with the camera & shoot" method. The exposure was around 1/8 second and aperture around f-22. (The aperture is not as critical, but we use that to control and bring the shutter speed to the desired setting.)

You can see the direction the camera was panning by looking at the "sharper" taxi (i.e., moving in the direction of the sharper taxi). If you move your camera at the same speed as a moving object, you'll end up getting the moving object in focus and everything that is still or moving in the opposite direction will get the "motion blur" treatment. Note: If your shutter speed is too fast then there is less motion blur and the dynamic of the image completely different (and probably not so satisfactory.)

Please check back with us as Picibee continues to add to its "Buildings in Motion" gallery under "Places" on the site. These and our other cool abstract backgrounds offer a great backdrop for product imagery and CGI needs.

The Fairest Composition of Them All

Aside from experimenting with lighting, the Picibee photographers like to play with composition. The way a subject (or subjects as seen here) is arranged can make all of the difference when presenting your unique perspective in the art of photography.

There are many things to consider when one is designing a composition for a photo. Patterns can bring a heightened visual interest to your imagery. Pattern images in photography are nothing but repetition and they are all around us; we don't have to look hard or far. You may spot an existing pattern when setting up your shot, or you may choose to create a pattern - subtle or overt - for the composition.

In this image, special attention is taken with the composition not only with the pattern and how the models are arranged in a circle but with the focus of the subjects' eyes. Each model is positioned so that they look as if they are focused on Dopey with the notable exception of Sleepy, of course, whose eyes are closed. The photo begs the question, "What is Dopey saying?" (or not saying as it were.)

At Picibee, we believe that photography should be thought provoking and that special attention to even the most minor of details, such as where the eyes are looking, can set a photo apart from the pack.

With Snow White & the Huntsman and Mirror Mirror, Picibee also wanted to get in on this fairy tale trend…but with a bit more whimsy.

Tilt & Shift

The Picibee approach to how to shoot stock photography is multi-faceted. We experiment with all different lighting, lenses, cameras, angles and other techniques in order to tap into something new and refreshing when it comes to stock.

For example, the below image was shot using just available light at ISO 200, something the team at Picibee might not have experimented with in the past. Many of our photographers always believed historically in the lowest ISO for the best detail. However, the use of a new 5D MarkIII allows for a few extra stop due to its amazing detail and low noise even at higher ISOs.

This image was shot with the beloved Canon 24mm f/3.5L Tilt-Shift lens. A lens that enables changing the plane of focus and the dynamic of the image.  For more information on perspective & distortion, see our tutorial.

Perspective and Distortion Tutorial

The human eye has the ability to correct everything it sees. This is in terms of color but also in terms of distortion. You can tilt your head up and down but the perspective in the images that you see will always remain correct and distortion free.

Unfortunately cameras don't have that ability (not yet) or at least need your help in correcting the scene and the perspective. Here is a simple way to correct the perspective to some extent and to a point where the buildings (interior or exterior) look straight and distortion-free.

If you make sure your camera is leveled from all direction (Canon 5D MarkIII has a built in level or you can purchase a camera level for less than $30.00), your images will have almost no distortion. Meaning the horizontal & vertical lines will remain leveled and straight. Your images will end up looking like they were shot with special Tilt/Shift Lens.

The image below was shot with a 24-70mm zoom lens with camera completely leveled.

Time is Precious

Unlike other royalty free photo web sites, Picibee produces imagery with style, sensitivity and above of all quality and beauty that would surpass the best of what has been available over the past few years. With other companies, it can be very tedious to find what you were hoping for and we know that in today's fast moving world, time is precious. While other sites take pride in having millions of images, we take pride that your chances of finding the image you are looking for in our very handpicked pool of beautiful images are much greater. Moreover, we think you’ll find the experience far more enjoyable and we promise we will always keep it that way for as long as we can. 

Photography That's "Mmm Mmm Good"

When we think about the Picibee perspective and approach as to how to create stock photography, a key objective is to thoroughly conceptualize in various contexts and then execute the piece so that it can be used as a supporting element, such as a background, or as the final piece.

For example, the photographer looks at this beautiful array of antique branding. The arrangement of labels by itself could certainly be used as background imagery. The decision made in post for this execution is to add visual interest with a distressed edge effect.  The image can then be re-produced at a larger scale and used as wall art.

As its name suggests, Picibee's Darkroom offers photographers unique digital tools to enhance their images.  Photographers can choose from Picibee's totally unique series of Photoshop actions as well as extensive textures and backgrounds that can be used to enhance and improve captured images.

In our Darkroom, also find never-before-seen “canvases” that can be used as backgrounds for portraits of every kind. So whether it is executive portraits, environmental portraits or any event portrait, Picibee has just the image you're looking for.  And while you're browsing the Darkroom, don't forget to check out our selection of totally unique Frames and Edges to put those finishing touches on portraits and images.

Valley of the Dolls

If the two of us know the same thing then one of us is irrelevant. – Tom Waits

Are you sick and tired of that sick and tired stock image?  We take the utmost pride in Picibee's uniquely fresh perspective and approach. Unlike other agencies, we handpick our photographers and we do not accept submissions outside this pool of amazing artists.

Picibee is determined to deliver the most creative stock images. What we produce is as diverse as the universe itself and we ensure that every image in our gallery is thoroughly conceptualized and beautifully executed. Each image can play in the background as support for the final image or stand own its own as the final piece.

Driving on the Left Hand Side!!!

Our photographer in Britain escaped the hustle and bustle of London and drove to the countryside. 
It turns out there is just as beautiful of a landscape on the left hand side as there is on the right. Who knew?!!
In the weeks to come you'll find more of these landscapes, cityscapes and all sorts of "escapes" on Picibee.com.