Crazy For Keywords

posted on 13th of august, 2009

As a fairly new user of dreamstime, but a long-time user of stock photography, I wanted to offer some small feedback on keywords. A lack of certain basic keywords can be a huge hindrance to a designer looking for very specific images. Definitely, the more keywords the better!

My biggest struggle on dreamstime has been trying to find ‘isolated’ images. If an image was taken against a white (or any solid) background, I’ve found that often the keyword ‘background’ will be included, but less often the word 'isolated’ will be used. Often I’m looking for an isolated image and I really have to dig to find exactly what I’m looking for.
Photographers -- please use more keywords and the term ‘isolated’ as a keyword if your photo's been taken against a solid background. Not only will it make the designer's search much, much easier, but it might also mean more designers find and use your excellent photos!

Here’s an example of a great photo I think would benefit from the keyword ‘isolated’

Edited upon request to avoid confusion 8.14.09

Tags: background images isolated keywords search

Comments (8)

	Posted by Dentedmedia on August 13, 2009 Thanks everyone! Now I know to search using the terms isolated (and cutout), which makes a lot of sense.
	Posted by Red on August 13, 2009 In the graphic design world of everyday work, production artists who primarily work with photoshop interchange the words cut-out, knock-out and silo. Those interchangeable terms refer to the same technique - making a path around an object and deleting the background (via clipping path or mask). The term silo (for silhouette) has been used this way for many, many years.
	Posted by Bradcalkins on August 13, 2009 Interesting - I've almost never had an isolated shot actually result from a search using the keyword 'isolated'. Or at least not the ones that display results. I'll keep putting isolated in as a keyword, though!
	Posted by Littledesire on August 13, 2009 I try always to fill as mush keywords as I can but sometimes I wonder if it's good to do it. Useful blog! All the best!
	Posted by Py2000 on August 13, 2009 I agree that "isolated" is a much more appropriate keyword than "silhouette", which means something else (see Wiki), for the photo in the example.
	Posted by Bobbigmac on August 13, 2009 Typically the keywords which would be most likely acceptable (and searched for) with regards to objects or people isolated over white (or any other solid colour) would be either simply "isolated" or "cutout". A silhouette is a solid-colour foreground over an image (thus quite the opposite of a cutout or isolated image).
	Posted by Dmccale on August 13, 2009 Yes I do need to work on my keywording Thanks Debbie
	Posted by Mani33 on August 13, 2009 Interesting actually... I really need to review my keywords though my 11 sales were with search terms which is a good sign! Thanks for the post... Cute girl :) Cheers ;)