I think now is the time to start preparation of taking the website up to the next level. I have high expectations and big plans for Stockvault in the free stock photo area. Yeah, there are new sites popping up all over the place, but we have a large and devoted user-base which I hope to see grow in the years to come.

Below is a list of things to come within the next 2-3 months. I’m already working hard on these features, hoping to be able to launch them before New Year.

New dedicated server
I’m currently setting up a brand new server dedicated to Stockvault.net - That means you will see massive speed increments, and a smoother all-around experience.

Completely new back-end / gallery system
Our current (old) gallery system has it’s limits, and is missing features that I think are vital for the site to grow. Therefor I have decided to migrate over to a new system which has a lot of exiting features for our members.

Among some of the new features are:

• We can finally accept vector and graphic files such as .ai, .eps, .psd and many more!
• One member system. You will have access to all the site features through one account.
• Upload your photos as collections, better batch uploads etc.
• Private messaging system, favorites, support forums, user news/blogs, just to name a few.

New layout design
All these system changes require a brand new look, right?
Stockvault.net will receive a nice makeover, where I will focus on simplicity and usability. And good looks of course!

Hi Armend, please tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into photography.

My name’s Armend Muqkurtaj. I’m a 22yo guy from Sweden almost done with my 4th semester studying Advertising, Graphic Design and Visual Communication at the University of Kalmar.

I’ve always been fascinated with colors and shapes which is what drew me into the world of Art and all it’s depth, including photography. Taking photos has always been a fun thing to do, but never really got into it or explored the possibilities photography had to offer until I got my first real digital camera, which was on my 17th birthday. That’s when it all started, when my passion for photography was lit.

What kind of camera do you use, and do you use any additional gear when shooting?

I started out with a Canon EOS 300D which was a great “professional” camera for beginners. You weren’t limited to the possibilities of taking amazing photos by your hardware.

Today, not many years later I’m still a loyal Canon user. Unfortunately due to my living situation, being a broke-ass student most of the time, I’m limited to sticking with reasonable cameras and equipment in my price range, meaning a Canon EOS 400D. Other gear in my backpack other than the 400D house and 18-55mm kit-lens are my Sigma 55-200mmD 1:4-5:6 DC, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, an Canon RC-1 remote controller and a Hama Star 62 tripod.

Have you had any professional training as a photographer?

None. I’m a self-taught amateur photographer. Google really is a great friend! There are endless help-sites, tutorials and inspirational sources out there to help you grow and inspire you for photo ideas.

Being a graphic designer, how does that influence the outcome of your photos?

Having a background into graphics, it’s allowed me to view things differently through my viewfinder when it comes to form, colors and especially composition. Being able to set up an image in my head and going a step further in thinking as to where and what possibilities the photo has of being used and applied on to print, websites etc. Also being able to compose a photo with a message, a way of communicating with the receiver on the viewing end, without really saying anything “The medium is the message”.

This doesn’t mean I sometimes don’t simply see something nice and have to capture it because it’s pretty, but mostly there’s a process of thought behind it, or so I’d like to think!

Do you have any hobbies apart from photography?

I’m a huge music fan, which is also a major source of inspiration for me, as well as movies. I’m also a web designer/webmaster maintaining a few websites online on my spare time. Other than that my responsibilities don’t leave much room for other stuff to do so I try to spend what little time I have with friends, family and at the gym.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m currently applying for a transfer to study Graphic Design in Melbourne, Australia, which is also something I’d like to do once I’m done with my education. That is move to the United States, UK, or Australia maybe? Somewhere interesting to work as a graphic/web designer with photography on the side where I can do some more personal and creative projects.

Have you done anything silly lately, a funny story perhaps?

Usually crazy and funny things seem to follow wherever I go (I wonder why!), but lately not much has happened. Other than accidentally peeing on my cat (crazy cat jumped up on the toilet seat), and watching my friend being forced to eat a pizza slice in Denmark due to a similar-language misunderstanding (she was saying 18kr (SEK) but it sounded like ‘Ät den’ (eat it) and well… he started force-feeding himself).

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, it’s a pleasure to have you as a photographer here at stockvault.net

Thank you for a wonderful site. I know myself and my classmates have used it’s content during assignments and projects we’ve had.

Today we launch a new site dedicated to high quality texture images.

TextureVault.net is a new website that aims to offer a huge selection of high quality texture images for commercial purposes. The site has quite a few premium textures, all nicely categorized and tagged. You can download medium quality (800px) textures for free, while the highest quality images are only $4.

Not only can designers buy textures for their projects, but photographers can sign up and sell their own texture images on the site.

Webmasters and site owners can also get involved and sign up for the Affiliate Program and earn 10% of each sale they refer.

Visit TextureVault.net

Hi Homero, please tell us a little bit about yourself and how you  got into photography.

Well, my name is Homero Nuñez Chapa and I’m from Mexico (This is my city). I am 38 years old,  I am a freelance seller in a print shop and I do some graphic designs as well.

I started to take photos 1 year ago when I met a girl that takes photos and she takes beautiful photos with her compact camera, and she encouraged me to start taking photos.

What kind of camera do you use, and do you use any additional gear when shooting?

My new camera is a Kodak Easyshare z8612is, but I used to take photos with a Samsung 815 pro, but it is broken now (some kind of an accident). No, I don’t have any extra equipment, only my camera and my home made DIY light box, something like this.

Have you had any professional training as a photographer?

I don’t have any professional training as a photographer, but i learn a lot by reading articles on the web.

Most of your photos at stockvault are of objects and mostly isolated on a white background. Can you guide us a little bit through the process when you are shooting?

I take that kind of photos, because I hope someday to take better photos and sell them on Micro-stock sites, I try to take photos every day and practice more.

The process of taking this kind of photos is very simple.  I take the photo in my DIY light box,  I usually shoot at night to achieve whiter backgrounds and then, if it’s necessary I adjust the levels with Gimp (Photo editing application), and that’s all there is to it.

Do you have any hobbies apart from photography?

My hobbies… I read a lot (Jose Saramago, Gabriel García Márquez, José Rubén Romero, Roberto Fontanarrosa, Jorge Ibargüengoitia, etc), I also read some blogs,
and I like the web. I’m learning web design (I am an self-taught person) and I like to travel. 3 years ago I visited Buenos Aires and Santa fe, Argentina ( it’s funny, in that time, I did not have any interest in photography and the photos of my travels are really bad).  I have traveled a lot in my own country and now I’m saving up some money because I want to travel to Europe.

Have you done anything silly lately, a funny story perhaps?

Everyday I have funny moments, the people I know say that I have the capacity of laughing at any trouble. I don’t know really… well just a few days ago, I was driving my old car at night (my city is a “tough city”), then a vehicular transit officer in patrol stopped me because the lights of my car were broken. He wanted to give me a ticket (usually the officers want some money to avoid the ticket), I refused to take the ticket, and he asked for money, I said no. Well, he said, then give me the “Montblanc pen” in your pocket because the ink in mine ran out. And I gave him the 12 pesos bic pen in my pocket and he let me go.

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, it’s a pleasure to have you as a photographer here at stockvault.net - Is there anything you’d like to add?

I think Stockvault.net is great, thanks for the site, and thanks to the photographers for sharing!

Hi Lokigrl616, please tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into photography.

I am a stay at home mom, 25 years old, and photography has been a passion since I discovered Ansel Adams when I was on the yearbook staff in 7th grade, his pictures and respect for for the beauty of nature moved me.

What kind of camera do you use, and do you use any additional gear when shooting?

I like to use my Minolta Maxxum 5, I find that the color is great and I’m a sucker for classic hardware I have a few lenses but I like to keep to the basics and use Photoshop for any additional needs.

Have you had any professional training as a photographer?

The only photography training I have had is in high school and lots of applied practice of course I’m also a fan of the training that creativecow.com offers.

A lot of your work is created digitally. What program do you use, and what motivates you to create digital art?

I am very fond of anything abstract, I like to create things the way I see them in my mind, hence the multitude of digital art I put out there. i use Apophysis in conjunction with Photoshop for most of my effects.

Do you have any hobbies apart from photography/design?

Other than being a mom, my hobbies are pretty much limited to music and video games, I enjoy graphics and challenges.

What are your plans for the future?

As for the future, I have the laid back belief that I will figure it out when i get there But I would like to think that my future involves art since it is such a great relief for me.

Have you done anything silly lately, a funny story perhaps?

When don’t i do something silly I try to keep laughter at a maximum every day in our house. You should see some of the faces i make to make my son laugh…

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, it’s a pleasure to have you as a photographer here at stockvault.net - Is there anything you’d like to add?

I would just like to add that I am honored to have answered these questions and that i love being a part of stockvault.net

Hi SimpleLine, please tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into photography.

I’m from Indonesia, born in 1979. Currently I’m an engineer at a bicycle manufacture. I got into photography around 1999, my friend bought a compact Kodak digital camera, it was one of the first kind in my country, and from time to time I got to try the camera, shoot here and there and it became a new hobby for me. In 2001 I started to do some freelance photography jobs for weddings, just small timer Later on I bought my own camera and got more serious, he he!

What kind of camera do you use, and do you use any additional gear when shooting?

Currently I am using Canon 40D and really expecting the expensive 5D Mark II quality, hehehe! Anyway, before that I used Sony prosumer F707, Canon 350D then 400D then the current 40D.
When shooting outdoors I usually use a 580EX flash for fill in… in modeling shots I usually pair with ST-E2 so I can get a better lighting angle… but mostly, only the camera and the lens is enough.

Have you had any professional training as a photographer?

Nope… I teach my self how to do it, trial and error, read some articles then go exploring it.

Some of your work is digitally manipulated, can you guide us a little bit through that process?

I loved Photoshop before I even knew photography. I used to be an illustrator for magazines and I drew comic books. When I knew photography, Photoshop was actually just like a darkroom for analog photography, but Photoshop creates an even broader opportunity to express yourself than any chemical darkroom could. I know a lot of photographers think that digital manipulation is forbidden in photography. But in my opinion there is nothing wrong with it, just know the boundaries and let your creativity lead wherever it may lead you. I think it’s a great invention we should learn in positive ways. Just like paintings; some people appreciate Monet, some don’t. People appreciate abstract paintings, some think it’s ridiculous. It’s really nothing to argue about, the fact is that if the photo is great, it will be great with or without manipulation… it’s just great and we don’t have to argue about how it is great Like they say, a picture tells a thousand words.

Do you have any hobbies apart from photography?

Many, haha! basketball, drawings, paintings, singing, guitars…

What are your plans for the future?

Uhm, I want to get more serious about photography, I don’t know yet…
I’ve finish my website here at www.soulphotography.biz for a start.

Have you done anything silly lately, a funny story perhaps?

Hahah, I guess not. I’m quite a careful and planning person, hahaha…
but there was this one time when I shot models in the forest, I didn’t have a 70-200mm lens with me, while you know it’s a great lens for modeling shots… So what I do is I took my company’s camera which happens to have a 70-300mm lens and my old prosumer camera.. So now I had like 3 cameras with different lenses hanging on my neck the whole time…. later, after the 7 hours shooting session in the forest, I spent like 3 days with a soar neck, and couldn’t even look to the left and right… I swore I wouldn’t hang more than just one camera to my neck from that on, hahaha!

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, it’s a pleasure to have you as a photographer here at stockvault.net - Is there anything you’d like to add?

I don’t know… for people out there with the love of photography and also digital manipulation… don’t even care about what people say to you when it’s negative, just keep your focus and go straight ahead, do what you do best, do what you think it’s best. Learn a lot and hear no negative… in the future when you can do great photo’s like Dave Hill’s, they’ll know who’s really loving photography.

The first photographer is Peter Alexander Robb which has shared 375 photos with us since he signed up.
You can view Peters photos here.

Hi Peter, please tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into photography.

Hi Bjorgvin and everyone.
My name is Peter Alexander Robb and my age varies but I am in my fifties they tell me. I was born in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand and have lived here all my life. I come from a forth generation Otago / Dunedin family and I am a student with two degrees, a BA & a BCApSc.
I commenced photography with a Kodak Box Brownie, a bellows Kodak and a small plastic Japanese camera. I am more of an opportunist amateur photographer but I plan some shoots. I enjoy working with models.

What kind of camera do you use, and do you use any additional gear when shooting?

I use a Digital Kodak Easyshare C813 , ISO 1250 8.2 megapixel currently. I use an old Japanese expendable tripod for composed shots.

Have you had any professional training as a photographer?

No I have not; but i bought a book last year covering many aspects of photography.

A lot of your work is of everyday objects and environment, what motivates you to take photos?

I have a “things are here today and gone tomorrow” outlook on life. Things and objects can be traces that only last briefly. For example the setting sun on an horizon. In the time I take to brake in the car and get out the camera the shot I want… its gone.

Do you have any hobbies apart from photography?

Mechanics, cars, motorcycles, cycles, pure rare breed poultry, film making, botany, zoology, ecology. Collecting South Seas Exhibition souvenirs.

What are your plans for the future?

Get a better camera but I like a small camera to fit in my pocket.
Like to get a good video camera and carry on film making.

Have you done anything silly lately, a funny story perhaps?

Well yes it was world news… I consented to put up a German woman, Ms. Maja Gille, for a holiday and my house was raided by the Armed Offenders Squad, she was abducted by the police and humiliated me in the local newspaper. I never saw her again? So I don’t think I will be doing anymore entertaining ( : Now I am called Internet Romeo or Horror House Romeo.

Thanks Peter for taking the time to answer these questions, it’s a pleasure to have you as a photographer here at stockvault.net - Is there anything you’d like to add?

Yes, some more photos to Stockvault and I have three cats. Two are white and one dilute ginger.

"Today across the Tuts+ network we’re rolling out some changes to our brand and how our sites work together. These changes include a rebrand of our logos, a shift from multiple domain names to a single top level domain, a universal Plus membership, a Plus Affiliate Program, updated Plus interface, a Twitter Tuts+ news stream and a new tutsplus.com site complete with a rearrangeable dashboard. In other words, a whole bunch of stuff!"

Check out the new Tuts+ network here

Happy New Year!
Stockvault.net would like to thank all the photographers for their submissions in 2008, and all the members as well for making the site what it is today.

2009 is going to be a great year!

Be safe tonight and take care,
Bjorgvin Gudmundsson

“It’s been on my to-do list to co-brand all my ‘vault’ websites, and now I introduce a new design for our sister site Stylevault.net”

Those of you that are not familiar with the website, it’s a webdesign showcase where designers can show off and rate each others websites.

Check out stylevault.net if you need inspiration, or to submit your own website or blog design.

“The idea behind this illustration was to create a war between reality and line art. I tried to make this one simple, but at the same time to make it look good.”

This is one of the coolest tutorials I’ve seen in a while. It’s for the more advanced Photoshop user, but I guess you can learn a lot from it even if you’re already a Photoshop nerd like me
Check it out here.

“A lot of photographers capture motion simply to convey that an object is moving. But, there are other reasons to so. Movement can communicate mood. Trees rustling in the wind suggest serenity while throngs of people on a busy city block imply harried activity.”

An excellent article by digital-photography-school.com which covers the art of capturing motion, speed and blur in your photographs.
Read the article here

“Success in the design industry relies on many different factors. There’s much more to it than just being able to make a pretty visual. Communication, self-promotion, technique and execution of the actual creative process are just a few of the many factors that come into play. With success depending on so many elements it’s easy to lose track of the big picture. To keep you on top of your game we asked four established designers and illustrators to share their most valuable advice.”

This article by designfeedr.com lists 28 great advices from some of the top designers in the industry. If you want to be one of the best designers, or just a better one, this is a must read.

“Using vibrant colors is the best way to make an image stand out, although getting the right balance is not always easy. Here we learn how to use lots of vibrant color to create a slightly abstract photo manipulation using pencils and fruit. We will learn how to use the pen tool effectively and also some freehand brushing which looks good.”

Nice Photoshop tutorial by PSDlearning.com which I just found this morning. They also have a lot of other interesting tutorials as well.

ThemeForest is a marketplace for buying and selling HTML/CSS Site Templates and Themes for CMS’ like WordPress and Joomla. Files sell for between $10 and $75 and as of the time of writing we have an early library of about 70 files, which I’m sure will grow fast!

The guys behind PSDtuts, Vectortuts and Flashden have launched a new theme & layout marketplace where designers can sell their themes and designs. It’s member section is connected with flashden and audiojungle which is a great feature in my opinion. They also have a good affiliate program that allows referrers to earn 50% of sales. This site will defiently come in handy when you need a design and don’t have time to design it yourself.

“We are glad to release Notepad Chaos — a free professional Wordpress-theme. The theme has 2 columns, a quite vibrant design including “personal” design elements such as handwritten headings, stick-it-notes, clips and pins. The theme was designed by Evan Eckard especially for Smashing Magazine and its readers.”

Another beautiful FREE Wordpress theme released by SmashingMagazine.com - Click here to download.

From Tutorial9.net -“Don’t have the time to buy the right materials and create your own traditional-style-painting Photoshop Brushes? Maybe you just don’t know where to start? No worries - we’ve found nearly 250 of the best Splatter, Paint, Spray, and Watercolor brushes that we think you’ll love!”

Thanks to tutorial9.net for listing all those crazy brushes. Check out the rest of the site as well, lot’s of nice stuff there.

Happy downloading!

“This post on Understanding Shutter Speed, written by Hawaii photographer Natalie Norton is a follow up post to Moving Toward Manual: Understanding Aperture. The posts are being written as a beginner’s guide to gaining confidence in using manual camera settings.”

Knowing your camera is very important and suggest you read this article from digital-photography-school.com if you are not sure how to set your shutter speeds.

“Bittbox.com has got a set of killer high-res grungy watercolor brushes they are giving away, plus they are also giving away the actual textures they created the brushes from.”

Download the Brushes here

Download the Textures here