As the recession tightens its grip, who wouldn’t welcome the prospect of earning some extra cash?  A newly launched UK Stock Photography website is offering  serious amateur and professional photographers the chance to do just that.

Local Stock is a microstock photography website specialising in imagery from the UK.  The aim is to build up a photo library covering all aspects of UK life, culture and landscapes. These images can then be ‘bought’ by creative agencies for use in a whole host of ways.  E.g. as stock photography in  magazines and advertising campaigns, postcard, greetings cards, websites and in fact in any kind of  literature / publication.

Local Stock has been launched by Glasgow based graphic designer, Brian Doran. At the outset of his career Brian was handed a design brief for a charity working with the elderly in Glasgow.  There was no budget for photography and the selection of images on stock photography websites resembled what Brian terms the ‘Beverley Hill Granny’. Brian explains: “All the microstock sites I checked had visuals of pensioners all done up with perfect white hair, dazzling smiles and sun kissed skin.  It just didn’t reflect the typical pensioner in the street. That’s when I realised there was a need for a selection of colloquial stock images that reflected local areas in the UK and so the idea for Local Stock was born.

Local Stock is looking to build up a catalogue of images that capture the everyday essence of Great Britain, from the mundane to the exquisite.

Brian says: “It’s about capturing the essence of different regions and towns across the UK. The categories of photography include culture, business & commerce, food and drink, transport, landscapes, agriculture, wildlife, sport, health and architecture so there’s something for every potential buyer.

“I feel the timing of the launch of Local Stock is perfect. The recent global recession has meant budgets for photoshoots and advertising campaigns have been slashed and as such the demand for good quality stock photography images has never been higher.  This is coupled with the fact that the advances in photographic technology has resulted in an ever increasing volume of high quality images coming from both keen amateurs as well as professional photographers.

Local Stock is a microstock site with a difference.  Unlike other microstock sites, they are offering 100% commission to photographers on all their photo sales.  As an incentive to sign up while the site is in it's infancy, membership is currently only £30.00 + VAT for a lifetime subscription. This offer only applies to the first 1,000 member sign ups.

So, if you feel your images have what it takes, check us out and see if you could start earning from your photographs.  Who knows where it might lead?