HOW TO GET 20+ IMAGES FROM ONE STOCK PHOTO
So you've found the PERFECT stock photo for your blog. It's on brand, on trend, and speaks to your coffee loving soul in a way no other photo ever has.
What do you do if it didn't come as part of a collection of like images? What do you do if you've got an entire project that NEEDS THIS LOOK like stat, but you can't afford to pay $10 per image for twenty images?
Or are you short on time and need a bunch of branded images right freaking now?
Relax, I’ve got you covered.
Here's the original photo we'll be working with:
TAKE A CLOSE UP
Ah, the close up. This is probably one of the easiest edits you can make to turn one photo into many. All you have to do is tighten up your crop in different places over the photo and you can easily get 5-10 close up shots. The more detailed your original photo is, the more close up images you’ll be able to get from it.
MAKE A VERTICAL CROP
Similar to the close up above, a vertical crop is simply a close up that is in a vertical shape.
Again, you should be able to get a handful of these by closing in on various parts of your photo with a vertical crop.
MAKE A HORIZONTAL CROP
In this photo you can see that I've gone super wide, but you don't have to go that wide if you don't want to. This photo however is a great example of how you can use a stock photo to create Facebook headers, Twitter headers, blog image headers, and other wide images.
TRY A DIFFERENT ANGLE
Here's my favorite way to turn one image into many. Angular crops! Angular crops are really cool because you can essentially narrow in on a portion of your photo and turn it at an angle at the same time to create a completely new look.
This method is so versatile I have easily created 20+ cropped images from one photo simply by changing the angle. I currently use Lightroom to do this, which I highly recommend if you plan on doing a lot of photo editing.
FLIP IT VERTICALLY
See how the wine bottle is on the other side this time? This photo has been flipped on its vertical axis. This is a super easy way to create a new image in just about any photo editing program, including the basics like PicMonkey and Canva. You can also flip your images and then take close ups from them as well to get even more fun options.
FLIP IT HORIZONTALLY
Similar to the photo above, this photo has been flipped on its horizontal axis. Sometimes this will work out with your photo, and sometimes it might look a little odd. Play around with it and see what you can do! I'm a fan of flipping photos and then topping them off with an angular cut for a fresh new look.
CROP AND FLIP
In this close up you can see that I have both flipped the image as well as taken a close up shot.
This particular image could be great as a Pinterest pin background or as a blog image with text and overlays.
You could also use it for banners, buttons, and other decorative elements.
GRAB A SQUARE FOR INSTAGRAM
If you've ever found yourself desperately scrolling through your pictures looking for something to post to your Instagram account, you can rest easy now.
One of the best ways to create new pictures for Instagram is to take take square images from existing stock images! This not only helps give your brand a cohesive look and style, but it also buys you time! And time, as they say, is money.
GRAB A VERTICAL FOR PINTEREST
Last but not least, snagging vertical crops from your original stock photo is a great way to create backgrounds for your Pinterest pins.
You can easily overlay them with text, your logo, and other elements to make them into gorgeous pins.
Want to try out your new cropping and flipping skills on some beautiful flat lays? Well you’re in luck!
I give away free stock images every single month in my VIP email list. Get in on the action below!
SEND THEM MY WAY!
