Contributor Portrait

Beboy is one of the most popular designers on Fotolia. Look at his portfolio and you will certainly recognize dozens of images you have already seen in magazines, advertising and on the web. His specialty? The vectors. His secret? Work, work and work again.

BIO:
I live in Paris. I have studied economic sciences for a short time before I discovered my true passion: design.
I have developed my graphical skills “in the field” through multiple jobs closely linked to the image industry. I have been a typographic designer, graphic designer, an employed photographer and also working independently. It required approximately 5 years to learn and understand my work tools completely, especially Illustrator.
In order to keep with new graphical and photography techniques, I am continually looking to perfect my expertise.
Over the past 3 years, I have worked solely in the stock photo and illustration industries.
Don’t you work on demand?
No. I have preferred to focus on creating content only for microstock. I therefore have the freedom to work on free topics at my own preferred pace.
Why did you choose Fotolia to sell your photos and illustrations?
A few years ago, I have discovered the existence of Fotolia by reading a well-known photo magazine. There was an article, which promoted a new concept making it possible for everyone to sell photos. Out of curiosity, I uploaded a dozen of my images. Sales began quickly. A few weeks later, I was uploading regularly during my spare time before finally constituting my work full time. Fotolia was my first image bank and remains my preferred choice.
How do you choose you themes?
I choose the illustrations to convey the “feeling”. I only design what really pleases me. I never create an illustration by obligation because such conditions would affect the outcome. It is the “every day life” which brings me my inspiration. Such as the news, the Internet, or simply a walk, are all sources for ideas.
What is your recipe for success on this stock image market?
Regularity, persistence and competence, the recipe is quite simple.
More precisely, it’s necessary to regularly upload new files. It is much better to upload a few images often, rather than uploading a large quantity of images and never renewing the portfolio.
It’s also important to have a high expectation upon yourself. I frequently take one day to create an illustration. However, I never upload this new image immediately. I continue to improve the colours and the details for several days after the initial creation. It might take several days between the creation and the upload of the final file. Buyers often choose these files quickly.
Do you create only illustrations?
Although the vector illustration is my favourite domain, I also like photography. I particularly appreciate “Zen” photos, which reflects of my passion for Asia. You will find more and more photos in my portfolio. This combination of photos and illustrations allows me to reach various customers and to increase my sales potential.
What kind of equipment do you use?
I work on a Mac and use mainly Adobe Illustrator to create my illustrations. My pen tablet Wacom is also an important tool. For photography, I use a Canon 5D Mark II with fixed focal to achieve maximum quality.