Hello Unit Stills Photographers!
Welcome to the Stills Collective + Unit Stills Directory
The only international search site exclusively for unit stills photographers.
Founded to help photographers get their work seen by the industry and to help productions discover their ideal photographer.
We are all about CONNECTIONS and CONVERSATIONS.
Connections and conversations between you, the industry, and other like-minded photographers who have the same goals and passion for photography.
That is where the Stills Collective comes in - a community of stills photographers from across the globe.
A place where every month we'll hear from incredible guest speakers from within the film industry. Where we can connect, get access to resources and advice, and inspire and learn.
SHOWCASE
Promote your best work on the only search and review site for unit stills photography
Reach
Broaden the opportunities for your work to be seen by insiders in the industry for your location, plus from around the world.
CONNECT
Meet other photographers, ask questions, hear others experiences, compare notes, swap ideas, talk kit!
Support
Get resources, support and inspiration to help you where ever you are at in your film stills career.
“Knowing how critical good film stills are to marketing, it was vital that we found a unit photographer whose style matched the film and who would be surreptitious on set. It was fantastic to be able to easily view a number of photographers work and then discover David. He was perfect for us, and did a brilliant job!”
Juliet Dowling, Essential Cinema, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.
Stills Collective
A membership community of unit stills photographers from around the world.
This is where connections are made, where you get to listen and chat with photographers who are at the top of their game, or those at the same level as you.
Where we'll hear from other industry folk such as DoPs, Acting Coaches, Producers, Picture Editors and their perspectives on unit photography.
It's where discussions happen, where ideas are shared, where we compare notes, figure stuff out, and swap stories.
This is where all the fun is!
Benefits include:
- A stills community for ongoing inspiration, conversation and support - The Stills Collective
- Monthly Virtual Socials with Guest Speakers*
- Access to the library with practical resources and tools
- The ability to present your best images direct to the industry
- A place to showcase testimonials
- Your own direct contact form, so you can track inquiries
- Links to your website, socials and IMDb
- The inbuilt and ongoing SEO strategies so you come up in searches for your chosen location
Happy Photographers....
Increasing Your Reach
We work to promote both the art of stills photography and the Directory photographers.
We also know how important visibility is so we’ve created a variety of opportunities to boost your visibility even further:
- Get featured on the homepage (by having an eye-catching profile!)
- Instagram and Facebook tagged posts
- Guest blog opportunities
- Submit work to our 'Still Of The Month' campaigns which will get promoted across all our channels
- Live interviews on Instagram
- And more to come!
Examples of our monthly Guest Speakers
Hopper Stone:
President of SMPSP
Hopper is the President of the SMPSP - the Society of Movie Picture Stills Photographers and one of the most experienced stills photographers around. He has an enormous wealth of experience to share with the Fast Track students, especially those based in the US where there are often a lot of questions about the Unions there.
Jay Maidment
Stills Photographer
Jay is a member of the SMPSP, and is one of the busiest stills photographers in the world, in demand on film such as Black Widow, Thor, Doctor Strange, Paddington, Spiderman, The Bourne Supremacy, and many more. Jay will talk with us about his experiences on these incredible sets.
Kirsty Griffin
Stills Photographer
Kirsty is one of New Zealands most experienced photographers, and has most recently shot Jane Campions film The Power of the Dog
Kevin Loader
Producer
Kevin is a prolific film producer, with credits such as The Death of Stalin, My Cousin Rachel, Hyde Park on Hudson, The Personal Life of David Copperfield, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, Brideshead Revisited. He will join us to talk about why stills photography is important in the world of film making.
Miranda Harcourt
Acting Coach
Miranda is a renowned acting coach to the stars. She has worked with directors such as Jane Campion and Peter Jackson, and actors including Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman. Miranda will give insights into actors process so that as photographers we can best collaborate to get great images.
Haris Zambarloukos
Cinematographer
Haris is the cinematographer behind films like Mamma Mia!, Thor, Cinderella, Locke, Murder On the Orient Express and many more including his latest film, Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast. He'll talk with us about how photography influences him.
Stills Collective & Directory
** 2 months free when paid annually
INCLUDES
- A Photographers Profile
- Credits listing
- 3 Porfolio Galleries - 36 images
- Client Reviews
- Submit to the 'Still of the Month' awards
- Website and Social Links
- An invite to the monthly online 'Stills Collective Soiree' with invited guests 🥂
- Access to the Photographers Resouce Vault
- Highlights sections
- Access to members only FB group
- Direct support via email
You can cancel at any time.
SHOWCASING YOU
Add your story, photos, reviews, career highlights, credits, client logo's and more to show off you, and your work, in the best possible light.
(As photographers we know about a thing or two about light, right! 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The Directory is for unit film stills photographers at all levels, both emerging and experienced.
You will need to show images from a film set in your portfolio.
One credit is required before you can list on the directory.
Profiles are vetted according to the requirements above, so we know that you will be able to get what is needed on set. If you sign up and upload a portfolio that isn’t suitable we will be in contact with you. If you don’t hear from us, then you are good to stick around and we are thrilled to have you here!
Your credits will also be verified to make sure they are valid.
Not at all, you can cancel your subscription at any time.
We have a team actively promoting the site, and the photographers, to the industry.
We have people vetting the photographers to make sure that we keep the standards high.
We are always working on and improving our SEO and hire experts to do so.
You can and should keep marketing yourself to the industry, but by joining forces and being part of a collective we can open up your work to new audiences and industry clients.
The Unit Stills Directory is a specialist site, the only one of its kind. It is not a general crew site. It is specifically built for photographers, and with those who hire photographers in mind.
Because we can utilise our connections and knowledge of this niche to actively promote unit stills photography, and the photographers listed, to the industry.
Because you become part of a community of other photographers so you can continue to learn and stay inspired.
No, in fact quite the opposite. There are always emerging photographers coming through. Through the membership which includes the monthly get-togethers and conversations, the resources available, it ensures that standards and protocols are kept high and best practices can be passed on, at even that early stage of a photographer's career.
This in turn helps to foster a good reputation for the role of stills photographers in the film industry.
Emerging photographers all need to build their experience, credits and portfolio over time to realistically be considered for larger productions. This involves getting on various short films, and lower budget productions with emerging filmmakers.
To this end, the Directory is also connecting with emerging filmmakers and productions so that they can find photographers that best suit their projects.
The search are completely randomised, and no order of preference is given.