This is an interview with Ana of *LongStock, one of deviantART's talented stock producers.



Ana is a stock photographer from the USA. She's been offering stock at deviantART since June of last year. She's an active member of deviantART's stock community by involving herself in art contests and costume exchanges, and she frequently features other artists' work in her journal entries.

Whatever she's up to in any given moment, Ana seems to spread fun around this site. For example, her Get a Clue challenge (December 2006) was a call to other stockers to "do stock series' based on the characters in Clue (Cluedo), the mystery board game."

When she isn't snapping her theater-inspired stock photos, she's often in the process of planning and crafting unique costumes, some of which can be viewed in the interview below. Her atristic talents are many, and she seems to have boundless creativity. Read on to get *LongStock's input about stock costumes, photo tps, and what she considers to be her personal best...

1. How did you find deviantART?

*LongStock: I can't remember how I first stumbled onto dA. I've always been interested in local up-and-coming artists, and one of them must have had a link to dA on their personal website.

I didn't know anything about stock at the time, I was just interested in photography. deviantART is what introduced me to photomanipulation and that led directly to stock. =lockstock was the first stock artist I saw and I was totally blown away by her gallery and the art that was being created with it.

2. Your stock photos are really gorgeous! Did you have previous photography experience before deciding to offer stock?

*LongStock: Thank you. I've always had an interest in photography but I'd never really taken it seriously. I hadn't taken any photography classes when I first started doing stock, either. That's actually why I started with the stocking - I'd gotten a new camera. I didn't know how it worked, and I had no models to experiment with, so I started taking pictures of myself. I had a small collection of photos before it finally occurred to me that they could be useful to someone else. :laugh: People started using the photos and I was hooked.

3. How has your interest in theater contributed to your model stock?

*LongStock: I think stock IS theater. The costumes, the expressions, the poses. It’s a play or a movie in your head. You decide who you want to be that day and go with it. Stick the character into every scenario you can possibly come up with.

I’ve done the odd student films and plays and indie shorts, but I think I’m a pretty theatrical person by nature. I love love love dressing up and do it as a matter of course. That white frilly apron I wear in the fifties housewife series? I wear that whenever I’m cleaning my apartment. Or cooking. I love costumes and live to wear them. Most of my models are the same way. All the girls are burlesque dancers and just the most glamorous, larger-than-life characters you’ve ever seen.

4. How did you feel the very first time someone used your stock?

*LongStock: I was totally thrilled and amazed. I kind of couldn’t believe that someone thought it was good enough to use.


=psivamp was the first artist to make use of my stock and the first real friend I made here. She gave me fantastic advice on what kind of stock to make, what would be useful, what to avoid. She’s a great lady, and I got lucky that she found me early on.

5. Now, only a year later, how does it feel to see so many people using your stock?

*LongStock: It’s amazing. I’m grateful for it and I’m thrilled by it. It’s wonderful to see people have a use for it.

6. In your opinion, which stock series in your gallery is your best?

*LongStock: Hmm. I think I’m happiest with this series:



The lighting is good, the background is totally easy to get rid of, the photos aren’t all blurry or grainy. I’m a perfectionist, and it drives me nuts that I can’t get clear photos every time. I’m generally happy with the costumes or poses when reviewing the pictures I’ve taken, but I’m almost never satisfied with the quality of the photo itself. I’m still working on it, though. I’ll figure it out.

7. In regard to model stock photos, how do you prepare for a photo shoot?

*LongStock: The first thing I always do (and it’s not a good idea, by the way) is set myself up, the hair, the costume, everything. I take the pictures in my living room, so the next step is move the couch and tables out of the way. Then I fix myself up again. Next, I set up the backdrop and the lights. Then I fix myself up again.

A more practical person would probably get themselves all done up after they’d moved the furniture. Not me! I’ve ripped holes in costumes, wigs have tumbled off my head and every time I’m like, “Gotta remember for next time – get ready AFTER.” But then I get all excited about the next costume and I forget.

So that’s my set-up advice. Get yourself ready AFTER. But I’m sure most of you are smarter than I am and don’t have that problem.

8. There are so many wonderful costumes in your gallery. Your journal even has a costume wishlist and a costume inventory. Where do you get most of your costumes?

*LongStock: My costumes come from all over the place. My mother and I have made quite a few, a couple have been donated, and I’ve purchased the rest. A lot of them I’ve put together from my wardrobe, from things I actually wear.

I procrastinate religiously, so it takes me a few months to make a costume, from start to finish. None of them have been very difficult to make; I just forget I’m making them about halfway through and leave the unfinished bits sitting in my sewing drawer for weeks at a time.

9. Which of your costumes is your favorite?

*LongStock: The Victorian gown is my favorite, absolutely.



I found it on Ebay and purchased it with donations.

It originally looked like this:



But I was invited to a Victorian Ball at the last minute and had nothing to wear, so I modified the gown and I love how it came out.

10. If you could have any costume in the world, no matter what it would cost, what would your next model stock look like?

*LongStock: I want Queen Elizabeth the First’s coronation gown. [link] I think it would cost hundreds of dollars to make and possibly thousands of dollars to purchase but if I can pick any costume in the world, that’s the one I want.

11. Aside from model stock, what is your favorite subject to photograph?

*LongStock: People are always my favorite thing to photograph. We’re amazing, really. So many things inside every one of us. Memories, sorrow, ambitions, dreams, jealousies, rage – all sorts of stuff just jumbled up in there.

I think, right now, this is my favorite photo:



I like the lighting, I like her faraway expression. Plus, the model is gorgeous and that’s always fun.

12. What photography tips can you offer to other stock photographers?

*LongStock: Lighting, in my opinion, is the most important thing to be aware of. Make sure you’ve got good light, wherever you set up your studio. Daylight is best, but if there’s no convenient window, aim every lamp in the room at yourself.

Also, if your camera will support it, try and get a remote shutter release. It’ll help so much when it comes to proper focus and/or complicated poses.

13. Other than photography advice, what would you tell a new deviantART stocker that may be just starting out?

*LongStock: I only know what works for me. And mainly, I just have fun with it. I don’t take this too seriously. If an idea seems silly, I go with it anyway because I think it’s funny. And sometimes, other people will agree with me that it’s funny and sometimes they won’t but either way, I have fun.

I try not to get sick of doing stock, or burnt out. If I feel myself getting bored, I take a break and come back with new ideas.

Hopefully, New Stocker, you’ll have fun and not be afraid to look silly or try something new.

14. Which stockers around dA inspire you the most?

*LongStock: The first one would have to be =lockstock:


Partly because she’s the first stocker I ever heard of, and mostly because she’s utterly beautiful and totally fearless.

(You know, when I decided to do stock, it took me a month to notice I’d chosen a name so similar to hers. Sometimes, I’m a little slow. And by ‘slow’, I mean, ‘completely oblivious to nearly everything around me’.)



*jademacalla is another source of inspiration for me.

He can do anything! He’s the greatest action stocker on dA, and he’s got a fantastic sense of humor. I’d love to be able to produce the kind of action stock he does.



`Hanratty-Stock is hilarious, totally involved in the community, and incredibly talented. Her good humor and the constant support she shows to the other stockers on dA are a huge inspiration. We need more like her.



*petronieska-stock is a genius. I love the makeup that she does and I want so badly to experiment more with that aspect of costuming. She’s definitely inspiring on so many levels. She may also be insane, but I think that just makes her more likeable.

15. Which of the stock photos in your gallery is used most often?

*LongStock: This is the image I see most:



[Examples of Stock Use]:

by *wildheartfreesoul
[This] is one of my favorites with that stock picture. It has such a lovely, sad feeling to it.

by ~chibipandora
[Here] is another favorite. I’m a huge fan of traditional art and this painting is so well done.

16. What are some of your all time favorite uses of your stock?

*LongStock:

by =Thunderlips
[This] is so quirky and cute and I love it to bits.

by ~sancsky
[It] is really elegant. I like the long lines on the figure.

by =psivamp
I’m a Pisces!! And I like what’s been done to the face and body. It’s kind of cool and creepy and unearthly.

by *chinad0ll
I’ve always wanted to be Alice. *chinad0ll created the coolest Alice and Mad Hatter I’ve ever seen.

17. What three things will we never see in your gallery?

*LongStock: Never say never. I don’t think I’ll do any nude stock, but I haven’t totally ruled it out.

And I’ll probably never have any 3D stock, either. I really admire the people who can create all kinds of awesome 3D scenes and stocks. I can’t do it to save my life. Poser drives me mad.

18. What can we expect to see next?

*LongStock: I don’t know, really. I’ve got a list of stock that I’ve got planned, but whenever I get a chance to set up my stuff, I never seem to do any of the stock ideas that are on the list.

More model stock will be coming; that’s definite. More Bruce. And in October, I’ll introduce you to Alice.

19. Other than stock, what else do you do with your time?

*LongStock: I read a lot. I sew, I take walks, I go dancing. Pretty standard stuff, really.

I’m constantly picking up new hobbies and then putting them down again. Right now, I’m passionate about cooking. Last month, it was knitting.

20. Thanks for giving me your time for this interview! Is there anything else you'd like to add?

*LongStock: I want to thank everyone for their support - it's been a great year, I've made some wonderful friends, and I'm looking forward to being here another few years.

_{Previous Stocker Interviews by =FantasyStock}