Like for instance, the pictures that accompany articles on yahoo of smiling families or happy couples of someone in an interview? How do you become a model for that sort of thing?

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I don't know for sure. I do have a good friend that is in stock photography (160,000 sales over the years) and basically he decides what he wants to shoot, and then finds someone that fits his vision. He may rely on previous models has worked with, or he may advertise on some of the mode/photographer networking sites like Model Mayhem. The pay for models is not good. He is shooting in the hopes he can sell the image, but he also can't go broke paying people large sums of money hoping his idea sells. Many of the models he works with are happy to have the chance to get a 'tear sheet' - a copy of an ad in which they appear. If that is the norm - which sounds pretty logical - then finding a stock photography photographer is your goal. As I mentioned, one place he goes to find models is Model Mayhem. However you decide to approach someone, it is important to have a decent portfolio. With so many people interested in modeling, the people making decisions look for any reason to trim down the list of applicants, so bad photos in your portfolio will hurt you. It takes some time to work up a good portfolio.

Find a photographer who shoots stock. Or find a friend, get out your business attire and do a shoot.

My suggestion is to do some research around your local city about photographers that may be in your city. Are you looking into Freelance modeling? Because I have a general idea as to how to get into that area of modeling. Just do some research and contact some local photographers within your area and start to build a portfolio of your best photographs done from your photo shoots with the photographer. Good luck! :)

you can't... you'd have to do self-portraits and then submit them to microstock sites...