RM vs RF

[griffre]

How do you all choose between RM and RF when submitting images to Alamy? Which have you had more success with as far as sales?

[Ed Rooney]

Here you go: http://www.alamy.com/contributor/help/image-licences.asp

[David Kilpatrick]

Since so few of my general pictures qualify for RF, I tend to set RF for almost every single one which does. This is because it is my experience that for my kind of travel and general interest feature shots, RF fees are far higher than RM on average. My best fees are RF historically.

[Guest Ian Murray]

Since you asked.

 

I choose RM for all of my images and would never offer anything as RF.

 

That keeps things nice and simple for me and, in my judgement, is the best call for all stock photography.

 

Why should we give away virtually unlimited future use of our work? Not something that I will ever do.

[John Mitchell]

I prefer RM, mainly for the reasons that Ian (above) mentioned. If my collection were larger, however, I might dabble more in RF. As it is, I feel that I would just be devaluing my relatively tiny editorial collection -- which I also sell thru my PhotoShelter website -- if I went with RF. I do have a handful of RF images on Alamy, but none has ever sold.

 

Something else to consider is that if you set images as RF, you might not be able to submit them to image request services -- which I think could become more popular -- because they generally want RM.

[griffre]

Thanks all! Anyone else have any opinions about RF vs RM and which is more profitable?

 

Also, if you also have pictures with microstock sites can you submit some of the same pictures to Alamy? Does Alamy have a rule about whether those pictures would need to be a certain license - RF or RM?

[Chuck Nacke]

Don't know about "more profitable" since I do not do RF.  I never liked it and my opinion has not changed.

[John Mitchell]

Thanks all! Anyone else have any opinions about RF vs RM and which is more profitable?

 

Also, if you also have pictures with microstock sites can you submit some of the same pictures to Alamy? Does Alamy have a rule about whether those pictures would need to be a certain license - RF or RM?

 

I'm not a fan of microstock, but as far as I know there is nothing stopping you from leasing them as RF  -- certainly not RM -- through Alamy. 

[dov makabaw]

I have always been led to understand that RF achieved better prices than RM.

 

Having checked my personal performance I find that my RF images have a better BHZ ranking than RM but price wise there is little difference. David has a larger portfolio than me so I would defer to his opinion.

 

dov

[Moonie]

Hi all, am like totally new here. Not sure if I should start a new thread. Have a question about RF, RM, and RM Exclusive. Can't seem to find any answers. Can really do with some advise.

 

Say I put my images as RM, or RM Exclusive, then I decide later to change the license to RF, can I do it? Will there be any problems? I can't seem to make the change via Manage Images though.

 

What about if I change from RF to RM. I remember reading somewhere before if the photo was licensed as RF, it cannot be changed to RM. Is this right?

 

Just found the answer. Appears cannot. Now I have to think harder before deciding which license to put. 

 

Follow-up question - My photos will consist of mostly 2-years worth of travel shots throughout Japan (mostly Northeastern), mountains, scenery, local festivals, tourist attractions, local activities, etc. A lot will be of places where most will probably never visit or even hear off before. Which license would be most ideal? I've googled, I've checked out the other agencies, but am no where closer to an answer. Well, the best I've gathered so far is good luck travel photos will not sell as well. But I shall remain hopeful!!! :-D

 

Thanks so much!

[Sheila Smart]

None of my images are RF and for this reason:  In 2005, I licensed an image of a pink frangipani (which I took in our garden here in Sydney) to an international paper  manufacturer for placement on their tissue boxes here in Australia.  At the time, I did not know the difference between RM and RF as I had not got into "stock" photography at the time.  Four years went by and I was kicking myself that I thought I had licensed the image RF but one day, I checked out my invoice to them and this is what I found "To licensing image of  frangipani on tissue boxes for one year" which made the license RM.  So I sent them a very polite email advising them that they had not renewed the license for the past three years and I attached my account for $4,500 (with bated breath).  I received an apology and they paid my account promptly.  They also renewed the image for the following three years.   Now I keep track of RM licenses on an Excel spreadsheet!

 

So if you think that the license could be renewed such as on travel brochures, websites or even book covers, then choose RM.  If it's one off then probably choose RF but to be safe, I would always choose RM.  

 

Sheila

[Moonie]

Thanks Sheila for your advise :-D Really a tough call. I guess travel brochures would be my biggest hope. Will probably put more towards RM with a handful of more common photos as RF and see how it goes. 

[DavidC]

Beware of RF for editorial use, I was aware of an instruction for one UK newspaper group to picture desks asking that they ensure that RF was obtained where possible as it enabled future 'free use' by other titles in the group - ad infinitum.

 

Co-incidentally I noted that the Huffington Post seems to have developed a penchant for RF of late - although of course they have a 'special arrangement' with Alamy so you cannot tell how the license is actually worded - (see

chrisb's***** contribution four days ago in the 'images found' topic).

 

RM is by far preferable - although I have fallen by the wayside a few times myself (RF tends to appear higher up the search pages) - my policy now is to avoid like the plague......

 

****sorry that is 'bchris' 

[Steve B]

I have had some RF stuff on microstock sites for a while, and being fairly new to Alamy I thought I would go to the trouble of uploading a few of my RF images to run as RF alongside my RM images. I was pleased to see that some of my RF images on Alamy had been zoomed but soon found that the same images had been sold via my microstock sites the same day for peanuts.. coincidence..or searched and found on my microstock sites for cheaper. so now I am going to stick to RM on Alamy and remove the Alamy RF stuff from microstock sites..

 

Steve.

[Doc]

Since so few of my general pictures qualify for RF, I tend to set RF for almost every single one which does. This is because it is my experience that for my kind of travel and general interest feature shots, RF fees are far higher than RM on average. My best fees are RF historically.

 

I agree historically the fees for RF were always better - it does not seem that way now - Like David I have very few images that qualify for RF - probably about 3-4% - The advantages of RF were that they generally earned more, and they often appeared higher up in the searches.

 

These days I doubt overall they pay more, and of course with the IQ system that Alamy is trying to push to keep firms paying for the RM images if they use them again, RF could well in the longer term pay less.

 

I am tending to licence fewer and fewer images RF these days, and I dont have images on any microstock sites so that does not affect my licencing of images on Alamy.

 

Remember, if there are any people in the image for whom you do not have model releases, no matter how small or unidentifiable, and if there is property which requires a release , then you cannot licence that image as RF on Alamy

 

Kumar Sriskandan

[David Kilpatrick]

All I can add is that Alamy seems for certain types of client to over-ride both RF and RM, and Exclusive, status. I've had mixtures of these sold for exactly the same fees in batches, the only difference is that the terms do not show up for the RF, but I get just as many annual repeat fees for RF as RM. This month Alamy refunded a $49 RF sale and replaced it with a $49 IQ sale stating the terms and conditions. They clearly use RF as 'can be sold RF, but if we can, we can specify terms'. Here is another of this month's RF uses:

 

Usage: iQ sale: Editorial Magazine. Editorial print and digital use including Facebook and Twitter in association with the original article. Up to 1/8 page, repeat use within a single issue

 

And that is for an image which has already sold for a decent 3-fig sum as traditional RF (and still baffles me - why are topiary rabbits popular?).

 

The big difference is that where I rarely sell any spot-sale $150 RM uses, I do sell $150 RF downloads, and from the kinds of image used, I do not believe I'm losing a single cent by doing this. I have mentioned I think somewhere else pickles on a dish, always snap your bar food. $152 RF download. Seriously, looking at the image, I don't think premium RM rates would readily apply. But if someone using a credit card wants a download, needs a size, they understand RF and they go for it. You get half the money. $76 buys a good few beers with free pickles - I like Spain.

[christian58]

RM !!!!!  for sure!  my big mistake here was to dabble into RF ( realize that now). Since 93, I already belong to another RM house collection. Obviously I couldnt go RM here as well. This is ofcourse if your content is of a special or somewhat niched look.

 

best.

[MariaJ]

Hello, total newbie here, just got my first 4 images approved.   Your discussion of RM vs RF is very informative, thanks.  Quick question - if you have assigned an image RM here, can you also license it RM at another stock agency?  

 

I ran across a discussion about RM vs RF on a website for purchasers, and they were suggesting RM was better to purchase for advertising because you were less likely to end up with a competitor using the same photo.  That made it seem like the same image couldn't be RM at more than one agency.  

[Ed Rooney]

Maria, welcome to Alamy. 

 

Yes, you may place your RM images on other agencies as well as Alamy. You can also place RF images on Alamy and other agencies. What you cannot do is make an image RM on Alamy and then RF at another agency.

[Cryptoprocta]

Hello, total newbie here, just got my first 4 images approved.   Your discussion of RM vs RF is very informative, thanks.  Quick question - if you have assigned an image RM here, can you also license it RM at another stock agency?  

 

I ran across a discussion about RM vs RF on a website for purchasers, and they were suggesting RM was better to purchase for advertising because you were less likely to end up with a competitor using the same photo.  That made it seem like the same image couldn't be RM at more than one agency.  

Yes, as Ed says.

It is relatively unusual to get requests for unique use of your image, but it's more money if you get one.

If you submit the same/similars elsewhere, it's up to you to keep track of where each has sold.

RM sales may not be reported for weeks or months, e.g. here on Alamy, so if you were ever asked for an exclusive use of an image, you'd have to contact the agency concerned in case there's a sale you didn't know about.

[MariaJ]

Thanks for the clarification, and for the welcome.

[incamerastock]

Since so few of my general pictures qualify for RF, I tend to set RF for almost every single one which does. This is because it is my experience that for my kind of travel and general interest feature shots, RF fees are far higher than RM on average. My best fees are RF historically.

 

Conversely, we've seen images that would traditionally be RF (image style and or legal aspects all suited to RF, no releases needed or no people etc) selling well as RM. Last four-figure sale here on Alamy was an object on white that 9 out of 10 times would be suited to RF. Decided to put it RM and had two consecutive RM ad sales over two months. Client wanted sales history which was given (as it's RM) and sale was made.

 

So RM v RF is not always clear cut. It could be that multiple RF sales will outweigh the one larger RM sale the image may get so there are many ways of looking at it.

 

J

[Imagery by Charly]

Just signed up to Alamy and fairly new to stock, well photography in general. I have been with a microstock for about 6 mo. and just joined another one, but am sick of mere pittance for images under subscriptions. Didn't know Alamy could be applied for and wasn't by invitation only. I want to be sure I'm clear on how RM and RF works and have a couple of questions.

 

1. I can only mark an image as RM if it is not available on any other site for RF. But what if that image is not longer available on microstock site, but was sold previous under RF? Can I still put it up as RM?

 

2. Editorials have to be RM, never RF?

 

Thanks!

 

Edit: I'd like to know this before I upload my 4 test images, as 2 of them sold as RF and don't want to do anything wrong.

[Semmick Photo]

RM !!!!!  for sure!  my big mistake here was to dabble into RF ( realize that now). Since 93, I already belong to another RM house collection. Obviously I couldnt go RM here as well. This is ofcourse if your content is of a special or somewhat niched look.

 

best.

 

Chris, how are you? You are still submitting as RF on micros. So there must be something good about it? I havent sold an RM here yet and my earnings per image are 3 times higher on Shutterstock then on Alamy. I guess it depends on many factors. 

[Broken Pixel]

Maria, welcome to Alamy. 

 

Yes, you may place your RM images on other agencies as well as Alamy. You can also place RF images on Alamy and other agencies. What you cannot do is make an image RM on Alamy and then RF at another agency.

Hello! This is my first post at the forum...

 

So, if I have a finger of a person in my image I have to mark it as RM on Alamy, but this image would be automatically marked as RF at another agency and I can do nothing about that. And what? I cannot sell this picture at another agency becautse it is marked as RF by that agency (and RM by Alamy)?

 

The second question. To sell images preferably as RM here on Alamy I shall chose an option that some private property is shown and I have no release. How else can I assign RM to an image of bananas for example?