How to improve sales?

[Jacob Y]

Hello,

I am kinda new here and these qustions might sound dumb, but I'm kinda discourged no ones bought my photos.

Maybe you guy would have some suggestions to help me make some. Is this a kind of deal where you spend money to make money?

What keywording companies do you use? Is rights managed a good option?

Thanks,

Jacob Y.

 

[Rob C]

Hi Jacob, and welcome aboard.

The simplest answer to your main question is purely numbers. Alamy has over 70 Million images of various kinds, with 65,000 added each day (according to the Homepage), so with 61 images, the chances of making sales straight away are very slim. Most people here made their first sale after having uploaded at least 400 or 500 images, and even then, sales are scarce. 

If you want to make any money from stock, and I'm pretty new here myself, you have to think about this as a long term project. You're not going to start making big, or even any, money overnight. Patience is the name of the game.

Have a look at the kind of images other photographers have uploaded, and try to figure out not what you think is a nice image, but what would sell.

I don't think many photographers here use key wording companies. They're often not specific enough, so I'd recommend key wording your images yourself. 

As far as licences go, RF or RM, I'm still trying to figure that one out myself.

Keep producing images that are high quality, varied in subject, and relevant to commercial sales. Read Newspapers, and see what kind of photos they use. Some photos are rare and exotic, some seem mundane and even boring, but they all help to illustrate a story.

Avoid too much repetition in your images. I notice many of your images are almost identical. 

Sometimes you can be lucky. I've recently had an image sell a few times in a short space of time, because the subject matter, HSBC Canary Wharf, was suddenly in the news.

You'll hopefully get more, and even better advice from the guys and girls who have been doing this a lot longer than I have, and know this industry inside out.

Good luck, don't get downhearted, and keep the images coming.

[spacecadet]

You could expect about half a sale a year with 61 images if they were a mixed collection.

Unfortunately yours is very narrow and you have a lot of similars and generic landscapes. You need a lot more variety. You don't have Latin names- (it's a periwinkle, but is it vincus major, V. minor or variegata?) or locations.

[Matt Ashmore]

Rob is right.. it's a numbers game. There are other threads which you should be able to find which say the same thing. I have sold just one image so far and that was when I had 700 or so images uploaded but zooms and views are improving for me so here's hoping for the second sale soon! :-)

 

Personally I don't think too much about the money but enjoy taking pictures.. Alamy gives me a reason to take pictures, look for new ideas, improve my photography and so on. I like to think that as I am enjoying myself, my portfolio will get bigger and sales will come in time. So i guess what I'm saying, is that it's a mindset thing. Unless you are a professional photographer with a big back catalogue that you can just dump on Alamy then you are not going to make any real money anytime soon and if you are OK with that then submitting pictures to Alamy and waiting with anticipation to see if they pass QC can be fun. If you are in it to make sizeable amounts of money, then you might want to think again whether it's worth it.

[Joseph Clemson]

Good accurate keywording is important, nay vital, but to justify outsourcing it to a keywording company you would need to be producing many dozens of images every day. For Alamy in particular, more than the microstock agencies, I tend to feel one is better to do it oneself anyway. A beach image, for example, is more likely to sell here if you can pinpoint the actual location and a buyer is looking for that precise place.  As the person who took the photograph you can pinpoint the details of such a photo in a way that no external keywording company can possibly manage. Detail helps sales, but it must be accurate and concise detail.

 

If you are going to spend money, spend it on good quality equipment, but don't expect a quick return on your investment - not from stock photography alone in this day and age.

 

I personally set all my pictures at Alamy as RM as I dislike the thought of someone repeatedly using an image they have bought as RF without me getting any further income from it. With RM I can get repeat sales.

[Ed Rooney]

Hello,

I am kinda new here and these qustions might sound dumb, but I'm kinda discourged no ones bought my photos.

Maybe you guy would have some suggestions to help me make some. Is this a kind of deal where you spend money to make money?

What keywording companies do you use? Is rights managed a good option?

Thanks,

Jacob Y.

 

 

You probably have all the good advise you need in those first 4 answers, but let me add my 2.6 cents (inflation). Adding similars to your collection will not help you in any way. Aim at a max of three. "Spend money to make money"? I don't do that anymore. My rule is to spend no money at all on anything that I was not going to spend anyway. And do not use keywording companies. Look things up on the Web, and keep your keywords meaningful and minimal. Spamming will, like similars, not help you make sales. You'll get pointless views, but few zooms or sales, which will mean a low ranking. 

 

Good luck.

[giphotostock]

Figure out what sells and shoot that?

GI

[Armstrong]

Hi Jacob,

 

My advice is to get more variety in your portfolio. At the moment you have 22 images of daffodils out of 61. A lot of those images are similar too. This effectively reduces the size of your portfolio. 

 

You don't need to spend money to make money at this stage. All the information you need to tackle keywording is in the Alamy help pages and especially in the forum where there is lots of discussion about it. 

 

Talking of the forum, there is so much good info here. I would set aside a few hours, make a pot of tea and start to search the forum for subjects as Sales, Critique, Images Found, Portfolio Review, and Keywording. Once you've done that and still need advice then ask the questions here.

 

Have a look at how photos are used and think about how you could adapt your style to suit i.e leaving room for text to be inserted.

 

Good luck!

[Matt Limb]

Jacob

 

​Are you a sportsman?

 

Then think of stock as the Ultra Marathon; a slow pace with the end a long way off with hills and climbs on route and something not to lose breath over, but when you get there the reward will follow.

 

Looking for a quick return, like a sprint, sadly it will not happen with stock

[dustydingo]

Hi Jacob and welcome to the wonderful world of stock. I may as well add my 2p (what I got for my last sale should just about cover that).

 

Others have said it all, and usually I'm Mr Niceguy who's polite and complimentary! Today though I'll be polite and blunt, but honest.

 

The bottom line - You have far too many similar images, many are poorly edited and you have little variety. Obviously you need more images too, a huge amount more (as do I!), but clearly you already know that you need as many as you can (we all know that), but these things take time.

 

I'll give you a few examples of the problems with particular images.

 

This one lacks colour, contrast, is too dark, not punchy, doesn't stand out, not the best focal point.

 

Preview

 

This one is far too over-exposed and lacks colour.

 

Preview

 

There is nothing in this sea shot. You need to have more to look at. It's possible someone may want to use it to illustrate calmness, peace, or something like that. Often keywording such images as concepts would work better for an image like this. It's still very plain, very straight and is extremely unlikely to sell.

 

 

This one has nice colours and contrast and the shallow depth of field suits it, but to be blunt, it shouldn't have passed QC as there is no point where it's sharp. If the foreground was sharp, it would be a good shot.

 

Preview

 

I'll end on a high point!     This is an example of a good image (the editing could be better but I won't nit-pick). It's framed nicely, has a clear focal point, it's unique, and if you know what it is I'm sure it has a chance of selling at some point.

 

Preview

 

I'm usually far less blunt - Blame it on male hormones if you like. I don't mean to be harsh or rude, just honest, and it's to help you and not criticise. Make sure you use a calibrated monitor, shoot in RAW format and edit well, not being afraid to crop so the framing is good. If the image doesn't look close to being good enough before editing then delete it and move on to another. Being in a rush to upload as many as you can might fill up your portfolio, but it will only serve to harm your future ranking, so your images won't get seen.

 

Another tip - Take your camera with you everywhere. It's often hard to plan what to take a photo of, but more often than not I stumble across things. The other day I went to a small village in the hope of getting shots of the nature reserve I was told about there, some nice water lit up by the morning sun, maybe some rare species of ducks having a nap on the bank of the lake. The only shots I kept from that village were a few of some digger type vehicles and a derelict hotel! Fun fun.

 

Good luck in the future,

Geoff.

 

. . . and just to highlight how easy the whole issue of what makes a good stock photo, I have a totally different view of two of the above critique (I agree with the  first three).

 

The image of the purple flowers does in fact have a very thin plane of focus . . . sometimes, just sometimes, in an image such as this where the main components are all at varying distances to the lens, just a tiny sliver in focus can be more "correct" and can carry the image. I think in this case that applies. It also have copy-space of sorts at the top left, and is vertical format--for this subject matter, they are positives (think big, think magazine cover  )

 

The image of the screw . . . plough? . . . Washed-out, the circular component is rather clumsily cropped -- if it was really drastically cropped, that would work, but if just an inch or so is cropped, it's jarring to the eye . . . okay, to my eye   

It also lacks context, especially important in an object that in itself is not immediately identifiable (as against blurry flowers . . . they're still instantly recognisable as flowers, even down to their species/variety).

 

See . . . this photography thing is easy eh?

 

EDIT: I must add, both my and Geoff's appraisals are correct . . . they're just . . . different

 

dd

[RedSnapper]

Want to improve sales? Come to my next workshop/masterclass

 

 

http://workshops.alanwrigley.photography/awp/workshops/home.aw

 

 

km

[Matt Ashmore]

Want to improve sales? Come to my next workshop/masterclass

 

 

http://workshops.alanwrigley.photography/awp/workshops/home.aw

 

 

km

 

 

Advertising opportunity spotted... and taken .. love it!   

[Lisa]

I have a video on my Youtube channel that shows which photos of mine are selling (episode 15 'Best Selling Photographs of 2015') which might spark some ideas for you. I joined in October, 2012 and have had 148 sales so far via Alamy (1,715 on sale) & another 16 via Stockimo (640 on sale).

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZGYGQJ7QfHvau3ckXUeXog

[Jacob Y]

Fellow contributors,

Thanks for your advice. I admit some of my pics are reptitious and kinda dull, but for the optunities I have are limited. For instance the beach pictures were taken from a 7 story high building, or a one week, and out of 3,000 pictures those are the ones that make the cut.(QC). I very little time that week due to a funeral of my grandparent. The augers was taken near a railroad bed a minute away from where I live. (literally). The flowers where along houses.I take all my pics on a D3200 with two lens.The 18-55mm and 55-200mm.(A new 50mm 1.8 will be ordered soon plus a studio). Well, if you give advice on fine tuning editing that would be nice.Maybe if you would suggest different angles on the auger I could do that too. Thanks,

Jacob Y.

[Jacob Y]

Hi,

Three more things. First, aterra, nothing against you, but how did you get my pictures without the alamy watermark? It would be great if you bought them, but I could the steal the lifeguard pics very easily from there(I won't but...). Some guys have said that it takes 6 months to get payment from pics!

Oh, and the client, aterra, is the new villas being built beside the hotel building in Florida. (See? I can take advice)

Thanks,

Jacob Y.

[Keith Douglas]

Fellow contributors,

Thanks for your advice. I admit some of my pics are reptitious and kinda dull, but for the optunities I have are limited. For instance the beach pictures were taken from a 7 story high building, or a one week, and out of 3,000 pictures those are the ones that make the cut.(QC). I very little time that week due to a funeral of my grandparent. The augers was taken near a railroad bed a minute away from where I live. (literally). The flowers where along houses.I take all my pics on a D3200 with two lens.The 18-55mm and 55-200mm.(A new 50mm 1.8 will be ordered soon plus a studio). Well, if you give advice on fine tuning editing that would be nice.Maybe if you would suggest different angles on the auger I could do that too. Thanks,

Jacob Y.

 

If you only have 61 images out of 3000 that will pass QC, then I suggest that you need to go back to basics! The D3200 is fine, as are the two lenses that you have already. Improve your technique or processing so that you are achieving at least a 20% success rate, rather than the 2% you have now.

[Keith Douglas]

Hi,

Three more things. First, aterra, nothing against you, but how did you get my pictures without the alamy watermark? It would be great if you bought them, but I could the steal the lifeguard pics very easily from there(I won't but...). Some guys have said that it takes 6 months to get payment from pics!

Oh, and the client, aterra, is the new villas being built beside the hotel building in Florida. (See? I can take advice)

Thanks,

Jacob Y.

 

You are doing yourself no favours by adopting this attitude. People are trying to give you sound advice and you are turning it round on them. Having gone back to your original post, I'm beginning to think that you either have no concept of the photography business and the stock business in particular, or you are just trying to wind people up!

[Jacob Y]

Hello,

Sorry. I apologize for the sacartic attuide about the pictures.I had never seen the picture before without the watermark and slightly panicked over it.  I do appreciate your guys help and value it.

 

Hello,

I am kinda new here and these qustions might sound dumb....

 

Bye,

Jacob Y.

[dustydingo]

Hello,

Sorry. I apologize for the sacartic attuide about the pictures.I had never seen the picture before without the watermark and slightly panicked over it. I do appreciate your guys help and value it.

 

Hello,

I am kinda new here and these qustions might sound dumb....

 

Bye,

Jacob Y.

Well done Jacob . . . apologising without the qualifier "but" is not a universally accepted practise here

 

And all the red arrows you were given (some of which have now been cancelled by fellow contributors )? You mostly get them when someone disagrees with what you say (or often simply by what they think you said) where said person doesn't have the intestinal fortitude (or, more likely, the ability) to present a sensible counter-argument. There are a small handful of folk here who dole out anonymous red arrows often ( you sometimes actually "see" them do it which is fun ). Ignore them, but do give some consideration to responses that directly address points you've made or questions you've asked, as many already have in this thread. They may all be "wrong" for you, but don't ever just dismiss them as out of hand (and don't ever just chuck them an anonymous red arrow ).

 

There is a wealth of experience here, even amongst some of those who do not wear a large "professional photographer" badge. Tap into it, but as you've seen in this short thread, even though most folk are helpful and willing to help anyone who really does need help and is seen to be trying to help themselves, you sometimes have to be a tad careful with some of the many and varied personalities here

 

And . . . as I tried to demonstrate earlier, no one, no matter how big a font they use on their professional photographer badge, no one is THE expert on all things related to stock photography.

 

dd

[Alexandre Fagundes]

Fellow contributors,

Thanks for your advice. I admit some of my pics are reptitious and kinda dull, but for the optunities I have are limited. For instance the beach pictures were taken from a 7 story high building, or a one week, and out of 3,000 pictures those are the ones that make the cut.(QC). I very little time that week due to a funeral of my grandparent. The augers was taken near a railroad bed a minute away from where I live. (literally). The flowers where along houses.I take all my pics on a D3200 with two lens.The 18-55mm and 55-200mm.(A new 50mm 1.8 will be ordered soon plus a studio). Well, if you give advice on fine tuning editing that would be nice.Maybe if you would suggest different angles on the auger I could do that too. Thanks,

Jacob Y.

Hi Jacob, keep your eyes open and you will see the photographics opportunities all the time.

Observe the shadows, the lights, the weather, walk around to get more interesting foreground, think about the elements of the image interacting with each other, but, most important, have fun!

[dustydingo]

 

 

Hello,

Sorry. I apologize for the sacartic attuide about the pictures.I had never seen the picture before without the watermark and slightly panicked over it. I do appreciate your guys help and value it.

Hello,

I am kinda new here and these qustions might sound dumb....

Bye,

Jacob Y.

Well done Jacob . . . apologising without the qualifier "but" is not a universally accepted practise here

 

And all the red arrows you were given (some of which have now been cancelled by fellow contributors )? You mostly get them when someone disagrees with what you say (or often simply by what they think you said) where said person doesn't have the intestinal fortitude (or, more likely, the ability) to present a sensible counter-argument. There are a small handful of folk here who dole out anonymous red arrows often ( you sometimes actually "see" them do it which is fun ). Ignore them, but do give some consideration to responses that directly address points you've made or questions you've asked, as many already have in this thread. They may all be "wrong" for you, but don't ever just dismiss them as out of hand (and don't ever just chuck them an anonymous red arrow ).

 

There is a wealth of experience here, even amongst some of those who do not wear a large "professional photographer" badge. Tap into it, but as you've seen in this short thread, even though most folk are helpful and willing to help anyone who really does need help and is seen to be trying to help themselves, you sometimes have to be a tad careful with some of the many and varied personalities here

 

And . . . as I tried to demonstrate earlier, no one, no matter how big a font they use on their professional photographer badge, no one is THE expert on all things related to stock photography.

 

dd

 

 

You don't have to be a professional to enter the stock business, but some should realize they work FOR the professional market.

 

Just my two cents 

 

Cheers,

Philippe

 

 

QED

 

dd

[wiskerke]

It looks like y'all just figured out what disruptive means.

 

wim

[dustydingo]

It looks like y'all just figured out what disruptive means.

 

wim

 

 

dd

[Alexandre Fagundes]

 

 

Fellow contributors,

Thanks for your advice. I admit some of my pics are reptitious and kinda dull, but for the optunities I have are limited. For instance the beach pictures were taken from a 7 story high building, or a one week, and out of 3,000 pictures those are the ones that make the cut.(QC). I very little time that week due to a funeral of my grandparent. The augers was taken near a railroad bed a minute away from where I live. (literally). The flowers where along houses.I take all my pics on a D3200 with two lens.The 18-55mm and 55-200mm.(A new 50mm 1.8 will be ordered soon plus a studio). Well, if you give advice on fine tuning editing that would be nice.Maybe if you would suggest different angles on the auger I could do that too. Thanks,

Jacob Y.

Hi Jacob, keep your eyes open and you will see the photographics opportunities all the time.

Observe the shadows, the lights, the weather, walk around to get more interesting foreground, think about the elements of the image interacting with each other, but, most important, have fun!

 

 

With all respect, Alexandre. I know you mean well, but the above is splendid advice you could give to a hobbyist in a photography club. But if you have to give it here - in a stock agency selling pictures to the professional market - then that clearly means that person steps into this business way too soon. Shouldn't one master the craft first before thinking about selling?

 

Cheers,

Philippe

I think everybody sometimes hit a wall of creativity and need some push Philippe, amateurs and professionals.

Some pointers that may sound obvious to you might be what triggers his creativity and help him and others make best photos.

[Allan Bell]

Someone gave you a red arrow dd. Now cancelled.

 

Allan