Jump to content

Hello From Long Island NY!!


Vintage568

Recommended Posts

Just started today. Im tired of running retail stores and owning a business... want somthing new and refreshing so hear I am!! Can anyone tell me the earning potential on me being an average idiot with a camera...LOL. I got interested through a website that said make $$ abroad.. i was researching moving out of NY and get a snow bird home in the islands. Well enough about me... just wanted to say HI to everyone. Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome.

 

You are in this for the long haul if you wish to make a living at stock.

 

Allan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, and welcome to Alamy. Others have already pretty much covered this, but there are over 50,000 photographers here, and only a handful make a living purely from stock sales.

You'll need at least 10,000 excellent images to make any real difference to your income.

That said, good luck - all journeys start with the first step.

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Tee Cee, I'm going to clarify your statement a tiny bit and add that "10,000" excellent images doesn't mean excellent from a photographer's point of view, it means excellent from a buyers point of view. In other words, beautiful images of un-requested subjects don't count.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi 'Hello From Long Island NY'

 

You got interested in contributing images to Alamy through a website that said make $$ abroad?

 

Smiles - From Long Island

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Vintage:

Much like you I needed a career switch (I was a research scientist for 25+ years) and as I had been taking photographs as a hobbyist during that time I thought it would be a natural alternative second career path to try and get myself established. I have been contributing to Alamy for nearly 4 years now and have just made my 10th sale and my gross total is about $800, which for my limited sized portfolio and my main subject area, I think is kind of good. However, because I have bills to pay it soon became apparent that stock photography wasn't going to be able replace my income. So I now am a highway truck driver half the time and a stock photographer the other half.

So to answer your question, earning potential for a guy with over 25 years of photography experience just starting in stock photography isn't  that great (although I really enjoy doing stock photography and am always learning about ways to expand and diversify my photo taking skills and opportunities). Perhaps one day I will have some other photo-related income streams to get me off the highway.

 

Good luck, though

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recently retired dudes, Chris and our OP: 

 

Allow me to make a suggestion, gentlemen: don't think of stock photography as a way to earn serious money. Neither one of you is hurting for a retirement income, if my guess is right. I am a retired pro photographer, and I could use more money.

 

But I don't do this for the money. I don't play golf nor do I watch daytime TV.  I shoot stock to have something to do that involves both a physical and a mental activity. The income from stock helps me keep track as to how I'm doing. 

 

If you're thinking about doing this for a serious income, forget it. 

 

Good luck 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chris,

 

In looking at your portfolio, it looks to be ( like mine ) heavy on photos you enjoy taking rather than including everything that might sell  (or more correctly license).  As a truck driver, you probably have access to photos that many others don't, and they do sometimes sell.  For example, my BFGB05 of a Linkbelt Crane and ACF25N of a semi with an oversize load both sold late last year for $49 each gross.  I once sold a photo  of a Love's Truck Stop  ( but only for $3.17 net ).  I've sold a number of photos of the main street of small towns.  Nothing special, just looking down the street in the main business district.  Granted, pulling a big truck over isn't as easy as a pickup, but then you might get more cooperation from other truckers for photos of loading / unloading, chaining up, etc.

 

Same goes for the OP -- look at what is available where you are normally.  The chances of stock on Alamy paying you a living wage after travel expenses isn't, in my opinion, very good.  You have a lot of competition out there.  If you're mainly interested in something to do that you enjoy, like Ed and I do, then go for it.  If you really need the money, then I'd recommend looking elsewhere.

 

Good luck.

 

Robert

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I have one or perhaps two of those things, Philippe. Ah, the OP? Another thin-skinned Newbie?

 

In Vietnam, nobody would talk to replacement troops, Newbies. If they didn't get killed or wounded in their first three days, they were invited to trade rations. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From Long Island, Ann, is Manhattan considered "abroad"? 

 

Hi Edo - How about if you consider Long Island abroad, and I'll consider Manhattan abroad...

 

- A broad from Long Island

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Robert, I am indeed guilty of photographing what I enjoy, however I do have a motive for that. My PhD is in Zoology (not yet retired, Ed, just a midlife crisis ;) ) and I get real satisfaction providing images that might be used in educating people about the natural world. Most of my sales to date have been "educational", including a children's book on Turkey Vultures, so that makes me happy. But I have taken the excellent advice available on this forum (which I encourage all new people to read) and have broadened my subject matter. Indeed I do have a few truck images on Alamy, but those are taken with my phone as I haul jet fuel and no camera's are allowed at the loading/unloading sites.

 

Cheers,

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello there! Im also a newbee, its good to be here!

 

 

Better to start your own thread than jump in on someone else's.

 

Allan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Just started today. Im tired of running retail stores and owning a business... want somthing new and refreshing so hear I am!! Can anyone tell me the earning potential on me being an average idiot with a camera...LOL. I got interested through a website that said make $$ abroad.. i was researching moving out of NY and get a snow bird home in the islands. Well enough about me... just wanted to say HI to everyone. Thanks.

 

sure - the average idiot with a camera - should make about zero 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.