New Contract

[Axon82]

Alamy's contract changes this year will leave many contributors worse off, currently on 40/60, potentially dropping to 20/80 next year, compared with the traditional 50/50.

 

My question is, are Alamy actually doing anything in exchange for their enormous increase?  Like selling more of our photos?  Or achieving higher prices?   I can't say I have noticed much difference since the new contract came into force.  My sales volume has stayed about the same.  Possibly I have had more higher prices, but its really to early to tell.

 

One thing I can say for certain is that if I don't achieve the $250 sales target by the deadline next year, I will quit and remove all my photos because I think they are just being greedy with 20/80.   Is anyone else thinking of doing the same?

 

I only use Alamy as a hobby, I don't need the money, and their greed has removed part of the enjoyment for me.

[NYCat]

Please forgive me for this ... you haven't asked my opinion.. but I took a quick look at your photos and they are looking too dark on my computer. They are good shots and I like them but don't think they'll sell because of the exposure.

 

Paulette

[Betty LaRue]

4 hours ago, NYCat said:

Please forgive me for this ... you haven't asked my opinion.. but I took a quick look at your photos and they are looking too dark on my computer. They are good shots and I like them but don't think they'll sell because of the exposure.

 

Paulette

I agree, perhaps your monitor’s gamma isn’t calibrated right, Axon. But to answer your question, I did sell a few more images this year but for less profit. I think Alamy lowering prices is bringing in more purchases from clients, but when we average out the tiny amounts with the nicer sales, most of us are seeing pretty large decreases in our earnings. The percentage drop only adds insult to injury.

Your portfolio is pretty small, so I do think it might be a struggle for you to meet the threshold to keep from dropping to the 20% mark. Only you can decide if it’s worth doing or not. If it’s no longer fun, there you go, that’s your answer.

One day, stock photographers may become obsolete, and if a business wants an image, they’ll have to go back to an in-house photographer like they used to have if they want something fresh. And the bloggers will have to shoot their own or be out of luck. Of course, there is a subset of people who will shoot just for the thrill of knowing someone wants to print an image of theirs, it sure won’t be for the income. Those people are the ones who have killed stock as we once knew it.

[Malcolm Park]

You have some nice shots, I assume you are a possible Munro bagger as I recognise a few of the locations. 437 images on Alamy isn’t going to get you anywhere and shots of the remote Scottish highlands, however attractive, are a bit niche. If you live in Scotland then take shots in towns and cities with people or major landmarks at sunrise and sunset. Diversify and shoot a lot more if you are interested in making sales. If it’s only a hobby, as you state, then why worry.

[John Mitchell]

With a similar number of sales, it looks as if my gross revenue for 2021 will be at least 20% lower than 2020. Net income will be even lower since most of my images are exclusive. I think this gives a good picture of where things are headed for me. Alamy's new contract certainly doesn't provide much financial incentive, except of course for the ephemeral Platinum pie in the sky. If I were looking at a further drop to 20/80 (fortunately I'm not), I'd be heading for the door.

[sb photos]

So far this year my number of sales exactly match last years. I won't total income until the year end. I must enter all sales into a spreadsheet so I can check at a glance, have been meaning to since I started with Alamy. 

 

I too note that Axon82's images look darker than they should, from the first uploads to the latest.

Edited December 19, 2021 by sb photos

[Allan Bell]

14 hours ago, John Mitchell said:

If I were looking at a further drop to 20/80 (fortunately I'm not), I'd be heading for the door.

 

I might be ahead of you.

 

Allan

 

[geogphotos]

I understand the impact of a cut to 20% even if in monetary terms it isn't so huge.  ( $50 instead of $100 on $250 gross) = 30 quid or so

 

Having said that $250 is at least a realistic target to get 40%, $25,000 ( to get 50% for Ex images) is beyond imaginable for most of us.

 

One does wonder when these thresholds will start to be adjusted upwards to squeeze out even more from contributors. 

 

Judging by the forum a lot of people have already walked. 

Edited December 19, 2021 by geogphotos

[Jansos]

4 hours ago, sb photos said:

So far this year my number of sales exactly match last years. I won't total income until the year end. I must enter all sales into a spreadsheet so I can check at a glance, have been meaning to since I started with Alamy. 

 

I too note that Axon82's images look darker than they should, from the first uploads to the latest.

Me too, my sales are almost identical (285 so far compared with 286 last year) but revenue is down by about $2k. There is no way I can try and match previous returns so I'm no longer going out looking for pics. Just take the camera with me occasionally these days. The downside for Alamy is that eventually, with more and more of us doing the same, their portfolio will become less diverse and will no longer have a USP. I still strongly believe that they have shot themselves in the proverbial foot but they haven't really had a chance to feel the pain yet! No doubt when that happens they will shoot themselves in the other foot. 😞

[John Mitchell]

5 hours ago, Jansos said:

Me too, my sales are almost identical (285 so far compared with 286 last year) but revenue is down by about $2k. There is no way I can try and match previous returns so I'm no longer going out looking for pics. Just take the camera with me occasionally these days. The downside for Alamy is that eventually, with more and more of us doing the same, their portfolio will become less diverse and will no longer have a USP. I still strongly believe that they have shot themselves in the proverbial foot but they haven't really had a chance to feel the pain yet! No doubt when that happens they will shoot themselves in the other foot. 😞

 

As mentioned, my sales are almost the same as last year, and my gross income is down almost $1.4K from 2020 at the moment. Prices have been really low so far this month -- in the $ to low $$ range -- with the exception of two welcome $$$ ones (TV and book use) of old repeat-sellers. This isn't a lot of incentive to go image-hunting, especially when reduced net income is factored into the equation as well. 🙁

[John Mitchell]

12 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

I might be ahead of you.

 

Allan

 

 

Please don't slam the door behind you. I'll probably be napping. 😴

[Ed Rooney]

 

I agree with the bird and bear ladies that the OP's images are on the dark side. (Some nice pics though.) 

 

Feeling some pre-Christmas paranoia, I'm now wondering (worrying) about how my own edits look on other screens. I have my screen set for Adobe RGB 1998. That's what US magazines use. And I edit for a single image illustrations. In the 1940s and '50s the picture story was popular. In the 1960s, magazines began to move towards single-image illustrations. Pete Turner was a trail blazer with this. I feel this is the best approach for stock. If some of you would take a quick look at my port, I thank you in advance. 

 

Christmas and then Boxing Day. Who am I scheduled to fight? 

 

Edo

[Ed Rooney]

5 minutes ago, Alexander Hog said:

I have had a quick look at some of the port and looks crisp clear and bright on my screen Nothing to worry about Like the ones of the Ferrari Got to drive the Ferrari F430 in Nice France 8 years ago Was amazing 

 

Thanks so much, Alexander -- that's very comforting. 

 

Behind the wheel of a Ferrari! I was happy to push my Peugeot 205 hatchback up a hill in the Cotswolds. I did own a Mazda RX7 when I lived in Texas, that kind of make-believe sports car with a really fun gear system. 

[gvallee]

41 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

I agree with the bird and bear ladies that the OP's images are on the dark side. (Some nice pics though.) 

 

Feeling some pre-Christmas paranoia, I'm now wondering (worrying) about how my own edits look on other screens. I have my screen set for Adobe RGB 1998. That's what US magazines use. And I edit for a single image illustrations. In the 1940s and '50s the picture story was popular. In the 1960s, magazines began to move towards single-image illustrations. Pete Turner was a trail blazer with this. I feel this is the best approach for stock. If some of you would take a quick look at my port, I thank you in advance. 

 

Christmas and then Boxing Day. Who am I scheduled to fight? 

 

Edo

 

I'm only working from a laptop but your images look perfectly fine to me. I love your eagle eyes for details. 

[Ed Rooney]

 

Ahhh, the French-Australian wildlife guru has spoken! I'm on a MacBook Air myself.

 

Thank you, dear, and have a Happy (if very warm) Christmas.

[Allan Bell]

1 hour ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

I agree with the bird and bear ladies that the OP's images are on the dark side. (Some nice pics though.) 

 

Feeling some pre-Christmas paranoia, I'm now wondering (worrying) about how my own edits look on other screens. I have my screen set for Adobe RGB 1998. That's what US magazines use. And I edit for a single image illustrations. In the 1940s and '50s the picture story was popular. In the 1960s, magazines began to move towards single-image illustrations. Pete Turner was a trail blazer with this. I feel this is the best approach for stock. If some of you would take a quick look at my port, I thank you in advance. 

 

Christmas and then Boxing Day. Who am I scheduled to fight? 

 

Edo

 

Had a critical look at pages 1,5,10 and 15 of your portfolio. OH DEAR!

 

No nothing wrong with your photos, beautifully processed and very attractive to the buyer.

 

The oh dear is I will have to pull my socks up to equal the quality of your photos.

 

Allan

 

[Jansos]

1 hour ago, Ed Rooney said:

.... If some of you would take a quick look at my port, I thank you in advance. 

Edo

Ed, Great photos! Clear, crisp and even! Good mix, too! I see that like me you like a bit of chop with your English mustard. 😉

[gvallee]

47 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

Ahhh, the French-Australian wildlife guru has spoken! I'm on a MacBook Air myself.

 

Thank you, dear, and have a Happy (if very warm) Christmas.

 

You're not kidding! 42C forecast on Xmas day... 

Happy Xmas to you too Ed. 

[spacecadet]

2 minutes ago, gvallee said:

 

You're not kidding! 42C forecast on Xmas day... 

Happy Xmas to you too Ed. 

It'll probably also be about 42 degrees where Ed is......the other sort of degrees🥶

[Ed Rooney]

5 hours ago, spacecadet said:

It'll probably also be about 42 degrees where Ed is......the other sort of degrees🥶

 

There's not much to rejoice about the weather on these pre-Christmas days. Dark, foggy, and unattractive today. But . . . when I think of the coming winter in Quebec and the summer in the Outback, it's rather mild here by the Irish Sea. 

 

I'm embarrassed to recall that awhile ago I viewed my port on a large iMac screen in the Apple Store and everything looked as I wanted it to. So thank you for the compliments. I hope that soon I (we) will be able take a train or fly to a new location to snap. 

[Allan Bell]

10 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

There's not much to rejoice about the weather on these pre-Christmas days. Dark, foggy, and unattractive today. But . . . when I think of the coming winter in Quebec and the summer in the Outback, it's rather mild here by the Irish Sea. 

 

I'm embarrassed to recall that awhile ago I viewed my port on a large iMac screen in the Apple Store and everything looked as I wanted it to. So thank you for the compliments. I hope that soon I (we) will be able take a train or fly to a new location to snap. 

 

I have snapped already.  😜🤪🙄🥵🥴😳😭😡

Allan

 

[meanderingemu]

11 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

There's not much to rejoice about the weather on these pre-Christmas days. Dark, foggy, and unattractive today. But . . . when I think of the coming winter in Quebec and the summer in the Outback, it's rather mild here by the Irish Sea. 

 

I'm embarrassed to recall that awhile ago I viewed my port on a large iMac screen in the Apple Store and everything looked as I wanted it to. So thank you for the compliments. I hope that soon I (we) will be able take a train or fly to a new location to snap. 

 

Montreal forecast of -4 and snow for Christmas day.  Similar actually for me in Halifax.  One thing i will say i didn't realise about Halifax winter is the constant wind.  Probably always feel 5-10 degrees colder than it is.  the other day walking over the harbour bridge it was swaying so much it was making me seasick (note: it doesn't take much to do it, but still)

[geogphotos]

48 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

There's not much to rejoice about the weather on these pre-Christmas days. Dark, foggy, and unattractive today. 

 

 

 

 

The winter solstice is tomorrow. There have been mid-winter celebrations long before Christmas was latched onto it. 

 

A turning point towards longer days and a time for a good celebration in the depths of winter.

 

Time to have some fun and look forward to better days ahead. 

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2021 by geogphotos

[John Mitchell]

17 minutes ago, geogphotos said:

 

 

The winter solstice is tomorrow. There have been mid-winter celebrations long before Christmas was latched onto it. 

 

A turning point towards longer days and a time for a good celebration in the depths of winter.

 

Time to have some fun and look forward to better days ahead. 

 

 

 

 

Spoken like a true pagan. 🧙‍♂️

 

As you suggest, there are many ways of celebrating at this time of year. We Pastafarians eat even more pasta than usual, drink lots of wine and leave presents under the tricolore spaghetti tree.  

[geogphotos]

17 minutes ago, John Mitchell said:

 

Spoken like a true pagan. 🧙‍♂️

 

As you suggest, there are many ways of celebrating at this time of year. We Pastafarians eat even more pasta than usual, drink lots of wine and leave presents under the tricolore spaghetti tree.  

 

 

Just as long as those religious sorts don't forget the real meaning of Christmas. 😁

[John Mitchell]

1 hour ago, geogphotos said:

 

 

Just as long as those religious sorts don't forget the real meaning of Christmas. 😁

 

No way, Man. Pastafarians live for those saucy Boxing Day deals. 🍝