John Mitchell Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 21 hours ago, Michael Ventura said: Thanks Betty. I do wish I had another source of income...I don't how much longer I can keep the proverbial (photo) plates up in the air, I am feeling my age for sure. Some of my peers have taken to teaching or conducting photo workshops but I don't think I am up for that. With all your experience as a magazine and people photographer, teaching would seem to be a logical way to go. However, as you say, you have to be up for it. I'm older than you (turning 73 next month) but in a similar financial situation by the sounds of it. Fortunately, with my background in education, I'm able to tutor high school kids, which I find very fulfilling. It also pays much better than stock photography, especially now that the bottom is falling out of the barrel. I seem to have joined the "gig economy" at a very late stage in life. 👴 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Johnsson Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 Best year ever in terms of sales volume (mostly steady upwards trend since I joined in 2007), with 275 sales. Disappointing year in terms of revenues and lowest income since 2013. The trend is clearly lower and lower prices per image. The only saving grace for me may be that the travel sector was hit badly in 2020-2021 and may come back after COVID. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Chapman Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 (edited) 117 Sales for the year, $2,864 gross, $1,159 net + $25 net for DACS TV usage (the rest of DACS was claimed direct). Best number of image sales and gross revenue by some margin, but net sales revenue was virtually same as it was in 2018. Not too bad considering I deleted about 15% of my portfolio just before the new contract came into force. But I suspect this and the lower commission will make it quite a challenge to do even better next year. HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL Mark Edited January 2, 2022 by M.Chapman 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 (edited) Revenue actually up 30% on 2020, but it needs to be with the commission cut starting to bite- net paid for the year up only 14%, and half my best year, 2018. But I had been on a downward trend since '19. Volume about the same so average up a third too. Only a fifth of my income now- I no longer describe myself as a photographer except to the Revenue. I'm in the film business. Edited January 3, 2022 by spacecadet 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 737 sales for a gross of $17,589. - Average of $24/image sold gross. - Best sale $375 gross. Opted out of all distribution except Japan and the USA in the Summer. 2021: Total sales 737, Total income (gross) $17,589 Average number of images on sale : 27,686 (c. 700 images added this year) 2020: 661 $18,514 26,900 2016 868 $ 27,798 19,370 (Best year to date, since 2004) So: Overall marginally better than 2020 (2020's income skewed by on good $$$$ sale) Cant see my ever getting back up above $25K to improve my take back to 50%. Happy New Year everybody, and Good Sales to all. Kumar 4 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Ventura Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 20 hours ago, John Mitchell said: With all your experience as a magazine and people photographer, teaching would seem to be a logical way to go. However, as you say, you have to be up for it. I'm older than you (turning 73 next month) but in a similar financial situation by the sounds of it. Fortunately, with my background in education, I'm able to tutor high school kids, which I find very fulfilling. It also pays much better than stock photography, especially now that the bottom is falling out of the barrel. I seem to have joined the "gig economy" at a very late stage in life. 👴 I know some people who tutor high school kids and they make GREAT money. The parents around here will do anything to get their kids into a good college, money is no barrier. I was a horrible student so that is not something I could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 3 hours ago, Michael Ventura said: I know some people who tutor high school kids and they make GREAT money. The parents around here will do anything to get their kids into a good college, money is no barrier. I was a horrible student so that is not something I could. I prefer working with normal kids and parents who aren't obsessed with marks and the "best" schools. When you listen to some of the people who have "Ivy League" degrees, you really have to wonder how they got them and how good their education really was. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brizbee Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 My journey so far. 2018 - Joined in June, no sales, 560 images by end of year. 2019 - 4158 views, 41 zooms, 12 sales, $419 gross (ave. $34.91), 1175 images by end of year. 2020 - 4622 views, 34 zooms, 24 sales, $799 gross (ave. $33.29), 1872 images by end of year. 2021 - 6760 views, 47 zooms, 37 sales, $503 gross (ave. $13.59), 2400 images by end of year. So, steady progress, especially in views (obviously getting my captions and tagging right as I would only say about 100 produced a false positive). The only down side is the gross and average figures, brought down by too many single $ and 10 cent sales. But I'm happy enough to keep going here, in spite of everything, as I feel big sales are still out there, somewhere. Just need to find that elusive unique picture this year and who knows? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreign Export Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 2nd best year for income - behind 2017 year 3rd best year for number of licences overall- not bad 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Lewis Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 Sales were up 27% over 2020. Price per image was way down. Average gross price per image was down over $30 each! OUCH! Average gross per sale was about $45, U.S. Gross income was down 27% over 2020. I won't be taking the time to figure out net percentages, but it isn't good. Obviously I was happy with the number of sales going up. Not too happy about the gross or net sale prices. But it could be worse. Rick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marianne Posted January 7, 2022 Share Posted January 7, 2022 2021 was the first time I've seen an upward trend in sales and both gross & net revenue since 2017 (when gross revenue was the same as this year, and net was ~20% higher). 2021 was 430% better than 2020 (which was my worst year ever, so easy to beat). Good to see an upward trend, although I had around 700 fewer images back in 2017, about half as many as I do now, so I'm not really catching up, more like treading water after nearly drowning. Still, far better than 2020, and considerably better than 2018 & 2019 too. I only added 33 images this year, after 2020 was such a bust, so it was a nice surprise to see the upward trend. Usually travel is my biggest seller but this year it was much more mixed, everything from sunsets to signs to statues to solar panels to submarines - and that's just the S's. Prices were all over the place from 15 cents (one to China on December 30) to $170 (3 in January '21, one exclusive and thankfully before the new contract). Average gross license fee $40.53. Average net to me $17+ so 42% thanks to some exclusive licenses before July. With 1400 images I won't hit the magic $25K so not likely to see that again, but I've left most of my RM images as exclusive for now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin L Posted January 7, 2022 Share Posted January 7, 2022 Very weird year for me, as a football/soccer manager might say, 'a game of two halves' Up to July (and the contract change) I was averaging about 2 licenses per month, about $500 gross and a CTR hovering about 1.5, which having only just started and on a port of about 350, I was reasonably happy with. Okay this has started quite well, lets whack some more on and really start raking it in 😁 Since then and the contract change and doubling the size of my port, I've fallen off a cliff. Only 2 more licenses up to the end of the year for about $50 gross and CTR completely tanked. Must have really upset the Alamy gods somehow. 🙁 (Note to self, in July when I changed the countries for Distribution, verify that I haven't removed ALL countries ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shearwater Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Comparison between 2021 vs 2020: - Portfolio: +10% (poor motivation) - Views: +30% - Zooms: +9% - Sales: +16% - CTR: -16% - Gross income: +25% - Gross per image (average): +8% - Average gross price per image: $23 - Net income: +12% - Net per image (average): -4% - Earnings per image per year: +1% Best year ever (my first significant year was 2018), so can’t complain too much. Last quarter was awful. Still pending a BBC magazine license to appear and several unauthorized use claims. Happy New Year to everyone and best photographic wishes! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokie Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Best ever year for sales with 198 and 5th best year for revenue at $3,663 - $18.5 average sale price. 2020 sales 119 for $3,100 - $26 average. 2021 sales 198 for $3,663 - $18.5 average. 2021 sales up 66% revenue up 18% over 2020. I added 1449 images in 2021. John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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