Steve Valentia Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 (edited) When I started contributing to Alamy in 2004, I was advised (by a member of the contributor support team) to include some royalty free images in my collection. I probably now have about 15% RF images in my total collection and I've only sold RM images for the last 10 years or more. Some of my early RF sales were my most profitable of all (ever) with fees averaging in the mid to high $$$ range. Today, I sold a Royalty Free image (taken over 15 years ago) for a fee in the very low $ range. In fact, it could not have got much lower, without me paying the client money for it! So, what has happened to RF prices, and why are clients being allowed to buy images that they can use anywhere and forever, for less than the price of a coffee? Your thoughts are welcome. Stephen Edited March 31, 2022 by Steve Valentia 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeRay Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 I have 3 RF sales this month. all PU and all at the full $$ rate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Valentia Posted March 31, 2022 Author Share Posted March 31, 2022 5 minutes ago, ReeRay said: I have 3 RF sales this month. all PU and all at the full $$ rate. Not sure what you mean by 'the full $$ rate'? There is no rate for RF images, as far as I can see, and it certainly has been in the $$$ in the past (not $$). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanderingemu Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 (edited) this month I had two image for same usage same agreement, one RF the other RM. Same fee, same duration (in perpetuity) so that doesn't seem to be the driver of fee drop. Obviously RF does get hit more if you allow them sold through some ridiculous Distributor schemes, where RM images or not part of the offering. Edited March 31, 2022 by meanderingemu 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Valentia Posted March 31, 2022 Author Share Posted March 31, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, meanderingemu said: Obviously RF does get hit more if you allow them sold through some ridiculous Distributor schemes, where RM images or not part of the offering. Just to clarify, my RF sale for $1.68 this morning, was to Ireland (where I live). I'm not sure that it was through a distributor, but I doubt it, unless it was to a newspaper group. The use is for editorial websites and social media, in Ireland for an unlimited time. Edited March 31, 2022 by Steve Valentia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeRay Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 2 hours ago, Steve Valentia said: Not sure what you mean by 'the full $$ rate'? There is no rate for RF images, as far as I can see, and it certainly has been in the $$$ in the past (not $$). As I said "PU and all at the full $$ rate" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanderingemu Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 26 minutes ago, Steve Valentia said: Just to clarify, my RF sale for $1.68 this morning, was to Ireland (where I live). I'm not sure that it was through a distributor, but I doubt it, unless it was to a newspaper group. The use is for editorial websites and social media, in Ireland for an unlimited time. Seems typical of the UK/Ireland news web deal, you would get same RM. I had one for just over one dollar last month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nodvandigtid Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, Steve Valentia said: Just to clarify, my RF sale for $1.68 this morning, was to Ireland (where I live). I'm not sure that it was through a distributor, but I doubt it, unless it was to a newspaper group. The use is for editorial websites and social media, in Ireland for an unlimited time. Steve - this is the most common type of sale I have had since September 21 - less than 5 of my images are RF, the rest RM - and the licence terminology the same as yours. All the sales were RM. Deals with certain buyers are what I feel are part of the answer. Edited March 31, 2022 by Nodvandigtid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 (edited) My RF sales are always very low. Theoretically, RF images should be priced higher than RM ones since more rights are being granted, so I'd say that RF licensing has been in free-fall for a long time. As far as PU goes, it doesn't seem to matter whether the images are RF or RM. Prices are the same. Edited March 31, 2022 by John Mitchell 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 4 hours ago, meanderingemu said: this month I had two image for same usage same agreement, one RF the other RM. Same fee, same duration (in perpetuity) so that doesn't seem to be the driver of fee drop. Obviously RF does get hit more if you allow them sold through some ridiculous Distributor schemes, where RM images or not part of the offering. I'm not sure that RM does save you from ridiculous distributor offerings, some of them perhaps, but not all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanderingemu Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 8 minutes ago, John Mitchell said: I'm not sure that RM does save you from ridiculous distributor offerings, some of them perhaps, but not all. it did for ultra ridiculous one in December, but yeah on the webnews deal, regardless of distribution method the get bad fees, and extremely long turnaround and have to monitor yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 22 minutes ago, meanderingemu said: it did for ultra ridiculous one in December, but yeah on the webnews deal, regardless of distribution method the get bad fees, and extremely long turnaround and have to monitor yourself. Also, I think that some contributors reported having RM images in one of the recent "images sold for for pence" China deals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanderingemu Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 36 minutes ago, John Mitchell said: Also, I think that some contributors reported having RM images in one of the recent "images sold for for pence" China deals. countdown is on to April 1 for these people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cryptoprocta Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 5 hours ago, meanderingemu said: countdown is on to April 1 for these people. So much stress: 11.55 on 31st March: take electricity and gas readings, photograph them, email them to yourself, report the readings online. 00.10 on 1st April: check to see if I can remove China from my distribution settings. Answer: Yes. Phew: breathe! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanderingemu Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Cryptoprocta said: So much stress: 11.55 on 31st March: take electricity and gas readings, photograph them, email them to yourself, report the readings online. 00.10 on 1st April: check to see if I can remove China from my distribution settings. Answer: Yes. Phew: breathe! just to add to that it was raining so i also did my taxes (not due for a month, but getting a refund), and trying to finalise my next rental... but at least now i'm out of Russia and Belarus distro, not that i ever got any sales, but it was an important symbol. plus i got to get the Forum post up 😉 Edited March 31, 2022 by meanderingemu 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb photos Posted April 1, 2022 Share Posted April 1, 2022 5 hours ago, meanderingemu said: but at least now i'm out of Russia and Belarus distro, not that i ever got any sales, but it was an important symbol. I must review and do the same. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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