Types of Images

[Marvin McAbee]

Just wondering what types of images sell for super low prices travel, history, art or other.  So far my lowest has been $3.00.  Just thinking that we could put the best effort towards the ones that pay better.

[Nodvandigtid]

2 hours ago, Marvin McAbee said:

Just wondering what types of images sell for super low prices travel, history, art or other.  So far my lowest has been $3.00.  Just thinking that we could put the best effort towards the ones that pay better.

That would be very difficult to fathom Marvin.

Not only is the subject relevant, more important is the buyer because of purchasing deals in place with Alamy - some have far too much clout but that's the market.

This month for me has been mainly two for a peanut net I'm afraid.

 

Traditionally your part of the world always seems to have paid better (hence Alamy funding it's USA adventure from a contributor's commission cut all those years ago).

 

I don't think any type of image is immune from low pricing, but it would be interesting to see feedback.

 

Marketplace, distributors and end use drive things. Traditional has to a large extent gone out the window.

  

[John Mitchell]

My average price so far this month is $38.50. I don't get a lot of really low sales (touch wood). When tiddlers do come along, they tend to be editorial websites and social media. The type of images doesn't  seem to make much difference. I've had images license for $$$ and then sell again for peanuts. It all depends on the type of buyer. That said, my high $$ and $$$ sales (such as they are these days) tend to be of scarce images -- i.e. ones that are hard to find. Somehow I've managed to hang onto a few of those.

 

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by John Mitchell

[wiskerke]

My highest this month: a panorama from the cherry blossom festival in DC - Low $$$.

Lowest the Parliament building in Helsinki - Really low $.

 

Nodvandigtid is right: prices seem to hold up a bit better on your side of the pond.

Over the rolling year, DC subjects still sell. As do things that pop up in the news like State Capitols or Court Houses. However mediocre images of the same just do not sell at all. And prices for those tend to be just as low as all others. When they are selling higher it's for use in books or on commercial websites. In that case quality is even more important.

So for each of your own subject, check the competition on Alamy.

Make sure that for that subject, it's not your worst image that comes up first, but your best. If the subject would be American muscle car on a vintage car show, make sure it's your best car shot. BTW none of your images come up for that term.

Now I don't think there will be too many searches like that. But it's an easy test: look on AoA and try all possible keywords for your main subjects for the rolling year.

Muscle car: no searches at all. Vintage car show: none. Maybe it's not a favorite subject with clients. It is with contributors: 95,713 images on Alamy.

 

Have a look at the trends that Alamy is seeing. It's far too easy to dismiss those. Like that DC cherry festival panorama was searched for using a diversity keyword. And I made sure I had those in my keywords and it was visible (but not too ostentatiously) in my image. In 2009.

 

wim

 

[Avpics]

30 minutes ago, John Mitchell said:

When tiddlers do come along, they tend to be editorial websites and social media. 

That's my issue. With a very topical newsy style portfolio my October has thus far returned 37 licences for $186, which is just over a tenth of my June revenue. On the one hand it's comforting to know that Alamy can still attract the $$$ and $$ values, but also leaves me wondering how I can change my direction to get some of those coming my way.

[ROC]

4 hours ago, Marvin McAbee said:

Just wondering what types of images sell for super low prices travel, history, art or other.  So far my lowest has been $3.00.  Just thinking that we could put the best effort towards the ones that pay better.

Sadly I've sold a few images that sell for virtually nothing. There is no pattern - wildlife, trees, food, cleaning a garden table, a children's musical instrument, a vase of flowers, inside a Victorian mill, a children's playground taped off during lockdown, a pig - it's not so much what is needed, it's more where it's going. I've opted out of selling to China (since April) so hopefully that will help. 

[John Mitchell]

On 26/10/2022 at 10:15, Avpics said:

That's my issue. With a very topical newsy style portfolio my October has thus far returned 37 licences for $186, which is just over a tenth of my June revenue. On the one hand it's comforting to know that Alamy can still attract the $$$ and $$ values, but also leaves me wondering how I can change my direction to get some of those coming my way.

 

That's rough, especially when you consider all the time and effort you put into getting your pictures. Glad I'm not cut out to be a news hound. My 14 licenses this month have returned more than three times that amount (gross), which still isn't a lot by any means.

Edited October 27, 2022 by John Mitchell

[wiskerke]

My average so far this month: 15.52 gross.

 

wim

 

[Avpics]

Thank you John. I'm staying positive for a strong finish to the month as that is often the way with the news images, but that doesn't cover for the fact that I would normally begin the final week with many more higher value sales already under my belt. Whether it's the new website working against the editorial images or some other factor may never become clear, but it does feel as if something has changed.

[sooth]

10 hours ago, Marvin McAbee said:

Just wondering what types of images sell for super low prices travel, history, art or other.  So far my lowest has been $3.00.  Just thinking that we could put the best effort towards the ones that pay better.

 

all types of images can sell for super low prices. what influences pricing the most is the licensing type, and any pricing discounts on it. if you have something that is in demand, then you can probably get more sales, but the prices will be the same. 

Edited October 26, 2022 by sooth

[meanderingemu]

4 hours ago, wiskerke said:

My average so far this month: 15.52 gross.

 

wim

 

My average so far this month:  gross.

[Bryan]

Historically my best earners have been of landscapes or buildings, while my best sellers have been those aimed at the UK newspapers for secondary editorial, commercial signs etc. As others have said, sales of and to the USA have been paying better than those within the UK. I get the feeling that many of the bargain basement deals are of images that might not have sold before, or of the newspaper editorial variety to be used on websites, but that may be wishful thinking. I would hate to think that one of my more exclusive photos, obtained at some personal cost, or of historical significance, would go for peanuts, but without any control over who gets what, anything can happen.

[sooth]

.

 

Edited October 19, 2023 by sooth

[John Mitchell]

19 hours ago, wiskerke said:

My average so far this month: 15.52 gross.

 

wim

 

 

My average for this month jumped to $41.40 gross today with three new sales from across the spectrum invoiced ($$$, $$, and $). My average for the year is still holding at around $40 (surprisingly).

[John Mitchell]

11 hours ago, sooth said:

in recent years, the majority of upper $$ and $$$ licenses for me were either TV licenses, museum display, or educational editorial. the tv licenses were a mix of stuff. the educational editorial (books, magazines) were of subjects illustrating concepts in science, technology, mathematics, diversity, climate change/weather, larger social justice and protest movements, and history related. many of the same photos also sell for peanuts to newspaper websites.

 

 

Similar pattern of categories for me, but different subject matter. I had a $$$ educational editorial use invoiced today. Luckily, UK newspapers don't like my images.

[Marvin McAbee]

I had 2 sell one of a Hot Rod Car Engine for $$ and one for Revolutionary War Reenactment firing Muskets for $.  I would have thought it would be the other way around.

[meanderingemu]

1 hour ago, Marvin McAbee said:

I had 2 sell one of a Hot Rod Car Engine for $$ and one for Revolutionary War Reenactment firing Muskets for $.  I would have thought it would be the other way around.

 

there is no logic, i got $0.24 for an subject for which there are about 10 on the whole database.  Got $30 for a picture of a poster i saw on a walk.