Post a picture for Rusty Buckets, Phillip, Alexander and the smiley emoji!

[Mr Standfast]

Good Morning,

 

I've enjoyed reading the forums replies to Rusty Buckets, Phillip and Alexander.  So many examples of the depth of knowledge and willingness to share that the forum should be proud of. There was also a good deal of humour...

 

The forum is quite capable of running for days on the same topic but perhaps the three mentioned threads are running their course, it would however be a shame to lose any of the momentum we've built up. My hope is that we can show Alamy we can be trusted to give us back the smiley emoji!!!

 

So I'm starting this thread for Rusty Buckets, Phillip, Alexander and the Smiley Emoji.

 

Running an Alamy portfolio is not just uploading pictures, its a learning experience; so please post a picture which explains some aspect of the Alamy experience and explain why it meant something to you.

 

Some ideas:-

• Had to wait so long for the light.
• It's hard to talk to strangers.
• Went for a walk and...
• It sold eventually...
• It sold the next day.
• I knew it could sell but was surprised when it did.
• Signs
• My neighbourhood.

 

This is a way to keep the Rusty, Philip and Alaxander vibe going a bit longer, hopefully teaching Alamy we're well behaved enough to get the Smiley back!

 

So to kick off.

 

Signs can be anywhere. Big boys toys are a good subject as well.  5 years to sell. Floods on the somerset levels caused by global warming(?) and lack of maintenance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Didn't wait fo the light but I waited for someone to walk past. Sold once and stolen once!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A walk around Bath Christmas Market, took 7 years to sell.

 

 

 

 

Hard to talk to strangers. Especially the shy retiring sort. Big Issue bought this one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I knew it could sell but was surprised when it did. They removed the pews.

 

 

 

[spacecadet]

Went for a walk and...........

 

ended up in 1968.

 

It sold eventually- 15 years

 

(slight cheat- only here since 2013)

 

My neighbourhood- actually right outside my front porch........it's a nice area really.........

 

Signs......in the hope of preventing the above demise.........

 

 

Had to wait so long for the light.......

 

Edited December 12, 2022 by spacecadet

[geogphotos]

 

Taken 2008, just sold for magazine in France

[Klinger]

License: The image will appear as a print graphic in an exhibit for a self-supporting 501(c)3 non-profit located in Sacramento, California. Five year licensing rights are granted from when the exhibit opens on February 2020.

 

I wish I knew what that means, but I suspect it's a print, hanging on a wall somewhere in California?

 

 

One of the worst ideas I ever had was using a red tablecloth for shooting food. This is the back of the sign that was in the window, poster-board, that said "Opening Soon". I was shooting images for their menu and walls. Saved by the sign... The chopsticks are my props.

 

Eggplant in garlic sauce

 

[Jill Morgan]

Out walking killing time waiting for son to finish classes as I was picking him up at college.

 

Sold for text book sale $180 (ahhh, the good old days). Wasn't the next day, but a couple of weeks later.

 

[wiskerke]

Don't shy away from stereotypes.

 

Only sold once for not a very high sum, but satisfying nevertheless. In Nature. Which by itself is satisfying.

A street sign in DC.

A search on Alamy for K Street gets you 45,447 results. What's K Street? In the US K Street is a metonym for lobbying. Although there's only one such firm left on K Street itself it seems. The article in Nature was indeed about the US drug industry spending the most money on lobbying of all industry sectors.

This was just up the street. We lived on F St.

 

 

Also DC, on my walk back home from the eye doc, shot while I was almost unable to look through the viewfinder:

   

Two takes and different edits from 1 opportunity. Both pretty satisfying also.

The image also made it into the Washington Post in B/W.

 

More stereotype, from close to where we live now:

Tried 3 or 4 times to recreate this shot. Never succeeded. So grab it while you can. And try to improve on it afterwards. It may never happen.

 

I was born a third of a mile from here to the left.

 

And half a mile to the right of this one.

 

Try to tell a story.

This one started it's life differently:

  

 

It sold 3 times in all. The other 2 probably just as I shot it.

Just the sign on itself sold 3 times.

 

This one from DC also, this time down the street:

 

One night looking up:

 

The other thing to consider is access. Do you have (better; more) access to anything that other photographers don't?

It can be anything. A place like a great outlook over an often used location. A place like inside somewhere others are not allowed or not allowed to bring a camera. But it could also be knowledge: you have stuff (or someone you have access to has stuff) that makes it simple to arrange or shoot in the best light ever. Or you know stuff about a subject that gives you opportunities others don't. Or gives you insight in what's going on in a field or what's coming. That could be politics; fashion; sports; riots; science or the next TikTok craze.

 

wim

[Rebecca Ore]

Weirdest license ever, but I'd liked the photo for some reason and decided to submit it.   Brought low $$ if I'm remembering correctly.   Just outside the door after rain. 

 

[Bryan]

Not sure why I took and  uploaded this or why anyone would buy it, but it sold last month for mediocre $$, they all count !

 

 

Always exploit whatever situation you find yourself in !

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Bryan

[Michael Ventura]

So many of my images are special to me for one reason or another, especially in the earlier end of my career when I covered the Caribbean a fair amount.

 

This image was very serendipitous.  I was walking this pretty empty beach on Anguilla when I walked past this couple and took a couple of quick shots, it has been used a fair amount over the years

 

 

My first sale on Alamy, also taken on Anguilla

 

 

This was taken just a few miles from my home, at a little league baseball field.  It brought in about $2000, I think my highest sales fee while on Alamy.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Michael Ventura

[gvallee]

Sold images of interest to me are those that have a story behind. Those that will trigger an emotion, a memory, a sense of awe, a laugh perhaps? What makes me tick is adventure, far away places, the unseen and the new. Even wildlife photography can be an adventure. So here are a few stories, you will have heard some of them before.

To start with, purely for sentimental reasons, my beloved Norman cottage. The pic sold for $674 in the good old days.

 

 

I wanted to hire a small plane with the door removed to photograph a sand dune system in Northern Brazil. Was told no, illegal. Pssttt!! A pilot with his private Cessna agreed to park at the end of the runway, took a door off and off we went. Hubby at the back discovered that his seat belt was broken, forcing him to hold on to the front seat for dear life while holding on to his cap in the rushing wind with his right hand. What a thrill ! Sold.

 

 

The Brazilian Amazon flooded forest. Nothing more magical and powerful (for me) than going at night gliding silently at canopy level through the flooded forest. A big wooomphhh and splashing right next to our canoe gives us a fright: a curious river dolphin.
Our Indigenous guide sits cross-legged at the front, his muscular back showing in the moonlight. Holding a small torchlight in his mouth to spot crocs' red eyes, he accurately paddles the canoe without even drops from the oar being heard. In a flash with a sudden movement of his right hand, gotcha!! A baby croc is grabbed to show us. Both pix sold.

 

 

Deep in a forest in the snow in Finland, we are waiting for dawn in a remote bird hide. It's freezing, sub-zero temperatures, we are wrapped up in a sleeping bag. A tea candle is burning on the side. While concentrating on bird activity around, from the corner of my eye I spot my sleeping bag on fire! This woodpecker was attracted with out-of-sight fat attached to the tree. Sold.

 

 

Inspired by a similar picture by Frans Lanting, I took a trip to a clay lick in the Peruvian jungle. Macaws and parrots descend to ingest clay just after dawn. A boat with a dozen of tourists silently glides towards the spot. We are instructed not to move not to frighten the birds. We wait a long time as a bird of prey was on the hunt around. At last it's happening. A dazzling array of colours comes down to the cliff and starts feeding. We hardly breathe. That's when a guy decided to stand up to take better pics. In a fraction of a second they are all gone. Murder narrowly avoided. Sold.

 

 

I saved this sloth in Costa Rica. It was crossing a busy road at a snail pace. I picked it up from behind, its fur was crawling with insects. As a thank you, it tried to attack me. Hissing, it was comically trying to hit me with its claws, like in a slow-mo video. Released safely on the other side. Sold a few times.

 

 

Knock knock on my door near Sydney. Neighbour with a jar containing this redback spider says this highly venomous spider just fell on her neck while she was sitting on her couch. Would I like to photograph it? Oh and could we check her neck for a bite please? Sold.

 

 

I wanted to photograph rare red dart frogs in Costa Rica. Went to a place in the forest by a beach. A small group of barefoot local kids, about 3 years old, dived without hesitation into the thick bushes (I'm always wary of snakes and other nasties). Sure enough they re-appeared, one with a frog in his cupped hand. They are protected he says, so we cannot sell it to you, while at the same time vigorously shaking his hands to stun the frog and keep it still for the photo... Sold.

 

 

And so many many more stories but I don't want to bore you to death.

 

Perhaps a few of them will bring a smiley on your face?

 

Gen

 

[John Mitchell]

10 hours ago, Bryan said:

Not sure why I took and  uploaded this or why anyone would buy it, but it sold last month for mediocre $$, they all count !

 

 

Well seen! And photography really is about seeing IMO...

[Allan Bell]

Full Rubbish skip

 

Just down the street from where I was living on my way to the park and took this image just to get me in the frame of mind. Decided to load it up to Alamy later not expecting it to sell. Was surprised when a sale popped in back in 2016 for $$.

 

Rural rubbish bins Yarmouth Isle of Wight

 

On holiday in Isle of Wight many years ago took this and still do not know why. Sold 2022 for $. Par for course this year.

 

I have said it before but rubbish does sell.😃

 

Allan

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Allan Bell

[Steve F]

All sales.

 

Photograph what's in front of you, particularly if it's a custom or culture... This sold today, taken two years ago.

 

It is a Roman Catholic tradition that one of four candles is lit on an Adventkranz (advent wreath) for each Sunday during Advent in Austria 

 

 

My neighbourhood, specifically, the road I live on. Had to wait for a bus or car to enter the shot from the side to make it more interesting. Made sure the background was out of focus to draw attention to the signs. Trying to keep the image simple, so no other distracting elements like people.

 

Road closed and diversion sign with a bus passing by and traffic being diverted around Winchester Road to repair a water main burst. Basingstoke, UK

 

 

I knew it could sell but was surprised when it did. Not one of the tourist sights pretty pictures that sells, but something showing a theme/concept.

A sign saying flu vaccines here in the window of Stratford Pharmacy, Stratford-upon-Avon at winter time, UK 

 

 

I went out for a walk and... Was out with the family. Waiting for the 'right' looking group of people to walk in front of the camera. Didn't want any out of focus massive heads at the bottom of the shot!

Queen's Jubilee, June 2022. Decorations in the colours of the Union Jack making a huge Flag in Festival Place shopping centre, Basingstoke

 

 

 

It's hard to talk to strangers.... Asked out tour guide if I could take a picture - not normally good at asking people!

A guide presenting a bottle of rum distilled at the Rhumerie de Chamarel during a tour of the distillery, Mauritius

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Steve F

[Jansos]

Lucky capture of the 'magic' moment as a security guard comes out to check what the idiot is taking a picture of? Sold many times, fortunately.

 

Making the most of available light and an identifiable backdrop!

 

Benefit from unusual perspectives.

 

Boring but signage sells!

 

Seems obvious but use friends and family as models.

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by Jansos

[Martin L]

A story of firsts......

 

....first license 3 days after joining Alamy........

 

 

..........first big seller and first multiple seller.

It also goes to show that despite all the guidance, advice and Alamy's checklist, 'non-typical Alamy' images also license

 

 

.....and the first license that was ever found in physical print (thanks to the 'Alamy found' thread).

A double page spread in a wildlife magazine.

 

[Betty LaRue]

One of my earliest sales..$205. Easy peasy, I sat on my back patio with a Nikon DSLR & my 80-400 Nikkor lens pointed to places at or near my bird feeders.

 

The furthest I’ve traveled…the Caribbean. Taken 7 years ago, finally sold a couple of days ago.

 

This image shows taking advantage of sudden opportunity. I had a garage sale and a neighbor boy bought my old Twister game. He & his friends walked across the street & began playing. I ran into the house & grabbed my camera. This image or another of the set has been very popular with zooms & sales.

 

Then here is the coconut cream pie that sold for advertising packaging, $700. I never baked to take pictures. I baked to eat, then if I remembered to, I took a picture of it.

 

Then this one, a Monarch butterfly in my own yard. It sold for $500 one year, $38 another. Goes to show how great the swings can be.

Edited December 13, 2022 by Betty LaRue

[Mr Standfast]

Gosh! 👍🙂