‘Silver’ commission model

[Gervais Montacute]

On 14/12/2023 at 17:03, geogphotos said:

 

Like Phil, for me, stock is very important part of my income and I work hard at it every day.

In all honesty I wouldn't be too upset if some hobbyists found other outlets for their photography.

 

 

 

So you don't regard yourself as a pro. That's borderline pedantic based on the above quote. You might as well have said I wouldn't be too upset if every hobbyist never picked up a camera quite frankly. Why make it some. Why not make it all.  I didn't realise that there was some type of performance measurement on Alamy. Now I know that, it's completely changed my perception of photography. 

[geogphotos]

12 minutes ago, Gervais Montacute said:

 

So you don't regard yourself as a pro. That's borderline pedantic based on the above quote. You might as well have said I wouldn't be too upset if every hobbyist never picked up a camera quite frankly. Why make it some. Why not make it all.  I didn't realise that there was some type of performance measurement on Alamy. Now I know that, it's completely changed my perception of photography. 

 

I have never considered myself, or described myself, as a professional photographer. I am a geography teacher ( retired) with a camera. 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2023 by geogphotos

[Phil]

15 hours ago, Gervais Montacute said:

I didn't realise that there was some type of performance measurement on Alamy.

 

Alamy's 3-tiered Platinum, Gold, Silver annual commission qualification race could be considered a performance measurement.  

 

Unfortunately it's more a measure of the effects of external market forces (drastic sales and per image licensing revenue reductions) on contributors portfolios instead of portfolio quantity and quality,

 

 

Edited December 16, 2023 by Phil
add

[geogphotos]

I think that a lot of contributors have given up and not just from the Silver category. 

 

Alamy's recent attempt to encourage more people to participate in the forum maybe reflects the falling off of interest. 

 

But for now the tap still flows with a new torrent on images soI don't suppose they feel amy need to worry. 

Edited December 17, 2023 by geogphotos

[Phil]

1 hour ago, geogphotos said:

I think that a lot of contributors have given up and not just from the Silver category.

 

Quite possible.

 

The drop off in sales is enough discouragement for some - but the accompanying double-whammy of substantial reductions in license prices may be the "why should I continue?" moment for those and others.

[John Mitchell]

Sadly, with the collapse (for whatever reasons) of the traditional 50/50 split, photographers no longer see stock agencies as equal partners. I'm not sure that this situation can be remedied at this point. That said, at my advanced age I can live with "Gold" as it continues to help pay a few bills every month, plus there are still things I really like about Alamy. However, if I ever sink to "Silver" I'm outta here. 🏃‍♂️

 

 

Edited December 17, 2023 by John Mitchell

[geogphotos]

I can't stop now - too many pictures to do 😀

[John Mitchell]

9 hours ago, geogphotos said:

I can't stop now - too many pictures to do 😀

 

Yes, you do seem to be on a bit of a roll. 🎲🎲

[geogphotos]

2 hours ago, John Mitchell said:

 

Yes, you do seem to be on a bit of a roll. 🎲🎲

 

Just wait until tomorrow when some 1970s pics of Grimsby docks go live!

[Mr Standfast]

😉

1970's Grimsby. Oh the glamour!

Edited December 18, 2023 by Mr Standfast

[geogphotos]

10 hours ago, Mr Standfast said:

😉

1970's Grimsby. Oh the glamour!

 

 

I'll keep going with these old slides until I come across one of me with shoulder length hair, wearing loons, drinking from a flagon of Natch ( Taunton Natural Dry cider) in Bath Abey churchyard.

 

Grimsby is live....

Edited December 19, 2023 by geogphotos

[John Richmond]

12 hours ago, Mr Standfast said:

1970's Grimsby. Oh the glamour!

Born in Cleethorpes, grew up in Grimsby.  In the 70's the best things to come out of those twin towns were the A180 westbound and A46 southbound.

[geogphotos]

2 hours ago, John Richmond said:

Born in Cleethorpes, grew up in Grimsby.  In the 70's the best things to come out of those twin towns were the A180 westbound and A46 southbound.

 

 

I've been exploring on Google Maps - very much want to visit! 

[Mr Standfast]

3 hours ago, John Richmond said:

Born in Cleethorpes, grew up in Grimsby.  In the 70's the best things to come out of those twin towns were the A180 westbound and A46 southbound.

😉👍

[John Richmond]

7 hours ago, geogphotos said:

I've been exploring on Google Maps - very much want to visit! 

A highlight.  Freeman street as it is now.  Looks peaceful, but when I lived there there was a pub on virtually every corner to cater to the trawlermen who'd come straight off the docks, wages in pockets.  They'd start at the northern dock tower end and work their way south.  Some made it to the end.  Their wages often didn't. 

 

 

And then there were the ladies who worked on the docks, gutting and packing fish.  As a rather shy young lad I soon learned not to take a bus home from my part time schoolday's job on Freeman street market if a group of them were on the rear seats.  Better to walk the couple of miles home.

 

I still have family in the area and visit occasionally.  A lot of it is quite nice but there are some very depressed areas, a product of the loss of the fishing fleet and the high wages of the 60's and 70's.

 

But this has drifted far from a discussion on commission levels.  Although I'm not entirely happy with the drop to 40% commission at gold level, and would be even less happy with 20% at silver I can see the commercial reality behind the decision.  I'd be very surprised if Alamy doesn't keep track of contributor break even points, i.e. how much income needs to be generated per contributor to collectively pay for Alamy's operations.  In many a retail business you'd cull unprofitable product lines.  Perhaps Alamy has decided that, rather than directly culling individual contributors who cost more to keep than they contribute, encourage them to self cull via the silver commission level.

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by John Richmond
typo