Nick Jenkins Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 This time I am NOT giving up on Alamy but Alamy sure has given up on me. I checked daily. Then I checked weekly. Then I checked weakly. Now I might check once a month, if I remember. For what? Sales. Any sales. Some sales? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I've had two on successive days, but one was $3.23 net used in the Mail last June and infringed dozens of times within a day. Get Ed to send you some of his pills. I'll have a couple if you don't use them all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dov makabaw Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Hi Nick - don't despair. If I can make regular sales then so can you. Maybe its time to reassess your keywording and content to see if you are presenting your portfolio to best advantage. IMO the only thing you need to consider is whether the time you spend on Alamy is as profitable as the time you spend on your other activities! dov Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSnapper Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 images still sell, multiple times, daily km Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Don't abandon the ship yet. The year is still in diapers. Not to brag, but 2014 has started off well for me -- almost $700 (gross) in sales so far. This after a dismal December. The tide can turn anytime, it seems.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Elliott Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Can't say what the solution is Nick. You'll get many differing opinions on here and one of them could be down to keywording. Maybe it is the subjects that you're shooting? Who knows! After having a complete slide in views, this morning it seems that someone had taken an interest in a series of images I had done. Will they sell? No idea but hope so. Keith, you get multiple sales on images but is this because you are mostly doing news? Do you do general stock which is what Nick tends to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin P Wilson Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Mmm. 2013 saw 10-15% of my best year despite practically double the number of images (created and keyworded with more care) and less than my first year (2002). I have been actively working on my portfolio to refine keywording, pseudonyms etc and sales have all but disappeared. Went into 2013 very positive because I was in a position to make real effort with my stock photography but despite that effort it finished with me hugely disenchanted. So do not hold any real hopes for 2014. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSnapper Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Keith, you get multiple sales on images but is this because you are mostly doing news? Do you do general stock which is what Nick tends to do. no and yes I make the sort of stock images that sell Go to my collection, set the default to 120 images, go to page 11 of my set, have a look there at the typical range of work i make.... its not rocket science km Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 My take. I think that you have to feed the beast, do the research and see what it wants. There's loads of data in "All of Alamy", it's up to you to analyse it and draw your own conclusions. The situation is quite predictable and generally not very interesting/demanding photographically, but you have got to provide what the customers want. Produce a few dead certs, start to get some low value sales then your rating improves when your more satisfying general work also sells for better money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyMelbourne Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Keith, you get multiple sales on images but is this because you are mostly doing news? Do you do general stock which is what Nick tends to do. no and yes I make the sort of stock images that sell Go to my collection, set the default to 120 images, go to page 11 of my set, have a look there at the typical range of work i make.... its not rocket science km Don't tell him Pike! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kilpatrick Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 $400 so far, some very low values just come in and a lot of this is agent sales. But - it keeps coming on, a few more two a days will put the average up to one a day, with luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Brook Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Keith, you get multiple sales on images but is this because you are mostly doing news? Do you do general stock which is what Nick tends to do. no and yes I make the sort of stock images that sell Go to my collection, set the default to 120 images, go to page 11 of my set, have a look there at the typical range of work i make.... its not rocket science km In other words, Alamy buyers want visually interesting images covering a diverse subject range, highlighting a wide range of issues, appropriate for editorial media. They don't want formal/picturesque/static/boring/pretty/oversaturated shots of places and objects already being covered by the world's tourists, with tourists sometimes in the frame - at least not very much, not in relation to the number of these images available on all the other crowd-sourced collections. If you don't do this kind of work (I don't particularly) then you probably need to be somewhere else. If you think you are providing the kind of work right for the secondary editorial market, and are selling less than two or three images per 1000 per month**, then either you are mistaken or not much good, and the problem is yours rather than Alamy's. Bear in mind that the quantity of useless photography on Alamy will be partly the cause of plummeting prices. ** Figure based on my back catalogue of work passed over by editors, some very old, which sells at that rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I've had six sales so far this month for $588 with about 700 photos for sale. I would suggest you look at what images have been selling to give you inspiration. Perhaps you could try to capture some retirement images, couples paying bills, couples arguing over bills, saving money, spending money, lowering a thermostat, clipping coupons, etc. I see piggy banks often amongst the sold images. It's a new year, try something new? Best of luck to you, whatever you decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cryptoprocta Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 1 sale, $6.45 gross. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Several more sales popped up today, including a couple of textbook ones, so I'm up to almost $1100 gross. Think I'm going to like 2014 if this keeps up (touch wood). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Morgan Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I of course still waiting for that first one, but did have a few zooms today. Slowly crawling up the photo count. Can't do too much over the next week or so, but looking forward to lying down in the snow to take shots of the sled dogs next weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Elliott Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Keith, you get multiple sales on images but is this because you are mostly doing news? Do you do general stock which is what Nick tends to do.no and yes I make the sort of stock images that sell Go to my collection, set the default to 120 images, go to page 11 of my set, have a look there at the typical range of work i make.... its not rocket science km Don't tell him Pike! Actually, it was interesting to see. What Keith does is different from what I do in any case. And speaking of sales, I've just woke up to a statement from the Big G at roughly $10,000 gross!!! If Alamy was pulling in this for me I would be happy:) One thing I would ask Keith is that it seems you set up a shoot with a farmer who looks very happy to pose. Why MR? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan_Andison Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Keith, you get multiple sales on images but is this because you are mostly doing news? Do you do general stock which is what Nick tends to do.no and yes I make the sort of stock images that sell Go to my collection, set the default to 120 images, go to page 11 of my set, have a look there at the typical range of work i make.... its not rocket science km Don't tell him Pike! Actually, it was interesting to see. What Keith does is different from what I do in any case. And speaking of sales, I've just woke up to a statement from the Big G at roughly $10,000 gross!!! If Alamy was pulling in this for me I would be happy:) One thing I would ask Keith is that it seems you set up a shoot with a farmer who looks very happy to pose. Why MR? Way ta go!!! very nice indeed!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarsierspectral Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 0 sales this month, which is bizarre for me. A few months back others were whining of no sales but I was doing pretty well when they were complaining so maybe there was a resort on the beginning of the year. How do I join the BIG G??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Elliott Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 0 sales this month, which is bizarre for me. A few months back others were whining of no sales but I was doing pretty well when they were complaining so maybe there was a resort on the beginning of the year. How do I join the BIG G??? Honestly, I would say that this month was an exception rather than the rule so don't look too much into that figure. On average, I usually get around 400€ net a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jenkins Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Keith has been very helpful to me in the past and yes, his focus is on "stuff that sells" - but to a specific market which I admit I don't do as I don't believe I have that skillset. It's a bit disingenuous to say it's not rocket science as different folks work to different strokes. I am not complaining about lack of sales on that basis - I am just saying that whareas my work DID sell better it isn't now - same work, different result. Well done Jools! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Elliott Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Keith has been very helpful to me in the past and yes, his focus is on "stuff that sells" - but to a specific market which I admit I don't do as I don't believe I have that skillset. It's a bit disingenuous to say it's not rocket science as different folks work to different strokes. I am not complaining about lack of sales on that basis - I am just saying that whareas my work DID sell better it isn't now - same work, different result. Well done Jools! I have to agree with Nick on the rocket science part. It is a bit blasé to say that. Can we honestly and truthfully say what buyers are looking for? No! I sold a photo twice last year that I personally wouldn't buy and wouldn't have seen selling and yet it sold. Nick is a decent photographer and this is no reason on this earth why his stuff shouldn't sell through Alamy. However, I do think that in part it comes down to Alamy not being an edited collection. It is too easy to get accepted here and as long as it passes QC it goes up. Being with the Big G makes me think very hard as a photographer. Should I really click that shutter. Then when I am editing, should it really be in a collection such as the Big G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSnapper Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 "my work DID sell better it isn't now - same work, different result." because that is the sort of work every man woman child with a camera is now producting in huge bulk... adapt or die km Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin P Wilson Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I accept the adapt or die. My mantra has always been: change is the only constant. I have been working very hard to do just that. Last year's approach does not seem to have worked so I will be trying something else in 2014 ... A question: Has anyone RECENTLY here on Alamy actually gone from a low rank and income, changed their approach, and ramped up their sales significantly? I ask because the mathematician in me doubts whether it is possible, how can one make an impact when there are 44million images with content on pretty well all subjects. Going from 3k to 10k images, however well keyworded, will not be sufficient in itself (still a drop in the ocean that is Alamy). I just need someone to help me believe that it is actually still possible for cream to rise to the top. Does any picture researcher actually come to Alamy for niche or specialised subjects? Or, as some posts have suggested, do they come for the obscure, the once in ten year need that no edited library would bother with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jenkins Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 This so very much depends on WHAT you shoot. Some are very comfy with current/contemporary whilst others are equally at home with travel etc - I will be honest and say I would find it very difficult indeed to swap mindsets/disciplines. So maybe my op needed to refletc that - we all are apples/pears/oranges etc - with different contributions in different disciplines. To throw out generic questions won't really earn meaningful results - just a general trend (which, for what I shoot is downwards).Maybe kewording might help - I revisit every month or so but to little avail. NJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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