Paulstw Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 The varied amount of ways that a buyer can buy an image from Alamy is just a joke for any photographer. I don't think I'll ever understand it. For example. This image RM: Country: United Kingdom Usage: Direct mail/BrochuresMedia: Annual reportIndustry sector: Transport & logisticsPrint run: up to 1,000Placement: InsideImage Size: 1 pageStart: 01 July 2014End: 01 July 2015500 x print copies, includes web PDF version of same design. ----- Sold for $83 Today this popped in. I was waiting on it because I seen the usage in the magazine online and in the printed magazine that was sent out to my work. RM: Country: United Kingdom Usage: iQ sale: Magazine, Editorial print and digital use. cover and inside.Repeat use within a single issue.Industry sector: Media, design & publishingStart: 23 July 2014End: 23 July 2019 ------- Sold for $33 How is this possible? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Yates Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 It is varied indeed I have had the same image sell for 1,50,75 and $150. Another quite dull image sold for $450. The pricing deals seem quite random sometimes Regards Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
York Photographer Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 The varied amount of ways that a buyer can buy an image from Alamy is just a joke for any photographer. I don't think I'll ever understand it. For example. This image RM: Country: United Kingdom Usage: Direct mail/Brochures Media: Annual report Industry sector: Transport & logistics Print run: up to 1,000 Placement: Inside Image Size: 1 page Start: 01 July 2014 End: 01 July 2015 500 x print copies, includes web PDF version of same design. ----- Sold for $83 Today this popped in. I was waiting on it because I seen the usage in the magazine online and in the printed magazine that was sent out to my work. RM: Country: United Kingdom Usage: iQ sale: Magazine, Editorial print and digital use. cover and inside.Repeat use within a single issue. Industry sector: Media, design & publishing Start: 23 July 2014 End: 23 July 2019 ------- Sold for $33 How is this possible? Paul These are pretty specialist images, and not easily obtainable elsewhere, I'd have thought its still a sellers market for this very specific material. Not exactly your typical money/test tubes/woman eating salad, generic stock images Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Elliott Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 You are in a buyer's market. It is no us that dictates the sale price as that is between Alamy and the image purchaser. I was curious with your statement about "these are specialist images". The one illustrating Glasgow 2014 could have been taken by anyone there, surely? The other one near the fire engine is something again that could be replicated quite easily across the country. A few months ago I was in Paris and got access to a roof that requires permission from the town hall as well as another private one. These, in my opinion, are specialist images because the access is restricted and you only get to go in one case if you are accompanied by the fire service. Sorry to be negative on your post but I would let this one go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulstw Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 Of course anyone could take these shots. It's not about whether they are exclusive or not, it's the fact that the bottom one was the cover of a magazine that's sitting on my desk with a very vague license and the top one has a more in depth license detail and only a 1 year license. The second one is a 5 year license. In fact the top image cost me nothing to make. It was a pretty horrific crash on my road home from work. The second cost me £8 by the time I got into the location on the day the logo was unveiled. Some will say "That's the way it goes" and that's fine but it's no really fair to have you're images devalued. Especially when it's an image you really like yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
York Photographer Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 You are in a buyer's market. It is no us that dictates the sale price as that is between Alamy and the image purchaser. I was curious with your statement about "these are specialist images". The one illustrating Glasgow 2014 could have been taken by anyone there, surely? The other one near the fire engine is something again that could be replicated quite easily across the country. A few months ago I was in Paris and got access to a roof that requires permission from the town hall as well as another private one. These, in my opinion, are specialist images because the access is restricted and you only get to go in one case if you are accompanied by the fire service. Sorry to be negative on your post but I would let this one go. By specific I mean that theres not tens of thousands of similar images to choose from, there may only be a handful. Its not they are difficult in terms of access, or technique, its that "if that is what fulfills you brief" its this much, not one size fits all pricing. Its a bit like car parts, you want a headgasket for a ford its 15 quid, you want a headgasket for a porsche its 150 quid, Why? Because it is, and you ain't driving anywhere without one! I've often thought that pricing should be inversely proportional to number of images returned in a search. Woman eating Salad, 25,000 results=low price, exhaust bracket for a 79 ford pinto 2 results= high price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Elliott Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 I'm sorry but it just doesn't work like that nowadays. Just because you happen to like an image doesn't mean someone else will and pay you hundreds or thousands of dollars for it. There is something similar going on with another forum I am on and as has been pointed out: 1) You got a sale? Good! 2) It's low? Not much you can about it. However, those images are still on sale and could easily be licensed again and again. next time it could net you a bigger sum. If you're producing images that are selling on Alamy then just keep going on like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Ventura Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 In my near 30 years of being in the stock photo biz, it has never been about the image but about usage. Once you place an image in a library, it will have the same "value" as any other image, no matter how unique or expensive to produce. The only way around that, as far as I know, is to sell the photos yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Endicott Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 One is editorial usage, the other is commercial. Commercial use will always bring in more money than editorial. The second is also an iQ usage - a specific deal Alamy did about two years ago that I believe James has said Alamy will no longer do once the contracts expire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Elliott Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Oh, i forgot. remember that when you joined Alamy you accepted the terms and condition of the contract that states that they can sell the image for the price that is negotiated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulstw Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 delete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 The varied amount of ways that a buyer can buy an image from Alamy is just a joke for any photographer. I don't think I'll ever understand it. For example. This image RM: Country: United Kingdom Usage: Direct mail/Brochures Media: Annual report Industry sector: Transport & logistics Print run: up to 1,000 Placement: Inside Image Size: 1 page Start: 01 July 2014 End: 01 July 2015 500 x print copies, includes web PDF version of same design. ----- Sold for $83 Today this popped in. I was waiting on it because I seen the usage in the magazine online and in the printed magazine that was sent out to my work. RM: Country: United Kingdom Usage: iQ sale: Magazine, Editorial print and digital use. cover and inside.Repeat use within a single issue. Industry sector: Media, design & publishing Start: 23 July 2014 End: 23 July 2019 ------- Sold for $33 How is this possible? Paul These are pretty specialist images, and not easily obtainable elsewhere, I'd have thought its still a sellers market for this very specific material. Not exactly your typical money/test tubes/woman eating salad, generic stock images But you have it all wrong Paul. It's not 'women eating salads.' It's women eating salads and SMILING! :-) My friends and I when at lunch can never figure that one out! I upped you +1 L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin P Wilson Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 We all get frustrated, and angry even, by prices. But as Linda says that is the state of the market.But for those who are unhappy I suggest a therapy; try selling images directly yourself, then you will really learn what frustration is and how much effort is involved (I have been there done that, and not just for photography). I too used to get seriously wound up by prices etc but the only person hurt by that self-imposed stress was me, I take a much more phlegmatic approach these days and am healthier for it.As a picture buyer I would have absolutely no interest in how difficult the photograph was to take, what it cost or how much the photographer liked it - especially if I had a choice of suitable images. My only concern would be: does it fit my brief, will it work on the page, web site or whatever and can I get it for a price I can afford? That would be absolutely right and proper; as a buyer that is what I am paid to worry about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulstw Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share Posted July 25, 2014 I think it annoyed me for about a day or so. Tough to see at first but I'm far too busy taking other shots to worry about it. It's an image that can be used for loads of different things so we'll see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylineboy Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 what is an IQ sale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWatkins Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 what is an IQ sale? This might help. http://www.alamy.com/customer/help/alamy-iQ.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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