More images less sales

[Sultanpepa]

My dashboard graph for the first 6 months of 2014 showed the likely-hood of surpassing last years sales total, however sales seem to have stalled to a point where I've had nothing for over a month. I noticed others commenting too. I'm frustrated to the point where I couldn't be bothered going out today despite some nice bright shooting conditions. Tell me it will get better eh? (know what's coming next )   Should also say it's my first post but I've read the forum every day since the new forum came into being.

[dov makabaw]

With such a relatively small portfolio we are all likely to have an erratic sales pattern month on month. Some images are seasonal which will also result in peaks and toughs. If you want to establish a trend you might try making a rolling 12 month graph - it works for me.

 

 

dov

[Sultanpepa]

Sounds like a plan dov. It might not solve anything but it might identify a trend as you say.  I see you have over 10,000 images. Does it get harder to find fresh stock, I mean do you ever get photographers block or decide not to shoot something because you already have similar? I don't know how Jeff Greenberg does it. 

[giphotostock]

Sounds like a plan dov. It might not solve anything but it might identify a trend as you say.  I see you have over 10,000 images. Does it get harder to find fresh stock, I mean do you ever get photographers block or decide not to shoot something because you already have similar? I don't know how Jeff Greenberg does it. 

 

Having a living shoot list of ideas/subjects/situations may help to overcome photographer's block.

 

GI

[Martin P Wilson]

My dashboard graph for the first 6 months of 2014 showed the likely-hood of surpassing last years sales total, however sales seem to have stalled to a point where I've had nothing for over a month. I noticed others commenting too. I'm frustrated to the point where I couldn't be bothered going out today despite some nice bright shooting conditions. Tell me it will get better eh? (know what's coming next )   Should also say it's my first post but I've read the forum every day since the new forum came into being.

 

I have had the same experience the last two years My response has been to dump most of my existing stuff in a single pseudonym and to start afresh as from the start of this month. I am now working on the basis that if there is enough to keep Keith Morris busy in Aberystwyth there should be enough for me in Nottingham, it is up to  me to find it. If I can't find a big story then I will shoot and submit a small story, I will not be full time until October but I am finding news or stock most days I can get out, about 2 days in 3 at the moment. Next step is to start networking either by taking Twitter and news feeds from everyone or by getting in touch with potential sources. I will let folks know how it goes in the New Year. I am now treating it as a full time job and actively avoiding spending money on photography unless absolutely essential; I believe it will be analysis, imagination and effort that will pay off in the end, especially effort - I now treat it as full time business start-up.

 

However I do feel the same frustration and real negative thoughts each day there is no sale (significantly more often than not). I appreciate how difficult it is to maintain any motivation. As they say when the going gets tough ...

[John Mitchell]

I'm not finding that I'm making fewer sales as I add more images, but I am seeing some wild monthly fluctuations in sales, more so this year than any other. 

[Michael Ventura]

I'm not finding that I'm making fewer sales as I add more images, but I am seeing some wild monthly fluctuations in sales, more so this year than any other. 

 

Same here, it was much more consistent a year or two ago. 

[Sultanpepa]

Thanks for the responses so far folks. I hope to be a bit more dedicated come next May. I do write down, in a little note book, stuff that I think about shooting and would most likely forget about but that's exhausted for the moment. Next week I'm going to a zoo for something a little different. Martin, I thought about dumping most of mine too but I'm slowly having a spring clean (in Autumn) and then I'll be more selective about what I upload. Sometimes I get too eager to upload quantity rather that quality. I have to change that, although I'm still surprised at what sells. Better sales wont happen unless I do that though. I get a buzz from doing light news items but sales have been poor for me in that area. Not getting the stuff up quickly enough is my main problem I think. Can't compete with the pros like Keith on that score but I do enjoy the challenge. Hopefully I'll get the drive back soon. It seems a shame to be letting this settled weather slip by without a shutter click. 

[Martin P Wilson]

Thanks for the responses so far folks. I hope to be a bit more dedicated come next May. I do write down, in a little note book, stuff that I think about shooting and would most likely forget about but that's exhausted for the moment. Next week I'm going to a zoo for something a little different. Martin, I thought about dumping most of mine too but I'm slowly having a spring clean (in Autumn) and then I'll be more selective about what I upload. Sometimes I get too eager to upload quantity rather that quality. I have to change that, although I'm still surprised at what sells. Better sales wont happen unless I do that though. I get a buzz from doing light news items but sales have been poor for me in that area. Not getting the stuff up quickly enough is my main problem I think. Can't compete with the pros like Keith on that score but I do enjoy the challenge. Hopefully I'll get the drive back soon. It seems a shame to be letting this settled weather slip by without a shutter click. 

 

When I say I have dumped them I do not mean I have deleted them; I took the view whatever I deleted would be the wrong ones (as others have shown) so I just put everything in one pseudonym to separate them from my new work.

 

Now I use a mirrorless camera system for most of my photography I can manage the weight of a light laptop in my camera bag (~10lb in total). I am very selective about whatkit I take. It means that when I come across anything at all newsworthy on my trips in and around my home town (usually a 20min bus ride from home) I can upload pictures straightaway. Often I have had demonstration pictures uploaded while the protest is still going on - obviously one has to to decide when the main event has been covered. I take a more comprehensive outfit when I am working from my car, at say a sporting event. Not much in the way of sales through Alamy but it is early days. I know my stuff works as I had publication in major newspapers through another channel but they only seem to collect the cash on a proportion of sales! It is a case of sticking at it, thinking hard and refining the offering - even KM took time to get regular sales through Alamy.

[dov makabaw]

Sounds like a plan dov. It might not solve anything but it might identify a trend as you say.  I see you have over 10,000 images. Does it get harder to find fresh stock, I mean do you ever get photographers block or decide not to shoot something because you already have similar? I don't know how Jeff Greenberg does it. 

 

I always find it hard to keep motivated and look for a new approach or project when I get into a rut. As others have said I put my non preforming images into a separate pseudo, so as to keep my ranking up, while not deleting images which I may like but buyers don't. When I first started I sent a sample of 10 of my, IMO, best images. Have never even had a zoom on any of them, while I regularly have zooms and sales of my deemed non performing pseudo images. Its a strange old world.

 

dov

[Doc]

I'm not finding that I'm making fewer sales as I add more images, but I am seeing some wild monthly fluctuations in sales, more so this year than any other. 

+1

 

Kumar

[John Mitchell]

 

I'm not finding that I'm making fewer sales as I add more images, but I am seeing some wild monthly fluctuations in sales, more so this year than any other. 

+1

 

Kumar

 

 

Interesting to hear that I'm not the only one experiencing this phenomenon. My "ranking" appears to remain fairly consistent, so I can't speculate why there is more variation in sales numbers this year, except that the gods might be taunting me even more than they usually do.

[Sultanpepa]

Well the drought is over thankfully. Two run of the mill sales over the last couple of days brings an end to a dismal period for me. I might yet just sneak past last years total after all. With just under 600 new images added this year I thought I'd be in a better position at this time. Here's hoping the remaining months are good to us 

[RedSnapper]

I am now working on the basis that if there is enough to keep Keith Morris busy in Aberystwyth there should be enough for me in Nottingham, it is up to  me to find it. If I can't find a big story then I will shoot and submit a small story

 

 

My suggestion/advice..for what it's worth:

 

think "in" not "of"

think "a" not "the"

 

 

km

[Martin P Wilson]

 

I am now working on the basis that if there is enough to keep Keith Morris busy in Aberystwyth there should be enough for me in Nottingham, it is up to  me to find it. If I can't find a big story then I will shoot and submit a small story

 

 

My suggestion/advice..for what it's worth:

 

think "in" not "of"

think "a" not "the"

 

 

km

 

I am grateful for all advice especially when it is based on solid experience, and success.

 

I take your point Keith. I had a chat with a retired journalist at a classic car show and he was really pushing me to to tell him why anyone would use my pictures as opposed to anyone else's. He really worked me over. very kindly and for the right reasons! He made the point that even at the classic car exhibition it was about the people not the cars - it gave me a real insight. I take it that is the sort of thing you mean about "in" not "of" - already too many pictures  "of" almost everywhere.

 

It is why I aim to get "a" story not necessarily "the" story I set out to get it if it does not work/happen for some reason (especially if I am not commissioned). Flexibility of mind and awareness is the key? The absence is illustrated by a story (probably apocryphal) from A E Loosley( Fleet Street photographer & picture editor) in one of his books on photojournalaism (in the 1960/70s).A local newspaper photographer was sent to photograph the swearing in of a new mayor;  explaining why he had got no pictures. As he arrived the mayor tri[pped fell down the steps and broke his leg, much to the consternation of the diginitaries around him. "... and as you see, that is why I could not get the pictures" he explained to his editor.

 

I am actively working on both "in" and "a", the awareness to see a story. In fact, I spotted a tiny one literally on my door step as I went out this morning.

[John Mitchell]

 

 

I am now working on the basis that if there is enough to keep Keith Morris busy in Aberystwyth there should be enough for me in Nottingham, it is up to  me to find it. If I can't find a big story then I will shoot and submit a small story

 

 

My suggestion/advice..for what it's worth:

 

think "in" not "of"

think "a" not "the"

 

 

km

 

I am grateful for all advice especially when it is based on solid experience, and success.

 

I take your point Keith. I had a chat with a retired journalist at a classic car show and he was really pushing me to to tell him why anyone would use my pictures as opposed to anyone else's. He really worked me over. very kindly and for the right reasons! He made the point that even at the classic car exhibition it was about the people not the cars - it gave me a real insight. I take it that is the sort of thing you mean about "in" not "of" - already too many pictures  "of" almost everywhere.

 

It is why I aim to get "a" story not necessarily "the" story I set out to get it if it does not work/happen for some reason (especially if I am not commissioned). Flexibility of mind and awareness is the key? The absence is illustrated by a story (probably apocryphal) from A E Loosley( Fleet Street photographer & picture editor) in one of his books on photojournalaism (in the 1960/70s).A local newspaper photographer was sent to photograph the swearing in of a new mayor;  explaining why he had got no pictures. As he arrived the mayor tri[pped fell down the steps and broke his leg, much to the consternation of the diginitaries around him. "... and as you see, that is why I could not get the pictures" he explained to his editor.

 

I am actively working on both "of" and "a", the awareness to see a story. In fact, I spotted a tiny one literally on my door step as I went out this morning.

 

 

This reminds me of a quote I read somewhere that went something like this:

 

"Don't photograph the Taj Mahal, photograph the vendors in the alleyways leading to the Taj Mahal."

 

Mind you, it sometimes pays to photograph the Taj Mahal as well.

[Martin P Wilson]

Back to original theme. I am analysing my stats for the last couple of months and I have seen my total views fall steadily by 20% in the same time that I have added 10% to my archive Very worrying.

 

Have other people seen similar declines in views (my zoom and sales figures are not consistent enough to draw conclusions)?

[IDP]

Back to original theme. I am analysing my stats for the last couple of months and I have seen my total views fall steadily by 20% in the same time that I have added 10% to my archive Very worrying.

 

Have other people seen similar declines in views (my zoom and sales figures are not consistent enough to draw conclusions)?

 

Martin,

 

You can get a much more accurate picture of customer activity by downloading data for a couple of test periods from "All of Alamy" measures and analysing it in Excel. Having said that,  on my own figures of around 80,000 views a month, I did notice a decline in both views and zooms for the month or so before the new "comp" page came in - and that's also with regularly adding new images.

 

Ian D

[Martin P Wilson]

 

Back to original theme. I am analysing my stats for the last couple of months and I have seen my total views fall steadily by 20% in the same time that I have added 10% to my archive Very worrying.

 

Have other people seen similar declines in views (my zoom and sales figures are not consistent enough to draw conclusions)?

 

Martin,

 

You can get a much more accurate picture of customer activity by downloading data for a couple of test periods from "All of Alamy" measures and analysing it in Excel. Having said that,  on my own figures of around 80,000 views a month, I did notice a decline in both views and zooms for the month or so before the new "comp" page came in - and that's also with regularly adding new images.

 

Ian D

 

 

I noticed it while building my monitoring spreadsheets for my own activity now I have gone full time. The decline on views over last few weeks have been frighteningly rapid - I will be down to zero by New Year if it continues at the same rate! I eliberately waiting until after the holdiays - I can't run my analysis further back as I restructured my pseudonyms.