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Good photographers don’t need to be told what customers want


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From the latest Alamy blog entry:

 

"Good photographers don’t need to be told what customers want".

 

Yes? No? (It's a "yes" from me . . . )

 

dd

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Interesting question, dd.

 

"Good photographers don't need to be told what customers want" is a very general statement, especially out of context.

So I'll just mention that when I do assignments for direct clients, I certainly appreciate getting as clear and accurate an idea as possible of client's needs.

 

- Ann

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Interesting question, dd.

 

"Good photographers don't need to be told what customers want" is a very general statement, especially out of context.

So I'll just mention that when I do assignments for direct clients, I certainly appreciate getting as clear and accurate an idea as possible of client's needs.

 

- Ann

 

Eminently sensible Ann, when shooting for a particular customer.

 

But in the context set by the article I'm quoting, the statement is more concerned with stock in general, re: knowing what to shoot in anticipation of future sales versus having to be told what to shoot.

 

dd

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Interesting question, dd.

 

"Good photographers don't need to be told what customers want" is a very general statement, especially out of context.

So I'll just mention that when I do assignments for direct clients, I certainly appreciate getting as clear and accurate an idea as possible of client's needs.

 

- Ann

 

Eminently sensible Ann, when shooting for a particular customer.

 

But in the context set by the article I'm quoting, the statement is more concerned with stock in general, re: knowing what to shoot in anticipation of future sales versus having to be told what to shoot.

 

dd

 

 

The (best) photographers (in commercial stock) get told a lot of advice/art direction/trends/styling trends by their agencies...it just happens that two of the top commercial agencies are either finished a weekend meeting (Miami) or are probably just breaking to get to the bar as I write (London).  So whilst they are not getting custom stock advice, they are/will have been told a great deal about what they should shoot and to some extent how they should shoot it.

 

Not sure I quite understood the point Alamy were trying to make, as they pointed out immediately after that good photographers do get advice on what to shoot (as mentioned above).

 

The irony was that the post was a one or two after some custom stock 'advice' on the blog... go figure.

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Yes, good photographers don't need to be told what customers want.

 

dd

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Interesting question, dd.

 

"Good photographers don't need to be told what customers want" is a very general statement, especially out of context.

So I'll just mention that when I do assignments for direct clients, I certainly appreciate getting as clear and accurate an idea as possible of client's needs.

 

- Ann

 

Eminently sensible Ann, when shooting for a particular customer.

 

But in the context set by the article I'm quoting, the statement is more concerned with stock in general, re: knowing what to shoot in anticipation of future sales versus having to be told what to shoot.

 

dd

 

 

The (best) photographers (in commercial stock) get told a lot of advice/art direction/trends/styling trends by their agencies...it just happens that two of the top commercial agencies are either finished a weekend meeting (Miami) or are probably just breaking to get to the bar as I write (London).  So whilst they are not getting custom stock advice, they are being told a great deal about what they should shoot and to some extent how they should shoot it.

 

Not sure I quite undertsood the point Alamy were trying to make as they pointed out immediately after that good photographers do get advice on what to shoot (as mentioned above).

 

The irony was that the post was a one or two after some custom stock 'advice' on the blog... go figure.

 

 

Geoff, you yourself have often indicated the general type of images that increase the chances of selling, and that's what I'm more thinking of.

 

I think the rarified strata occupied by the best commercial stock photographers, those who have access to individualised art direction etc, is not necessarily the experience (nor opportunity) afforded the great unwashed (amongst whom I proudly include myself). There are general principles that most would be best served following versus chasing the advertised, immediate needs of any particular customer/s.

 

dd

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There's good photographers and good stock photographers - those that may have learnt what sells via this agency through bitter experience.

 

Exactly, "good photographer" is too subjective to mean anything.

 

"Financially successful stock photographers are ones who have figured out what customers (or at least some customers) want." might make more sense. However, to be fair, Alamy's words are being taken out of context here. They weren't really making a general statement.

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It could be said that good photographers show customers what they want.  

 

For instance, perhaps a customer knows that they need a photo of, say, a young girl surfing, so they search thru pertinent photos.....they see dozens of acceptable images that will suit their needs, then they see a shot that really stands out and they think, "Wow!  I never knew any photo like that existed!  It is so much better than anything I had in mind!  It will be perfect!"

 

I think that a good photographer's job - his/her goal - is to show customers images that are far more compelling than anything they had in mind for their particular application.  In fact, I think this is the greater goal of not just photography, but of art in general, 

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Once again I have not read the entire thread....

 

"Good photographers"  need to be told what to shoot and how to do it'

Great Photographers don't care and shoot what they want to shoot.  In

that last 30 years I've licensed a lot of images to a huge number of

publications.  The images I've made on assignment for publications

are not the images that I've made that have been licensed over and

over by Alamy or my other agents or libraries.  The images that I've

made, because I wanted to make them are licensed over and over.

 

In my opinion, if you are a 100% working photographer, or in my situation a

working photojournalist.  You make the images that you believe in and let

the market decide.

 

Chuck (the original chuck)

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Interesting question, dd.

 

"Good photographers don't need to be told what customers want" is a very general statement, especially out of context.

So I'll just mention that when I do assignments for direct clients, I certainly appreciate getting as clear and accurate an idea as possible of client's needs.

 

- Ann

 

Eminently sensible Ann, when shooting for a particular customer.

 

But in the context set by the article I'm quoting, the statement is more concerned with stock in general, re: knowing what to shoot in anticipation of future sales versus having to be told what to shoot.

 

dd

 

 

The (best) photographers (in commercial stock) get told a lot of advice/art direction/trends/styling trends by their agencies...it just happens that two of the top commercial agencies are either finished a weekend meeting (Miami) or are probably just breaking to get to the bar as I write (London).  So whilst they are not getting custom stock advice, they are being told a great deal about what they should shoot and to some extent how they should shoot it.

 

Not sure I quite undertsood the point Alamy were trying to make as they pointed out immediately after that good photographers do get advice on what to shoot (as mentioned above).

 

The irony was that the post was a one or two after some custom stock 'advice' on the blog... go figure.

 

 

Geoff, you yourself have often indicated the general type of images that increase the chances of selling, and that's what I'm more thinking of.

 

I think the rarified strata occupied by the best commercial stock photographers, those who have access to individualised art direction etc, is not necessarily the experience (nor opportunity) afforded the great unwashed (amongst whom I proudly include myself). There are general principles that most would be best served following versus chasing the advertised, immediate needs of any particular customer/s.

 

dd

 

 

DD, or may I call you d......

 

Whilst it is true that most photographers don't have the access to information/ADs that one can get from some agencies, it doesn't negate the fact that the best photographers (in commercial terms) do work with the very agencies who provide such added value. Nobody, unwashed or otherwise, is going to shoot 'hispanic man playing guitar left handed' (as per Alamy's blog) unless they are doing it as part of a wider, targetted shoot. However, shooting an hispanic family using trends/info from an agency will bring a lot more money than just shooting anything and seeing what will stick as per a few comments on here.

 

Agencies like GI spend a lot of time and money on providing information on what clients are using/looking for - the Lean In collection being one example *LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN* . This is important as is the trending info on socio-economics.... highest percentage of millionaires in USA/population......East Indians (people from India). Loads more info which can help in production of shoots.

 

Obviously if people just walk down the road and shoot what they see, it makes for little difference in their shooting..... but it also will make no difference in their sales. 

 

IME, the best selling images come from the most informed shoots.

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1. A good photographer works off instinct as to what will sell.

2. A good photographer also listens to the market place, clients and agencies etc and uses this information to develop point 1.

 

Gut feel, instinct etc comes from experience and listening to what's going on around you. 

 

The statement, "Good photographers don’t need to be told what customers want" could come from a politician.... i.e. it sounds good but doesn't really mean anything at all.... in fact, is complete BS. Without actually listening to what's going on around you and being aware of trends etc, you would not be aware of where to start or what is more likely to sell. 

 

Points 1 & 2 help you establish what to put in front of the lens, you then use your own creativity to capture it. You should not need to be told how to do this, it comes from within.

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From the point of view of someone who doesn't tend to keep many friends in the real world, I.E I pretty much keep myself to myself, it's very hard to keep up with what's cool and what's not and that ever shifting set of goal posts. You really need to be deep in the industry to catch trends on the up slope. No point in seeing blog posts for what's cool and then going to shoot something, when it's likely it's already on the downslope to something else. 

 

The wider angle on that is that if you continually shoot trends and shifting markets, does that not make your library full of old ideas? much in the same way that a fahion store ends up with last years fashion and can't sell it? 

 

Being a good photographer is just an ingredient in a recipe. 

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From the point of view of someone who doesn't tend to keep many friends in the real world, I.E I pretty much keep myself to myself, it's very hard to keep up with what's cool and what's not and that ever shifting set of goal posts. You really need to be deep in the industry to catch trends on the up slope. No point in seeing blog posts for what's cool and then going to shoot something, when it's likely it's already on the downslope to something else. 

 

The wider angle on that is that if you continually shoot trends and shifting markets, does that not make your library full of old ideas? much in the same way that a fahion store ends up with last years fashion and can't sell it? 

 

Being a good photographer is just an ingredient in a recipe. 

 

You hit on an interesting angle re: old ideas that links nicely with the original question . . . I guess, from my point of view, "being told" what to shoot is just that, hanging around waiting for, and then chasing, specific requests. "NOT being told" what to shoot to me is simply "working it out for yourself". . . that of course involves research, intuition, guesswork, more research, awareness of issues current and pending, etc etc . . . but not waiting to "be told", not shooting everything and everything until a customer communicates a particular need, not being beholden to the latest "big thing".

 

Been an interesting discussion, I think there's more underlying agreement expressed in many of the arguments than a cursory reading might indicate :-)

 

dd

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DD, or may I call you d......

 

 

Sweet talking aint' gonna get you anwhere if you keep getting posts edited by Alamy :P

 

dd

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Interesting question, dd.

 

"Good photographers don't need to be told what customers want" is a very general statement, especially out of context.

So I'll just mention that when I do assignments for direct clients, I certainly appreciate getting as clear and accurate an idea as possible of client's needs.

 

- Ann

 

Eminently sensible Ann, when shooting for a particular customer.

 

But in the context set by the article I'm quoting, the statement is more concerned with stock in general, re: knowing what to shoot in anticipation of future sales versus having to be told what to shoot.

 

dd

 

 

The (best) photographers (in commercial stock) get told a lot of advice/art direction/trends/styling trends by their agencies...it just happens that two of the top commercial agencies are either finished a weekend meeting (Miami) or are probably just breaking to get to the bar as I write (London).  So whilst they are not getting custom stock advice, they are being told a great deal about what they should shoot and to some extent how they should shoot it.

 

Not sure I quite undertsood the point Alamy were trying to make as they pointed out immediately after that good photographers do get advice on what to shoot (as mentioned above).

 

The irony was that the post was a one or two after some custom stock 'advice' on the blog... go figure.

 

 

Geoff, you yourself have often indicated the general type of images that increase the chances of selling, and that's what I'm more thinking of.

 

I think the rarified strata occupied by the best commercial stock photographers, those who have access to individualised art direction etc, is not necessarily the experience (nor opportunity) afforded the great unwashed (amongst whom I proudly include myself). There are general principles that most would be best served following versus chasing the advertised, immediate needs of any particular customer/s.

 

dd

 

 

DD, or may I call you d......

 

Whilst it is true that most photographers don't have the access to information/ADs that one can get from some agencies, it doesn't negate the fact that the best photographers (in commercial terms) do work with the very agencies who provide such added value. Nobody, unwashed or otherwise, is going to shoot 'hispanic man playing guitar left handed' (as per Alamy's blog) unless they are doing it as part of a wider, targetted shoot. However, shooting an hispanic family using trends/info from an agency will bring a lot more money than just shooting anything and seeing what will stick as per a few comments on here.

 

Agencies like GI spend a lot of time and money on providing information on what clients are using/looking for - the Lean In collection being one example *LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN* . This is important as is the trending info on socio-economics.... highest percentage of millionaires in USA/population......East Indians (people from India). Loads more info which can help in production of shoots.

 

Obviously if people just walk down the road and shoot what they see, it makes for little difference in their shooting..... but it also will make no difference in their sales. 

 

IME, the best selling images come from the most informed shoots.

 

 

Actually the link was to an organisation which may have a rival as one of it's partners but is independent, I assume 3M is the partner you objected to. It's the sticky tape you object to isn't it....BTW it's recognised by the IRS as a private operating foundation - it's seen as very important in the empowerment of women in the USA (especially in visuals). Can we assume that their goal is not shared by Alamy???

 

Perhaps you should read your own rules or do a little more than a cursory check on links.

 

Fell free to ban me, as you know, I asked you too but 'it would send out the wrong message'....

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Interesting question, dd.

 

"Good photographers don't need to be told what customers want" is a very general statement, especially out of context.

So I'll just mention that when I do assignments for direct clients, I certainly appreciate getting as clear and accurate an idea as possible of client's needs.

 

- Ann

 

Eminently sensible Ann, when shooting for a particular customer.

 

But in the context set by the article I'm quoting, the statement is more concerned with stock in general, re: knowing what to shoot in anticipation of future sales versus having to be told what to shoot.

 

dd

 

 

The (best) photographers (in commercial stock) get told a lot of advice/art direction/trends/styling trends by their agencies...it just happens that two of the top commercial agencies are either finished a weekend meeting (Miami) or are probably just breaking to get to the bar as I write (London).  So whilst they are not getting custom stock advice, they are being told a great deal about what they should shoot and to some extent how they should shoot it.

 

Not sure I quite undertsood the point Alamy were trying to make as they pointed out immediately after that good photographers do get advice on what to shoot (as mentioned above).

 

The irony was that the post was a one or two after some custom stock 'advice' on the blog... go figure.

 

 

Geoff, you yourself have often indicated the general type of images that increase the chances of selling, and that's what I'm more thinking of.

 

I think the rarified strata occupied by the best commercial stock photographers, those who have access to individualised art direction etc, is not necessarily the experience (nor opportunity) afforded the great unwashed (amongst whom I proudly include myself). There are general principles that most would be best served following versus chasing the advertised, immediate needs of any particular customer/s.

 

dd

 

 

DD, or may I call you d......

 

Whilst it is true that most photographers don't have the access to information/ADs that one can get from some agencies, it doesn't negate the fact that the best photographers (in commercial terms) do work with the very agencies who provide such added value. Nobody, unwashed or otherwise, is going to shoot 'hispanic man playing guitar left handed' (as per Alamy's blog) unless they are doing it as part of a wider, targetted shoot. However, shooting an hispanic family using trends/info from an agency will bring a lot more money than just shooting anything and seeing what will stick as per a few comments on here.

 

Agencies like GI spend a lot of time and money on providing information on what clients are using/looking for - the Lean In collection being one example *LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN* . This is important as is the trending info on socio-economics.... highest percentage of millionaires in USA/population......East Indians (people from India). Loads more info which can help in production of shoots.

 

Obviously if people just walk down the road and shoot what they see, it makes for little difference in their shooting..... but it also will make no difference in their sales. 

 

IME, the best selling images come from the most informed shoots.

 

 

Fell free to ban me, as you know, I asked you too but 'it would send out the wrong message'....

 

 

Yes, banning you would send out the wrong message seeing as you haven't done anything to warrant being banned. 

 

Lets say we had have banned you after you asked us to - all that would happen then is a wave of forum users thinking we've been heavy handed for no reason so yes, that would be the wrong message. 

 

If you no longer wish to post here then that's your choice, but seeing as you have bought this up we'd like to go on record to say that we very much hope you stay posting here as you're a valuable member of the group. We just ask that you don't post links to sites affiliated with our competitors, we don't feel this is an unreasonable request.

 

Right - back on topic, this was an interesting discussion!

 

Alamy

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From the point of view of someone who doesn't tend to keep many friends in the real world, I.E I pretty much keep myself to myself, it's very hard to keep up with what's cool and what's not and that ever shifting set of goal posts. You really need to be deep in the industry to catch trends on the up slope. No point in seeing blog posts for what's cool and then going to shoot something, when it's likely it's already on the downslope to something else. 

 

The wider angle on that is that if you continually shoot trends and shifting markets, does that not make your library full of old ideas? much in the same way that a fahion store ends up with last years fashion and can't sell it? 

 

Being a good photographer is just an ingredient in a recipe. 

 

You hit on an interesting angle re: old ideas that links nicely with the original question . . . I guess, from my point of view, "being told" what to shoot is just that, hanging around waiting for, and then chasing, specific requests. "NOT being told" what to shoot to me is simply "working it out for yourself". . . that of course involves research, intuition, guesswork, more research, awareness of issues current and pending, etc etc . . . but not waiting to "be told", not shooting everything and everything until a customer communicates a particular need, not being beholden to the latest "big thing".

 

Been an interesting discussion, I think there's more underlying agreement expressed in many of the arguments than a cursory reading might indicate :-)

 

dd

 

 

Having really only tried myself to shoot for what's missing in my locale, I'd hope that I was using my initiative rather than waiting about being told what trends to shoot. I guess there's many ways to fill a port. There's the "fill her up" approach where you take a picture of every single thing you set eyes upon, or the way I'm doing it, slowly, but surely based on time and research. I reckon the port will hold more weight for a longer life span than shooting for numbers. I don't know. 

 

If I suddenly realised that I wanted to chase trends, then I'd make it my priority to keep ahead of the speeding train and use my skills as a tog gained over the years coupled with my own style of editing to hopefully reach out, but only in a different psuedo. It's inviting to say the least. 

 

On a more general point, it's a steep learning curve, and if your port is going nowhere, it's a good reason to change your ways, no matter how uncomfortable things may be. Everyone has a unique perspective of the world. 

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I’m privy to a certain amount of good info and/or advice from my two main agencies, and it certainly helps as far as current trends are concerned, both editorial and commercial.  I’m also up to speed on the needs of the fiction book industry via another agency.  All this info is, in my opinion, a lot better than anything currently being offered by Alamy. 

 

“Man or woman at home relaxing in the garden with tea or coffee after working in the garden e.g. sitting in a deckchair or on a bench.”

 

That’s the kind of shot anyone could do, so if just 1% of the contributors had a go, that will produce a hell of a lot of couples sitting in gardens.  But the ‘our blog’ is available to any photographer anywhere in the world to look at.  So not really much point in setting up a shoot.  Maybe if I just happen to be sitting in the garden ... No, what the heck, the sun’s out.  A complete waste of time.

 

The best advice is the kind that is directed at you personally, taking into account your style, past history, skills, etc.  And the best info takes you into current thinking about societal and demographic trends and patterns.  And good edits are another kind of information.

 

But we can also learn a lot from our sales  history.  For example: I have noticed that some kinds of work can sell infrequently but occasionally be licensed for good fees ($500, $1000, $1500 ..), while other images sell repeatedly, but never for very high amounts. The latter tend to be images pitched at the marketplace, whereas the former aren’t.  At least they weren’t, but now, with the help of external editing, I am converting what was personal work into paid work.  Which is where I came in in the first place back in 1990.

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I’m privy to a certain amount of good info and/or advice from my two main agencies, and it certainly helps as far as current trends are concerned, both editorial and commercial.  I’m also up to speed on the needs of the fiction book industry via another agency.  All this info is, in my opinion, a lot better than anything currently being offered by Alamy. 

 

“Man or woman at home relaxing in the garden with tea or coffee after working in the garden e.g. sitting in a deckchair or on a bench.”

 

That’s the kind of shot anyone could do, so if just 1% of the contributors had a go, that will produce a hell of a lot of couples sitting in gardens.  But the ‘our blog’ is available to any photographer anywhere in the world to look at.  So not really much point in setting up a shoot.  Maybe if I just happen to be sitting in the garden ... No, what the heck, the sun’s out.  A complete waste of time.

 

The best advice is the kind that is directed at you personally, taking into account your style, past history, skills, etc.  And the best info takes you into current thinking about societal and demographic trends and patterns.  And good edits are another kind of information.

 

But we can also learn a lot from our sales  history.  For example: I have noticed that some kinds of work can sell infrequently but occasionally be licensed for good fees ($500, $1000, $1500 ..), while other images sell repeatedly, but never for very high amounts. The latter tend to be images pitched at the marketplace, whereas the former aren’t.  At least they weren’t, but now, with the help of external editing, I am converting what was personal work into paid work.  Which is where I came in in the first place back in 1990.

 

Basically what you're saying is that in the context of Alamy, the Blog is right.

;-)

 

wim

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I’m privy to a certain amount of good info and/or advice from my two main agencies, and it certainly helps as far as current trends are concerned, both editorial and commercial.  I’m also up to speed on the needs of the fiction book industry via another agency.  All this info is, in my opinion, a lot better than anything currently being offered by Alamy. 

 

“Man or woman at home relaxing in the garden with tea or coffee after working in the garden e.g. sitting in a deckchair or on a bench.”

 

That’s the kind of shot anyone could do, so if just 1% of the contributors had a go, that will produce a hell of a lot of couples sitting in gardens.  But the ‘our blog’ is available to any photographer anywhere in the world to look at.  So not really much point in setting up a shoot.  Maybe if I just happen to be sitting in the garden ... No, what the heck, the sun’s out.  A complete waste of time.

 

The best advice is the kind that is directed at you personally, taking into account your style, past history, skills, etc.  And the best info takes you into current thinking about societal and demographic trends and patterns.  And good edits are another kind of information.

 

But we can also learn a lot from our sales  history.  For example: I have noticed that some kinds of work can sell infrequently but occasionally be licensed for good fees ($500, $1000, $1500 ..), while other images sell repeatedly, but never for very high amounts. The latter tend to be images pitched at the marketplace, whereas the former aren’t.  At least they weren’t, but now, with the help of external editing, I am converting what was personal work into paid work.  Which is where I came in in the first place back in 1990.

 

That is how I am currently working. The decision is what results go where, unfortunately I do not (currently) have premium library representation (a couple of specialists and some ideas though). Some will have to remain personal work, on my own site only if it is to have value. I don't want people creating prints after buying a personal use licence; I want to keep control of my more "art" work.

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I’m privy to a certain amount of good info and/or advice from my two main agencies, and it certainly helps as far as current trends are concerned, both editorial and commercial.  I’m also up to speed on the needs of the fiction book industry via another agency.  All this info is, in my opinion, a lot better than anything currently being offered by Alamy. 

 

“Man or woman at home relaxing in the garden with tea or coffee after working in the garden e.g. sitting in a deckchair or on a bench.”

 

That’s the kind of shot anyone could do, so if just 1% of the contributors had a go, that will produce a hell of a lot of couples sitting in gardens.  But the ‘our blog’ is available to any photographer anywhere in the world to look at.  So not really much point in setting up a shoot.  Maybe if I just happen to be sitting in the garden ... No, what the heck, the sun’s out.  A complete waste of time.

 

The best advice is the kind that is directed at you personally, taking into account your style, past history, skills, etc.  And the best info takes you into current thinking about societal and demographic trends and patterns.  And good edits are another kind of information.

 

But we can also learn a lot from our sales  history.  For example: I have noticed that some kinds of work can sell infrequently but occasionally be licensed for good fees ($500, $1000, $1500 ..), while other images sell repeatedly, but never for very high amounts. The latter tend to be images pitched at the marketplace, whereas the former aren’t.  At least they weren’t, but now, with the help of external editing, I am converting what was personal work into paid work.  Which is where I came in in the first place back in 1990.

 

That is how I am currently working. The decision is what results go where, unfortunately I do not (currently) have premium library representation (a couple of specialists and some ideas though). Some will have to remain personal work, on my own site only if it is to have value. I don't want people creating prints after buying a personal use licence; I want to keep control of my more "art" work.

 

 

One of the advantages of RM licenses Martin, and one reason why RM licenses will be around for a long time, contrary to what some industry 'experts' think, is that you can control how your work is used.  As the metropolitan art gallery takes over from the blue chip ad / colour supplement, as the preferred destination for pushy photographers, a lot of work is available for licensing that needs those restrictions.  Even at one of the majors I can have them applied.

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One of the advantages of RM licenses Martin, and one reason why RM licenses will be around for a long time, contrary to what some industry 'experts' think, is that you can control how your work is used.  As the metropolitan art gallery takes over from the blue chip ad / colour supplement, as the preferred destination for pushy photographers, a lot of work is available for licensing that needs those restrictions.  Even at one of the majors I can have them applied.

 

 

I agree Robert, I have tended to stick with RM even though much of my stuff with Alamy is pretty generic. I am now adopting a very different approach, not going out to shoot generic stock, although some just happens ;) I am building a list of potential target niche or upmarket agencies that I will approach when I have raised my game and rebuilt my portfolio to reflect my new direction. It is my much more documentary and story/project based. I will make sure whoever I go with (or will have me) that they will actually honour any such restrictions.

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Once again I have not read the entire thread....

 

"Good photographers"  need to be told what to shoot and how to do it'

Great Photographers don't care and shoot what they want to shoot.  In

that last 30 years I've licensed a lot of images to a huge number of

publications.  The images I've made on assignment for publications

are not the images that I've made that have been licensed over and

over by Alamy or my other agents or libraries.  The images that I've

made, because I wanted to make them are licensed over and over.

 

In my opinion, if you are a 100% working photographer, or in my situation a

working photojournalist.  You make the images that you believe in and let

the market decide.

 

Chuck (the original chuck)

 

Sounds like timeless advice, Chuck. Good for you.

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