The Licensing Mystery: RM or RF?

[Ed Rooney]

I just changed all my cooked food shots from RM to RF.  Madness?  Maybe.  But I want to test this and a few images won't do.  My cooked food doesn't sell that well. (Could it be that I keep cooking and eating the same recipes? Hmm.)  I deleted 53 of them!

 

Will any of you be going for a big turnaround?

 

And with our new system, with both RF and RM, must we click the editorial-only box if releases are needed . . . and we don't have them? 

 

Edo

[fotoDogue]

I'm old school. I prefer RM because I want to be paid per usage. I had two licenses of the same image to the same newspaper this year and was paid for each use.

Even so, considering some of the "In Perpetuity" and "Unlimited" licenses I've been seeing I'm not sure it really makes that much difference whether an image is RM or RF.

[Brian Yarvin]

I have several thousand cooked food images on Alamy and I'm going to predict no change at all. 

[John Mitchell]

No big turnaround here, but I am experimenting with changing a number of my more generic images -- e.g. abstract designs, nature shots, backgrounds, etc. -- to RF as they aren't licensing as RM. I didn't expect great financial gain from these pics. However, I enjoy this type of photography and it would be encouraging to see some sales. I have them in a separate pseudo, and they don't appear to be having any negative effects on my main collection.

 

My mainstay "bread and butter" editorial images will all remain RM.

 

Not sure I even understand what "RF editorial" is.

[John Mitchell]

I have only a handful of RF images in my 43K port. By coincidence, I sold one this week. Got $ 1.54 for it. Think I'll stick with RM (My latest two RM pictures were both sold for $ 199.99. That was yesterday) 

 

Cheers,

Philippe

 

Yikes! You must have signed up for the Really Free scheme.

 

One nice thing is that you can now easily switch back to RM if you like.

[Brian Yarvin]

John, I've been reading these RF vs RM threads since the days when it was the battle de jour. All I can say is that my own experience is very different than Phillipe's; on Alamy, my average prices are almost exactly the same.Why are my experiences so different? I believe the answer is subject matter. I based my original answer in this thread on sales of cooked food images - something I track specifically. (Remember, I also write and photograph cookbooks.)

 

As always, subject matter is the elephant in the room when it comes to internet discussion of stock photography. 

[John Mitchell]

John, I've been reading these RF vs RM threads since the days when it was the battle de jour. All I can say is that my own experience is very different than Phillipe's; on Alamy, my average prices are almost exactly the same.Why are my experiences so different? I believe the answer is subject matter. I based my original answer in this thread on sales of cooked food images - something I track specifically. (Remember, I also write and photograph cookbooks.)

 

As always, subject matter is the elephant in the room when it comes to internet discussion of stock photography. 

 

That's for sure. RF vs RM debates remind me of the interminable (yawn) Canon vs Nikon debates that raged for decades. I realize that prices for RF aren't usually any better than RM. The question is, though, are certain types of images now more sale-able as RF? Alamy seems to be imply that they are with its recommendation of RF licensing in the new MI.

[Brian Yarvin]

In my own experience, any discussion of stock photo sales and pricing that doesn't include subject matter somehow misses the mark. I am able to chyme in on this thread because I have these very sorts of photos and I hope that the information I offered is seen as worthwhile. 

 

As for what Alamy prefers, we must consider it based on what their biggest customers are asking for AND what their biggest competitors are offering.

[Ed Rooney]

I think Brian is right. It might have to do with the subject(s).

 

The record of my sales proves nothing. I've only had a few RF sales but two were for higher fees that any other sales. The other 2 or 3 were for very little. Maybe a few months from now my testing the RF waters will prove something. Or not. Making an image RF and clicking the Editorial Only box does feel strange. 

[John Mitchell]

 Making an image RF and clicking the Editorial Only box does feel strange. 

 

But you wouldn't have to do this with most food shots, would you? Releases aren't usually needed for a plate of pasta.

[Ed Rooney]

No, John, not with food. Not with many other subjects either, so far I may have done it with one pic, and I don't recall which. Most of what subjects I shoot will remain RM. I'm just trying to get my head around this and the other changed Alamy has made. 

[BobPhoto]

Not that many sales here, but I have just checked and 31% of my sales value have been made by 2 recent RF sales (out of a total of 35). These 2 RF were also my 2 highest sales, with only one RM above 100 usd. I have roughly 50/50 RF and RM photos in my port.