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Help! Sold first image quickly and since then barely any zooms


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Hi everyone. I am relatively new here. I joined around April this year. After a few weeks I had my first sale for a total of $134, and since then nothing. I have also noticed that the amount of zooms I am getting is very low. This month so far 0! 

 

For you more experienced contributors, what am I doing wrong? It may also be nothing, but I would really appreciate some advice.

 

http://www.alamy.com/stock-photography/C2D9A136-7CF6-4E3E-916A-A8BFE487D575/Stephen%20Allen.html

 

Thanks for your help, I think I need all I can get ;)

 

Steve

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Hi Stephen, great that you got a sale so soon, a boost to the ego no doubt. I and others waited a long time for our first sale and that was with a lot more images on Alamy than you have at the moment.

 

Don't worry, keep uploading and the sales will come.

 

Looked at your images and they ae good no problem there except maybe too many similars which cuts down your actual total image count.

 

Allan

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Hi Steve, Don't get too hung up on zooms, zooms only show up if the searcher is a client of Alamy, i.e. has an account with them. The vast majority of the sales I have had here have 'come out of the blue'! Good you sold one so quickly, but, as Allan says, keep uploading, match your keywords accurately to what the picture show and be patient.

(like I was when I joined Alamy - NOT!!!).

nj

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.. too many similars ..

 

Agreed - and perhaps not enough of others - eg. just one of the pyramids?

 

So keep 'em coming with more like this: 

 

D7TEGA.jpg

 

But also, Alamy has said in the past that contributors should perhaps play the buyer's role when editing, to help one decide if this is what buyers want - and I'm thinking of these as examples:

 

 

D8N2Y9.jpg

 

 

D5H90F.jpg

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Sales will come. You only have a very small collection, and a only very limited number of subjects (after knocking off similars). Keep shooting; making money on Alamy is a long-term commitment.

 

Dave

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There look nice but a lot of your images are underexposed. For instance D5E9W1 is nowhere near the white point that Alamy require. Also your cut-outs would look much better with a white background.

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You have to ask yourself two questions when looking at each picture:

  1. Why would a client buy this picture? To illustrate what?
  2. Is my picture quality wise (good exposure, right moment, adequate depth of field, etc.) among the best of what the competition has to offer?

If you can't name 3 possible uses within 30 seconds for the first question and you have to answer "No" to the second, well ................... :huh:

In fact, you have to ask these questions before triggering the shutter.

 

Cheers,

Philippe

 

+1 I use number one when taking and editing photos now. Walking along and see water flowing down a man made water way that splits into two..... aqueduct.... hummm, irrigation, farming, water supply to remote areas, supplying water to drought areas and so on and so on. It makes it far easier to keyword if you already know who the potential customers maybe.

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Hi everyone. Thanks for all of your help and advice. I agree, I had trouble with white backgrounds at the start. I am working on that point and think I have it down pat now. 

 

I guess the most difficult part to learn is what a customer wants to buy. Time will tell. I will keep uploading and cross my fingers ;)

 

Cheers!

 

Steve

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Hi everyone. I am relatively new here. I joined around April this year. After a few weeks I had my first sale for a total of $134, and since then nothing. I have also noticed that the amount of zooms I am getting is very low. This month so far 0! 

 

For you more experienced contributors, what am I doing wrong? It may also be nothing, but I would really appreciate some advice.

 

http://www.alamy.com/stock-photography/C2D9A136-7CF6-4E3E-916A-A8BFE487D575/Stephen%20Allen.html

 

Thanks for your help, I think I need all I can get ;)

 

Steve

 

Steve, I fear most new contributors to Alamy and other macro agencies greatly underestimate how slow the system moves and so how much patience they must exercise. Do keep submitting and study what others are doing with key wording and subject selection. 

 

Best of luck,

 

Edo

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Yup, I had a similar start with Alamy, with a few early sales for good money, then nothing for a long while. Perhaps the sales team attempt to encourage newbies by trying a bit harder with their first submissions, I don't know.

 

It has  been stated in the past on the Alamy forums that you need to have around 3000 decent images uploaded before you start to make regular monthly sales, and that has been my experience. I have as yet to see regular monthly payouts, however  :mellow:

 

Some people do much better with far fewer images, perhaps they are just very good at this business, or maybe they target a specific market or have access to subject matter denied to others.

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.. too many similars ..

 

Agreed - and perhaps not enough of others - eg. just one of the pyramids?

 

So keep 'em coming with more like this: 

 

D7TEGA.jpg

 

But also, Alamy has said in the past that contributors should perhaps play the buyer's role when editing, to help one decide if this is what buyers want - and I'm thinking of these as examples:

 

 

D8N2Y9.jpg

 

 

D5H90F.jpg

Thanks Richard. Yes I do actually have a lot more from Cairo. Thanks for the reminder. I will upload.

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All good advice. I have come to realize key wording is an art-form in itself. One which I haven't yet mastered, except one that I have to learn ;)

 

True! I already do it for a long time, and still learn new tricks now and then. Not only about adding, but also about eliminating keywords AND words in the caption.

Seems like an ongoing learning process ;) Always nice to see better sales after making major alterations.

 

Cheers,

Philippe

Does captioning really help?

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All good advice. I have come to realize key wording is an art-form in itself. One which I haven't yet mastered, except one that I have to learn ;)

 

True! I already do it for a long time, and still learn new tricks now and then. Not only about adding, but also about eliminating keywords AND words in the caption.

Seems like an ongoing learning process ;) Always nice to see better sales after making major alterations.

 

Cheers,

Philippe

Nice photos Phillippe! Respect.

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