Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/26

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Subject: Re: [Leica] What's a photographer worth?
From: Greg Locke <locke@straylight.ca>
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2000 14:12:32 -02-30
References: <4.2.0.58.20001025155355.00a3f9d0@pop1.nf.sympatico.ca>

At 09:09 26-10-00 -0400, you wrote:
>Excellent response!!!!
>Wilber
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Greg Locke" <locke@straylight.ca>
>To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
>
> > >What would be your reaction to such a
> > >solicitation?
> >
> > "HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAA !!!!!!!!!  ...good-bye."

On a more serious note....

A stock photo library is a photographers retirement fund.
After 20 years as working pro, this past year I actually made more money 
with my stock file then with actual assignments.

Oil exploration photos paid my mortgage last winter and I still sell 
pictures 10-15 year old photo from the Berlin Wall, The Pope, Mother 
Teresa, Mickey Mouse, environmental issues and Canadian cities and 
historical sites.

The "Rule of Thumb" (yes, I know the origin of the term) I use to hear in 
the stock business is that you should make $1 dollar for every image in 
your collection per year.  ...that is more like $2 per image these days

Example... if you have 20,000 images in your file you should make 
$20,000.00 in stock sales per year.

This, of course, varies with the nature of the images, exclusivity, quality 
and proper marketing of the collection (I have one group of 6 photos that 
make that much a year) but it is the "average" formulae we use and if I 
remove a few exclusive and success images from this equation it works for me.

....just a little insight into the true value of a stock library and the 
importance of keeping the rights to your images.


Greg Locke                         St. John's, Newfoundland
locke@straylight.ca              http://www.straylight.ca/locke
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Touched By Fire: doctors without borders in a third world crisis.
http://www.straylight.ca/touchedbyfire.htm
ISBN#0-7710-5305-3 McClelland & Stewart

In reply to: Message from Greg Locke <locke@straylight.ca> (Re: [Leica] What's a photographer worth?)