[Leica] RE Cost of pictures

Wed Sep 5 05:46:24 PDT 2018

I once photographed an Indian wedding in Charlotte that lasted 3 days!!  It
was a lot of fun but I did it for a documentary project and was paid
nothing ;-)

http://www.pbase.com/tinamanley/image/85337753

I have to make enough on my stock photography to pay for my documentary
work which is why I photograph in the first place!

It's worth it, though.  I wouldn't change a thing (except that the Indian
wedding was photographed during the one year I used Canons instead of
Leicas!!)

Tina

On Tue, Sep 4, 2018 at 10:58 PM, Jayanand Govindaraj via LUG <
lug at leica-users.org> wrote:

> $1500 converted to Indian Rupees is three months average expenses here for
> a comfortable middle class urban life.
>
> Four friends of mine have formed a group who photograph weddings, covering
> both stills and videos. They charge around US$3000 for a week's work as
> Indian weddings go on forever, and are incredibly complex to photograph.
> They are considered high priced.
>
> Just to put things in some perspective....
>
> Cheers
> Jayanand
>
> On Wed, Sep 5, 2018 at 8:17 AM, chris williams via LUG <
> lug at leica-users.org>
> wrote:
>
> > On average I make $1500 per day on a photography job. That’s almost
> always
> > shooting,downloading,editing and delivery of images by end of day. Throw
> in
> > a few direct from camera social media images as well.
> >
> > Last week I sold 5 images through Getty and I made $5.75.
> >
> > Currently I don’t have a “job” until Friday.
> >
> > I only buy Leicas used.
> >
> > Chris Williams
> > www.dcdocumentaryphotographers.com
> > www.zoeicaimages.net
> > 504-231-6261
> >
> >
> > > On Sep 4, 2018, at 6:17 PM, Ted Grant via LUG <lug at leica-users.org>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Tina,
> > > Well all I can say about "money earning photography today?" It
> > absolutely sucks compared to "being an in depend business 20 years ago?
> > Maybe even 10 years ago?
> > > Let me put it in a monetary fashion compared today to the
> > yesteryears....... When I would receive a day rate of $500 per day, plus
> > $250.oo for down days of no shooting. Plus purchase cost of every roll of
> > film shot! Plus all processing and a contact sheet for every roll! Some
> > documentary
> > > month long assignments. Sometimes several months in a row and quite
> > possible 9 or 10 months in a year! Quite often for a variation of
> clients.
> > > Stock material sold through an agency some years would be close to
> > $40,000 a year on a good year. And I didn't really work at stock as my
> time
> > was nearly always assigned work!
> > > LEICA's were a piece of cake to buy. TODAY? NOT ON YOUR LIFE! Why?
> > > Well the number one reason as far as I'm concerned?????
> > > Those telephone cameras that everybody and their mothers own and use
> > them quite often? Quite well for publications.
> > > Their photography is quite well done for the pictures required these
> > days. Plus the "seller?" :-( quite often give their pictures away for
> > merely a "credit line" under the photo. In turn cut publication rates to
> > almost nickels & dimes. OR NOTHING!
> > > Photo books of how to do it being published are almost null & void!
> Why?
> > Because you can learn so much off the TV screen down loading lectures and
> > lessons for almost give away prices.
> > > Even photographer hired positions are far and few between. Do I have an
> > answer to correct this new life style??? NOPE! :-(
> > > I suppose one could be factious and say " Just stay an amateur and have
> > fun!!
> > > cheers. Dr. Ted Grant O.C.
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: LUG [mailto:lug-bounces+tedgrant=shaw.ca at leica-users.org] On
> > Behalf Of Tina Manley via LUG
> > > Sent: September-01-18 7:09 AM
> > > To: Leica Users Group
> > > Cc: Tina Manley; Lawrence Zeitlin
> > > Subject: Re: [Leica] RE Cost of pictures
> > >
> > > That wouldn't work for me!!  I currently have 10,000 images with my
> > largest
> > > stock agency.  I'm lucky if they sell 10 a month!  Prices for stock
> have
> > > gone from an average of $500 per sale to $20 per sale.  If I didn't
> have
> > > digital and had to pay for film, I would never be able to afford my
> > Leicas!!
> > >
> > > Tina
> > >
> > > On Sat, Sep 1, 2018 at 12:20 AM, Lawrence Zeitlin via LUG <
> > > lug at leica-users.org> wrote:
> > >
> > >> As a point of interest, the latest issue of Science magazine, the
> > journal
> > >> of the AAAS, reports on the annual number of photographs taken. “In
> the
> > >> early 1800s, the first ever photograph was taken, an unassuming
> picture
> > >> that required days of exposure to obtain a very grainy image. Over one
> > >> million photos were taken during the US Civil war of which 100,000
> > survive.
> > >> In the late 1800s, photography was used for the first time to see the
> > >> movement of a running horse that was too fast for the human eye. In
> the
> > >> following years photography played a pivotal role in human history,
> > ranging
> > >> from creation of the national parks in the USA all the way to
> > documenting
> > >> NASA’s first moon mission  In the 1900s, roughly 10 billion
> photographs
> > >> were taken per year. Facilitated by the explosion of the internet, we
> > will
> > >> approach 2 trillion images this year - roughly about 1000 images per
> > year
> > >> for every person on the planet.”
> > >>
> > >> As a frequent reviewer of art and photo shows in the TriState area I
> > have
> > >> noticed several results of this plethora of images. First, figurative
> > >> images are almost impossible to sell. Unless directly ordered by the
> > >> recipient (i.e. a portrait or picture at ones children or a prized
> > >> possession) the chance of selling any image approaches zero. Second,
> we
> > >> have run out of wall space to exhibit images. It is virtually
> > impossible to
> > >> book a display space unless reserved far in advance. Modern houses
> have
> > too
> > >> many windows and too little blank wall space.
> > >>
> > >> I can conceive on only one simple fix for too many images. Raise the
> > cost
> > >> to at least one USD per exposure. Use film instead of digital.
> > Currently it
> > >> costs only pennies to take and print a picture. At current rates a
> > year’s
> > >> worth of photos requires only a few dollars of expense. The price of a
> > new
> > >> Leica kit is  thousands of times more expensive. Does anyone have a
> more
> > >> sensible solution?
> > >>
> > >> Larry Z
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> Leica Users Group.
> > >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Tina Manley
> > > www.tinamanley.com
> > > tina-manley.artistwebsites.com
> > > http://www.pbase.com/tinamanley
> > > <http://www.alamy.com/stock-photography/3B49552F-90A0-
> > 4D0A-A11D-2175C937AA91/Tina+Manley.html>
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Leica Users Group.
> > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Leica Users Group.
> > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Leica Users Group.
> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>

-- 
Tina Manley
www.tinamanley.com
tina-manley.artistwebsites.com
http://www.pbase.com/tinamanley
<http://www.alamy.com/stock-photography/3B49552F-90A0-4D0A-A11D-2175C937AA91/Tina+Manley.html>