Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2015/03/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I'm still making a living with stock photography by photographing editorial subjects that others do not have, do not want to travel to get, don't think of posting, or can't get (especially with model releases). My average income per sale has dropped by about half since I started in the 1980's but I'm also selling more than twice as much through world-wide internet connections that were not possible before the digital age. My hope for the future is that we will be able to do away with agencies and get 100% of our sales through our own websites thanks to effective keywords and SEOs. That's on my agenda for this year. Tina On Sun, Mar 1, 2015 at 10:44 AM, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com> wrote: > Ted, > I am sorry, but that seems to be the marketplace today, however illogical > or awful it may sound to you. To my mind, it was inevitable, with the great > democratization of photographic matter that digital has wrought. By the > way, I have no idea of how stock sales work in detail, so I am just picking > up clues from the messages, and applying them to what has happened in > professional photography, and management culture, in general. Similar > income compression has been happening in a variety of professions, as the > hunt for the lowest cost has taken over as a prime management paradigm. > Eventually, in all these areas, the end customer benefits greatly through > lower prices. Other than weddings, medical, fashion and industrial > photography (there may be other niches, too, that I do not know about), I > cannot see any other niches where a photographer can make a decent living > today.... > > Cheers > Jayanand > > On Sat, Feb 28, 2015 at 11:31 PM, Ted Grant <tedgrant at shaw.ca> wrote: > > > Jayanand Govindaraj ASKED: > > Subject: Re: [Leica] Getty Images > > > > >>> Are Getty going bankrupt then, if they are ripping every client off? > > That must be the broader market today. <<<<<<<<< > > > > Hi Jayanand, > > Well I don't think so. But they are "great money/cost players" and sell > or > > give away images because they accept the photography from any person > > sending > > them something they consider they will eventually sell for whatever the > > buyer will/can/can't pay? They figure "Well if we give them this one for > > free? The next time they want something we can put the hook into them > > big-time and make-up for the "freebie!" > > > > However they pay the photog-submitter .25cents and because this submitter > > isn't depending on stock sales for a living they accept any amount simply > > because they think, maybe not all? But think they've been recognized as a > > "Professional photographer due to the sale." > > > > And that's how GETTY can keep going . Low prices they charge and "HOW > CHEAP > > THEIR SO CALLED ROYALTIES PAID TO THE PHOTO-submitter is!" > > > > It's a modern day fashion of life simply making and taking images....... > > "PLEASE NOTE I DID NOT SAY BEING A PHOTOGRAPHER" The technical advances > of > > recording scenes and things has become so simplified any person with any > > kind of "IMAGE CAPTURE MACHINE?" Will/can and do some very interesting > > images. > > > > However they don't understand that when they accept next to nothing in a > > sale .25 cents or a couple of dollars they're taking food off the tables > of > > real photographers depending on their livelihood for food and family! > > > > Cheers > > Dr. ted > > > > Sent from my iPad > > > > > On 28-Feb-2015, at 21:25, Tina Manley <tmanley at gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > It's greed on Getty's part. They take 80 percent and give > photographers > > > 20. Alamy is doing fine with a 50/50 split and considerably higher > fees > > > for usage. Not as high as they used to be but at least Alamy is not > > giving > > > away photos for free! Getty and the micro-stock agencies have devalued > > all > > > stock photography. When I started in the stock photography, Rohn Engh > > used > > > to say, "Would you rather sell one perfect apple for $100 or 10 > > good-enough > > > apples for $10 each?" I've always held out for the higher prices and > > > haven't regretted it. > > > > > > Tina > > > > > > On Sat, Feb 28, 2015 at 10:46 AM, Jayanand Govindaraj < > > jayanand at gmail.com> > > > wrote: > > > > > >> My guess is the market has changed, but photographers' mindsets have > > not, > > >> pure and simple....Getty is probably just trying to adapt to fast > > changing > > >> market conditions, that is all. They cannot survive as a business > > >> otherwise. Neither can professional photographers survive without > > adapting > > >> to the reality of the markets, and only those who realise this will > > >> prosper. Change is the only constant. Photographers who crib about > this > > >> would do well to reflect on the history of Kodak... > > >> Cheers > > >> Jayanand > > >> > > >> Sent from my iPad > > >> > > >>> On 28-Feb-2015, at 15:10, Charlie Chan <topoxforddoc at > > >>> btinternet.com> > > >> wrote: > > >>> > > >>> Hurrah! The business model just sucks and photographers have been > taken > > >> advantage of and devalued. Maybe there will be a readjustment, but I > > doubt > > >> it. > > >>> > > >>> Charlie > > >>> > > >>> www.charlie-chan.co.uk > > >>> > > >>> > > >>>> On 28 Feb 2015, at 06:50, Ted Grant <tedgrant at shaw.ca> wrote: > > >>>> > > >>>> There is only a few words to describe GETTY IMAGES as a picture > > agency! > > >>>> > > >>>> UNFORTUNATELY I WOULD BE IN VERY DEEP TROUBLE WITH THE "SALOON > > KEEPER!" > > >>>> Brian Reid! > > >>>> > > >>>> This organization is the destruction of photography quality and an > > >>>> uncountable number of independent photographers and a huge number of > > >> smaller > > >>>> stock agencies! > > >>>> > > >>>> One can only wish they die in the fires of HELL! > > >>>> CHEERS > > >>>> Dr. ted :-( > > >>>> > > >>>> -----Original Message----- > > >>>> From: LUG [mailto:lug-bounces+tedgrant=shaw.ca at leica-users.org] > > >>>> On > > >> Behalf Of > > >>>> Ken Carney > > >>>> Sent: February-27-15 5:19 PM > > >>>> To: Leica Users Group > > >>>> Subject: [Leica] Getty Images > > >>>> > > >>>> I haven't tried stock photography, but I did wonder why the images > > were > > >>>> so cheap. > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >> > > > > > http://photobusinessforum.blogspot.com/2015/02/getty-images-downward-spiral- > > >>>> approaches.html > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >>>> _______________________________________________ > > >>>> Leica Users Group. > > >>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more > information > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >>>> --- > > >>>> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > > >>>> http://www.avast.com > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >>>> _______________________________________________ > > >>>> 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.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 > > > > > > --- > > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > > http://www.avast.com > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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.alamy.com/stock-photography/3B49552F-90A0-4D0A-A11D-2175C937AA91/Tina+Manley.html