Ron
I would agree that stock is no longer a money making venture. And like anything else there are exceptions to this statement, but in general selling stock images is not a career move. I also don't think we will be able to put the genie back in the bottle. Stock sites are all about volume and not about the photographer.
If you can develop a niche in fine art you can start to set your own prices and avoid stock sites altogether. Or if you can develop a reputation in; landscapes, portrait, wedding, product, food …, then you can attract clients interested in your style rather than price.
This thread seems to be taking a tangent away from the topic of "Selling Stock". In that context I would be interested if and how someone can still develop a name and reputation in that space.
Is it better to tag images as RF or RM?
What's in demand/hot right now in stock?
Can you and should limit fine art prints in the contract?
Are there seasonal trends/holidays that payoff more?
From: ronald <reimerron@centurytel.net>
To: selling_stock_photography@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, January 16, 2012 6:38 AM
Subject: Selling Stock Photography Re: The VALUE of images? Warning: Philosophical Rant
To: selling_stock_photography@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, January 16, 2012 6:38 AM
Subject: Selling Stock Photography Re: The VALUE of images? Warning: Philosophical Rant
Brian,
>
> It may be a myth, but the free market is the myth that most of the world lives by. Even if you
> yourself reject it, it's worth understanding so you can fathom how others act.
So how do we figure out a way to get adequately compensated for our work by continuing to operate under a misperception? I not only reject the myth, I defy it by charging what I need to make a living. I operate in a market, not of the lowest price, but in the market of the highest quality, the best service, and, most importantly, as much as possible in the market of right livelihood. In other words I try to sell people things which they need, not things that purely generate income. If money's all I wanted, I'd sell drugs.
>
> As for "well-rewarded henchmen," I fear that this is jargon that represents some person or
> company that I know, but don't feel the same way about. I think that you want me to hate
> somebody, but you don't tell me who or why. Labels are no substitute for explination here.
I am sorry you have the impression that I want you or anybody to hate anyone, though I may suggest that certain ideas be treated with contempt. Those who exploit others through "the market" are to be just as pitied as those who are exploited; they need re-education, not hate. The "henchmen" are those who use technological advance to shut other workers and entrepreneurs out of the economy, and take over their share of the pie, in the again mythical name of progress. They use increasing their profits as an excuse to overlook the consequences of their greed. Hencemen include corporations like Corbis and Getty and also those who operate micro stock agencies.
>
> Wow...this is a whole ideology. I thought that Rolf and I (and the original poster) were talking
> about marketing photography. I'm going to stay away from these sorts of topics and leave
> them to the idealists of the world.
Perhaps more people should leave economic and social policy decisions to philosophers and artists. They are the only people who are thinking outside of the box. Instead, people try to find solutions for their problems in the realm of technological advances (high-tech, computer-based stock marketing schemes), when it is exactly that technological advance that put them in these problematic situations in the first place. But truthfully, I would rather see all of us include more philosophical and ethical considerations in our discussions, which is why I raised this point in this forum, where most of you probably think it doesn't belong.
>
> Actually, I'm glad to see at least one idealist out there. I just feel left out when there's tons of
> emotion, but no clarification.
I could go on for hours, but wasn't sure I wanted to hijack your thread with a windy opinion that probably wouldn't receive a lot of sympathy here. Let me know if you would like more clarification.
>
> BTW...are you the Ron from Beach Corners, Wisconsin? Just curious to see your work.
I didn't realize my fame had spread so far. :) Yes, I have pretty much given up on newspaper work, weddings, and editorial photography (pretty much because I'm not going where technology and the market are taking them) to focus on a small rural art gallery in Beach Corners, in Western Wisconsin. I market my fine art photography and try to educate rural people on the importance of art in life. I am content to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond.
Sorry the Gallery web site (www.beachcornerart.com) doesn't feature a very strong sampling of my work. I am not much at web design and I have a lot of other irons in the fire, including operating a small, organic dairy-beef farm, where I also set my own prices based on need, not on commodity prices. I also play and repair accordions, also setting my own prices.
I also have a very incomplete and poorly edited posting of my photos from a recent trip to France and Spain on Flickr, which I hope to finish this winter, if you really want to check me out. I'm reimerron.
I continue to follow this site, because I have always wanted to sell stock, but the longer I wait to jump in, the colder the water gets. I always saw stock photography as a retirement thing, to boost my scant social security checks. But the world needs more travel photographers like it needs more nature photographers, which I also pretty much gave up on. I still dream about doing travel writing, though. It just seems a shame to have all these images and nothing to do with all but the few I decide to print and mat. It just seems like too much work to complete against micro-stock.
Ron Reimer
>
> It may be a myth, but the free market is the myth that most of the world lives by. Even if you
> yourself reject it, it's worth understanding so you can fathom how others act.
So how do we figure out a way to get adequately compensated for our work by continuing to operate under a misperception? I not only reject the myth, I defy it by charging what I need to make a living. I operate in a market, not of the lowest price, but in the market of the highest quality, the best service, and, most importantly, as much as possible in the market of right livelihood. In other words I try to sell people things which they need, not things that purely generate income. If money's all I wanted, I'd sell drugs.
>
> As for "well-rewarded henchmen," I fear that this is jargon that represents some person or
> company that I know, but don't feel the same way about. I think that you want me to hate
> somebody, but you don't tell me who or why. Labels are no substitute for explination here.
I am sorry you have the impression that I want you or anybody to hate anyone, though I may suggest that certain ideas be treated with contempt. Those who exploit others through "the market" are to be just as pitied as those who are exploited; they need re-education, not hate. The "henchmen" are those who use technological advance to shut other workers and entrepreneurs out of the economy, and take over their share of the pie, in the again mythical name of progress. They use increasing their profits as an excuse to overlook the consequences of their greed. Hencemen include corporations like Corbis and Getty and also those who operate micro stock agencies.
>
> Wow...this is a whole ideology. I thought that Rolf and I (and the original poster) were talking
> about marketing photography. I'm going to stay away from these sorts of topics and leave
> them to the idealists of the world.
Perhaps more people should leave economic and social policy decisions to philosophers and artists. They are the only people who are thinking outside of the box. Instead, people try to find solutions for their problems in the realm of technological advances (high-tech, computer-based stock marketing schemes), when it is exactly that technological advance that put them in these problematic situations in the first place. But truthfully, I would rather see all of us include more philosophical and ethical considerations in our discussions, which is why I raised this point in this forum, where most of you probably think it doesn't belong.
>
> Actually, I'm glad to see at least one idealist out there. I just feel left out when there's tons of
> emotion, but no clarification.
I could go on for hours, but wasn't sure I wanted to hijack your thread with a windy opinion that probably wouldn't receive a lot of sympathy here. Let me know if you would like more clarification.
>
> BTW...are you the Ron from Beach Corners, Wisconsin? Just curious to see your work.
I didn't realize my fame had spread so far. :) Yes, I have pretty much given up on newspaper work, weddings, and editorial photography (pretty much because I'm not going where technology and the market are taking them) to focus on a small rural art gallery in Beach Corners, in Western Wisconsin. I market my fine art photography and try to educate rural people on the importance of art in life. I am content to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond.
Sorry the Gallery web site (www.beachcornerart.com) doesn't feature a very strong sampling of my work. I am not much at web design and I have a lot of other irons in the fire, including operating a small, organic dairy-beef farm, where I also set my own prices based on need, not on commodity prices. I also play and repair accordions, also setting my own prices.
I also have a very incomplete and poorly edited posting of my photos from a recent trip to France and Spain on Flickr, which I hope to finish this winter, if you really want to check me out. I'm reimerron.
I continue to follow this site, because I have always wanted to sell stock, but the longer I wait to jump in, the colder the water gets. I always saw stock photography as a retirement thing, to boost my scant social security checks. But the world needs more travel photographers like it needs more nature photographers, which I also pretty much gave up on. I still dream about doing travel writing, though. It just seems a shame to have all these images and nothing to do with all but the few I decide to print and mat. It just seems like too much work to complete against micro-stock.
Ron Reimer
__._,_.___
MARKETPLACE
.
__,_._,___
0 comments:
Post a Comment