Selling your Pix's

[big pix]

Has anyone tried this site.......

http://www.totallyphotos.com/photograph ... ation1.php

......or do you use another......

[Suri]

Would be interested if anyone has used one of these databanks for stock photography.??

[Jonas]

I've not used anything like this. But it looks appealing because you can upload images at no cost with the chance to make money from them.

However, the prices charged are quite low, they take a 50% cut from that and they don't pay out until you get above $100 in the account. With so many images on the database, I would assume unless you had some spectacular photos it might be unlikely the average punter would reach above $100 and therefore ever receive any money.

Still, it doesn't cost anything so why not give it a go?

[Raskill]

Still, it doesn't cost anything so why not give it a go?

For the very reason you said Jonas.

The average punter will get nothing out of this set up, and the company gets funds from your images.

Making money from your images is one thing, I've sold a few, and done some commisioned stuff, but these stock photo mobs expect good quality images and you get peanuts in return (but only after you have one hundred peanuts dont forget).

I'd rather find a cafe or resturaunt to hang my images in and give the owner 25% of my sales than do this.

But thats just my two bob....

[Dug]

alamy.com is still working for me

Good service and good sales. Top sale so far is over $1,000 for a single image. I'm averaging between 1 & 2 K per month.

No upfront costs and a fair price for photos.

[macka]

alamy.com is still working for me
I'm averaging between 1 & 2 K per month.

Dug,

I looked into old threads about this recently, and read some posts by you from some time ago. Definately seems as though this is working out well for you, and congrats.

Just so that people don't get the wrong impression - I understand that you have some 10 000 (probably more by now) images up there, and spend significant amounts of time keywording your images. Also, I believe alamy requires you to send your stuff on a CD, so it is not quite as convenient/easy as some of the others. Definately one of the better paying ones though.

Pat and I are currently looking into http://photographersdirect.com/, but haven't started with any stock site as yet. Just another one for people to check out if they are interested.

[NikonUser]

Dug,

Out of interest is there an address where I can see your alamy submissions? I've been thinking about doing this for some of my images.

Paul

[nito]

Thanks for the links. I often wondered about selling you photo's as stocks.

[Alex]

Alamy requires file sizes 48 MB minimum (in 8 bit per channel format). My jpg files from D70 are normally 2-3 MB. Does it mean I would have to upsample my files to a size which would correspond to such file size?

Thanks
Alex

[radar]

Dug,

Out of interest is there an address where I can see your alamy submissions? I've been thinking about doing this for some of my images.

Paul

Dug has a link on his web site that points to his Alamy photos:

Stock photography by Doug Steley at Alamy

Cheers,

André

[rooboy]

Alamy requires file sizes 48 MB minimum (in 8 bit per channel format). My jpg files from D70 are normally 2-3 MB. Does it mean I would have to upsample my files to a size which would correspond to such file size?

Thanks
Alex

The 48Mb file size is for Tiffs. A normal D70 file is 17Mb in tiff form, so yes, you will need to upscale. I'd imagine that it's not too easy if you shoot Jpeg, as the quality differences would be more apparent when upsizing.

[Alex]

Alamy requires file sizes 48 MB minimum (in 8 bit per channel format). My jpg files from D70 are normally 2-3 MB. Does it mean I would have to upsample my files to a size which would correspond to such file size?

Thanks
Alex

The 48Mb file size is for Tiffs. A normal D70 file is 17Mb in tiff form, so yes, you will need to upscale. I'd imagine that it's not too easy if you shoot Jpeg, as the quality differences would be more apparent when upsizing.

Thanks, Rooboy. I shoot RAW, so I can always save them as 8-bit tiffs and then upsize. I must say that having to send a CD is a pain this day and age.

Alex

[Dug]

I shoot Raw on D70s and then upsize. I post batches of DVDs usually 85 images per DVD.

Uploading such large files over the net would take a while i would think.

I have no problem posting batches of DVDs every few weeks It is the keywording process that kills me

That is what I am supposed to be doing now I have keyworded 46 photos so far tonight and only have another 1132 to go

[Dug]

alamy.com is still working for me
I'm averaging between 1 & 2 K per month.

Dug,

I looked into old threads about this recently, and read some posts by you from some time ago. Definately seems as though this is working out well for you, and congrats.

Just so that people don't get the wrong impression - I understand that you have some 10 000 (probably more by now) images up there, and spend significant amounts of time keywording your images. Also, I believe alamy requires you to send your stuff on a CD, so it is not quite as convenient/easy as some of the others. Definately one of the better paying ones though.

Pat and I are currently looking into http://photographersdirect.com/, but haven't started with any stock site as yet. Just another one for people to check out if they are interested.

True I have invested a LOT of time into this but I find it is paying off in a good income stream and interesting tax advantages

I have time and I love taking photos as I have said before if I stop doing this the income continues while Alamy is operating. I also think it is good
to support a company who sell images for a fair price I think the cheap image libraries are undercutting the market so I will not submit to them.

All I can say is it works for me, I have no problem in talking about it because in the market at the moment you get big or get out.

I want alamy to get big to protect my investment of time and photos. PS I have 12,300 images for sale as of tonight!

[big pix]

I have no problem posting batches of DVDs every few weeks It is the keywording process that kills me

.... could this be done using Adobe bridge .......... bridge batch process

[Dug]

I have no problem posting batches of DVDs every few weeks It is the keywording process that kills me

.... could this be done using Adobe bridge ..........

You still have to come up with about 50 words to describe every image.

I have keyworded 12,300 images so far, that is about 6 million words to describe the photos

Keywording is as important as the photo as a good photo with poor keywording will not be seen by buyers.

If you look up a single word like "water" you get 500,000 image options
"water glass" gets 13,000 options, "water glass drinking" gets 4,000,
"Water glass drinking pure" get 400 options,

If you were looking for an image of pure drinking water it would be easier to sort through 400 photos than 500,000. So you have to have lots of keyword options.