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Author Topic: very low sales - opinions of experienced photographers  (Read 25181 times)

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Tuilay

« Reply #75 on: January 22, 2009, 21:24 »
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Now it appears I've taken the Mr Nasty mantle away from Sean, sorry Sean.

I thought I was Mr. Grumpy.

 ;D it's 2009 , everybody needs a chg of scenery , Sean included  ;)

spoke too soon tan510jomast, i guess he doesn't like the change of scenery  ;D


tan510jomast

« Reply #76 on: January 22, 2009, 21:43 »
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well said Elena. you can tell show them all you want, or not, the one with the talent will find it out for themselves eventually anyway. and if you consider them a threat as a newbie, they will be a bigger threat to you once they gain the experience.  helping them will have them remember you as a helpful network, so you will have them as a peer rather than a rival. they will remember what you did for them as a newbie.

Just curious how this matters about anything.  "Remember what you did for them as a newbie"...  I've answered a lot of questions about various things to people's emails, and aside from getting the occasional "thanks", I'm not sure if any of them remember what I passed along, or how it is supposed to affect me now, aside from them competing with me.

So, what is their good memory supposed to do for me someday? 

But you just said "aside from getting the occasional thanks" SJL. You did get some who recognized the help they got.  It's human nature not to get 100% back. Not even JC ( as in  the man of the bible).(NOTE I couldn't type in his name, it got edited out so using JC) , JC did not get 100% He got 1/12.
 He healed 12 lepers and only one came to thank him and he asked "I healed 12, why did only 1 come to thank me?"
So your percentage is still better than JC   ;D ;D ;D

I have the same experience too, I am a teacher and after so many years, I only have 3 students who are still writing to me . But that is not enough to stop me teaching. Is it?
« Last Edit: January 22, 2009, 21:55 by tan510jomast »

« Reply #77 on: January 22, 2009, 22:01 »
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Not even JC ( as in  the man of the bible).(NOTE I couldn't type in his name, it got edited out so using JC) , JC did not get 100% He got 1/12.
 He healed 12 lepers and only one came to thank him and he asked "I healed 12, why did only 1 come to thank me?"
So your percentage is still better than JC   ;D ;D ;D

Who is this JC character and how long has he been doing microstock?

« Reply #78 on: January 22, 2009, 22:19 »
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 ;D

tan510jomast

« Reply #79 on: January 22, 2009, 22:40 »
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Not even JC ( as in  the man of the bible).(NOTE I couldn't type in his name, it got edited out so using JC) , JC did not get 100% He got 1/12.
 He healed 12 lepers and only one came to thank him and he asked "I healed 12, why did only 1 come to thank me?"
So your percentage is still better than JC   ;D ;D ;D

Who is this JC character and how long has he been doing microstock?

 ;D ;D gostwyck he didn't stay long, he didn't like the subs.  ;D ;D

helix7

« Reply #80 on: January 22, 2009, 22:46 »
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... now I bought back all my stuff and made myself one promise.  Only shoot images you want to shoot because you like them and not because they would sell.  Now I'm much more orientated towards art.  I shoot mainly images of my kids and do projects I wanted to do.  I'm much more proud of the images I make now then those I made in my last micro year.  But yes, they will probably sell less...

I can respect that. And I think in taking this new approach to just create the images you want to create for the sheer gratification of creating images you like, you just might create a niche for yourself that will sell. If everyone is scrambling to create a certain type of stock image because it seems to be what is popular, you might be better served to go in a completely different direction. Serve a different buyer, but dominate that niche by creating images that are genuinely crafted with a passion for the artform.

I definitely see some of that burnout in creating images that I think will sell. Lately I've gotten a little more artistic in my work, and it's much more gratifying. And it doesn't sell any worse than what I was doing before, so I'm earning well and am happier with the art I'm making.

And of course the competition is far more fierce when you only deal in images that are common or popular at the moment. For example, I do pretty well with some sets of green environmental icons, but they are also one of the most popular themes in microstock right now, and new sets of similar icons pop up on the sites every day. That segment of the vector market is becoming over-saturated, and my sales with those images will no doubt plummet eventually. Niche images can have a longer shelf life since they aren't so common and reproducible.


PaulieWalnuts

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« Reply #81 on: January 22, 2009, 23:27 »
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LOL!  Love that one! 

Although of course I didn't take it, here's the Worst Toilet in Scotland (from one of my favorite movies of all time):




Haaaa. One of my favorite movies too. A classic. Well, classic in a deranged sort of way.

PaulieWalnuts

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« Reply #82 on: January 22, 2009, 23:29 »
0
well said Elena. you can tell show them all you want, or not, the one with the talent will find it out for themselves eventually anyway. and if you consider them a threat as a newbie, they will be a bigger threat to you once they gain the experience.  helping them will have them remember you as a helpful network, so you will have them as a peer rather than a rival. they will remember what you did for them as a newbie.

Just curious how this matters about anything.  "Remember what you did for them as a newbie"...  I've answered a lot of questions about various things to people's emails, and aside from getting the occasional "thanks", I'm not sure if any of them remember what I passed along, or how it is supposed to affect me now, aside from them competing with me.

So, what is their good memory supposed to do for me someday? 

They'll remember you're that guy Sean who had the great portfolio for copying.  ;)

« Reply #83 on: January 23, 2009, 02:45 »
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i watched it and in general enjoyed it but the toilet scene actually made me throw up.  I'm not usually that squeamish but felt a bit off colour that day.


One of my all-time faves too.  I took it to a friend's recently and they were both utterly revolted and wouldn't watch it past the first 15 minutes.  Me-artist.  Them-normal.

Unbelievable!  You definitely need different friends.  Trainspotting is brilliant! :D
« Last Edit: January 23, 2009, 02:47 by fotografer »

« Reply #84 on: January 23, 2009, 05:16 »
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Quote
I can respect that. And I think in taking this new approach to just create the images you want to create for the sheer gratification of creating images you like, you just might create a niche for yourself that will sell. If everyone is scrambling to create a certain type of stock image because it seems to be what is popular, you might be better served to go in a completely different direction. Serve a different buyer, but dominate that niche by creating images that are genuinely crafted with a passion for the artform.

at least someone who read between the lines  ;)

« Reply #85 on: January 23, 2009, 05:29 »
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Just curious how this matters about anything.  "Remember what you did for them as a newbie"...  I've answered a lot of questions about various things to people's emails, and aside from getting the occasional "thanks", I'm not sure if any of them remember what I passed along, or how it is supposed to affect me now, aside from them competing with me.

So, what is their good memory supposed to do for me someday? 

It is more about what do YOU think of yourself: I'm now old (I didn't say wise) enough to consider that the most important is not what other think about yourself, but how YOU feel about yourself.

I prefer not to have to consider myself as an a**hole as Elena said  ;D

I agree with Elena.
« Last Edit: January 23, 2009, 05:32 by araminta »

hali

« Reply #86 on: January 23, 2009, 09:56 »
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Just curious how this matters about anything.  "Remember what you did for them as a newbie"...  I've answered a lot of questions about various things to people's emails, and aside from getting the occasional "thanks", I'm not sure if any of them remember what I passed along, or how it is supposed to affect me now, aside from them competing with me.

So, what is their good memory supposed to do for me someday? 

It is more about what do YOU think of yourself: I'm now old (I didn't say wise) enough to consider that the most important is not what other think about yourself, but how YOU feel about yourself.

I prefer not to have to consider myself as an a**hole as Elena said  ;D

I agree with Elena.

We need both a heart and a**hole to survive. Imagine what will happen if we don't have an a**hole.
So really, it's a question of balance. There is a place for both "good hearted" and "a**holes".
 ;D(Filosofia Hali) ;D

Tuilay

« Reply #87 on: January 23, 2009, 10:03 »
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We need both a heart and a**hole to survive. Imagine what will happen if we don't have an a**hole.
So really, it's a question of balance. There is a place for both "good hearted" and "a**holes".
 ;D(Filosofia Hali) ;D

goodness gracious, we are in the midst of persona. first we have the nigerians, then JC, and now we have Socrates. all bow to such esteem visitors  ;)

hali

« Reply #88 on: January 23, 2009, 10:08 »
0
We need both a heart and a**hole to survive. Imagine what will happen if we don't have an a**hole.
So really, it's a question of balance. There is a place for both "good hearted" and "a**holes".
 ;D(Filosofia Hali) ;D
goodness gracious, we are in the midst of persona. first we have the nigerians, then JC, and now we have Socrates. all bow to such esteem visitors  ;)

  cynic Tuilay lmaoftf

« Reply #89 on: January 23, 2009, 11:23 »
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I want to thank everbody who have posted helpful hints for newcomers. They have been most helpful to me. THANK YOU! As for being competition -unless "yu-all" fly airplanes and take photos from them - I am no competition to anybody.
Smiling Jack

tan510jomast

« Reply #90 on: January 23, 2009, 11:33 »
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Well spoken SJack. I am yet to make it to Year 1, and my portfolio is too small to be a threat to anyone  ;D     
But I enjoy the open communication of the forum here (hmm, redundant phrase..open communication/forum). Good or bad, it's a viewpoint from everyone, and it's healthy to voice your opinion, regardless of the reaction you get. We respect each other's view and well, you can choose who you want to be friends with. It's a free world. Just let's enjoy the forum more in 2009. Not take ourselves too seriously. The world does not start and end with microstock, or any thing , for all its worth.
Cheers

avava

« Reply #91 on: January 23, 2009, 13:35 »
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Hi All,

 If you are not here to share and learn information with one another than I don't think you are really utilizing the " forum " part of it. Helping others does not always have to do with bragging for some it has to do with feeling helpful and paying back the gift others shared with you. It is our nature to nurture as well as kill one another, strange animal the human. It is our ability to make a choice that makes us special and for me the choice of helping offers the greatest rewards. Just my two cents.

Best,
AVAVA


RT


« Reply #92 on: January 23, 2009, 16:40 »
0
I want to thank everbody who have posted helpful hints for newcomers. They have been most helpful to me. THANK YOU! As for being competition -unless "yu-all" fly airplanes and take photos from them - I am no competition to anybody.
Smiling Jack

There's a stock agency in the UK that specialises in shots from flying taxis, if you haven't already you should take a look, I believe they're quite successful, if you have trouble finding them PM me and I'll look it up.

As a sidenote, shouldn't you be concentrating on flying the thing instead of taking photos.

« Reply #93 on: January 23, 2009, 18:06 »
0
Reply to RT
1. I always visually clear the area before shooting photos.
2. In high traffic areas I always have an observer.
3. The aircraft I use is very stable and slow.After owning and flying this plane for 60yrs(1949-2009)-I just whisper to it and it goes where i tell it.
P.S.-Thanks for the suggestion of the company  in the UK that specialised in airtaxi photos.But unfortunately I haven't taken any aerial photos in the UK.4 continents but
not the UK Thanks just the same.
Smiling Jack

RT


« Reply #94 on: January 23, 2009, 19:05 »
0
P.S.-Thanks for the suggestion of the company  in the UK that specialised in airtaxi photos.But unfortunately I haven't taken any aerial photos in the UK.4 continents but
not the UK Thanks just the same.
Smiling Jack


I think they're international, here you go : http://www.aviation-images.com/home.php



 

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