MicrostockGroup

So ... who here uses Flickr?

Nor me.

What would one use it for?

Okay ... so your family and friends and sometimes complete strangers can see your photos online. But does anyone sell through Flickr, or gain a reputation from having photos on there?

What would one use it for? Are you kidding?

Does anyone sell anything?
You betcha. There are many, many Flickr users who have garnished jobs just because they're on Flickr. One high-profile amateur recently landed a job from Toyota, shooting the newly remodeled Prius. I've landed a few jobs from it (the most lucrative was $1000 for a wedding, where I merely hand over the RAW images to the groom). Flickr users are contacted all the time about selling their shots. My girlfriend makes $100 or so every few months without do anything!

Do you gain a reputation for being there?
You sure do. You will naturally attract good photographers if you upload only your best stuff. None of my family or friends regularly visit my stream, and I get at least 150 visitors to it a day. I let them know that I sell my images and provide a link to SS, which makes the potential for referrals outstanding - there are millions of Flickr users!


Flickr can be a very good marketing tool. If you're not there, then perhaps you should be. It's free, afterall.

Sorry, eendicott, but you don't have it straight at all.

I didn't say that you or anyone else should give away photos on Flickr. I said that Flickr can be used as an effective marketing tool (as you know, the photo biz is all about marketing).

About the $1000 wedding: How could I pass that up? $1000 for taking a thousand shots or so, with no quality control, post-processing, printing, or binding involved? Very easy money, to be sure - I wish all jobs were like this. It's been a few years since I did a wedding - I'm a commercial shooter, not a portrait or wedding shooter - and I'm looking forward to having a blast doing it.

As for the $15k-to-$20k in equipment: Nothing new there - we've all spent at least that much. It's part of the cost of doing business, and complaining about it or even bringing it up is completely irrelevant.

... just got another email from a Flickr contact who today sold 6 photos for $75 each for a corporate brochure.

http://flickr.com/photos/niffgurd/177473970/in/set-72157594181082308/
http://flickr.com/photos/niffgurd/178646052/in/set-72157594181082308/
http://flickr.com/photos/niffgurd/178655604/in/set-72157594181082308/
http://flickr.com/photos/niffgurd/179446488/in/set-72157594181082308/
http://flickr.com/photos/niffgurd/179450530/in/set-72157594181082308/
http://flickr.com/photos/niffgurd/183130958/in/set-72157594181082308/

He's more-or-less a typical Flickr user, and doesn't promote himself at all.


Flickr.

I'm tellin' ya ...

Sounds like it's worth investigating ... but what's to stop people stealing your images? As far as I can see, none of them are watermarked.

Well, since you're on the topic sharply_done, I believe in the concept of social networks. You're exactly right- they can give you exposure. But on the comment of flailing at LuckyOliver, I'll have to disagree. We are actively working with our photographers to build their presence.

As our site continues to grow, I believe that our contributors will gain more than just a check in the mail from us.

Maybe I view things differently but to me, a business is a business.  Before engaging on any project, a person should know what his/her cost of doing business is, what the risks are, what the variable costs are, etc., etc., etc.  Cost of equipment and payment for your time have everything to do with business and should always be considered - it isn't irrelevant.  Would you work at your day job for free just because you enjoy it?

I agree social networking is important but giving away the photos that you create so that someone can underpay you to do something just doesn't make sense to me.  I'll stoop to the level of the micros to try to make a few dollars on volume, but I'm not going to cheapen myself or those around me by giving my stuff away - I like my competitor's work and have  too much respect for them to do that. 

There are other, more effective ways to network.  There is a lot to be said about the crowd you run with (or network with) who will promote you and your work in a more favorable way.  There's even a teacher in town here that if you want to shoot weddings, and you take his class, he'll give you a referral for a $1,500 wedding.

Then again, I make the same argument every time a friend wants me to shoot their wedding or a relative's wedding for free.  I have no problem giving a friend a discount but my time, and my business, is worth a lot more than a pat on the back.

I certainly am not doing this for the money.

I donate images to morguefile.com. Some editorial, some because I am too lazy to remove logos and such. I do not color correct or even rotate. (leave that up to the end user). Its my way of giving back to the community and I receive great feedback from all over the world.

Having found the place, I e-mailed the administration at Morguefile asking why they didn't request that the photographer is credited (if s/he wants to be) and I got the following reply ...

Well the concept of morguefile is that its a collection of images that you would use as reference and here its more specific to things you would do in retouching or game development. Its not the best / artistic photo of a strawberry / baseball / piece of rug. Its just so someone can use it and its a greater collection for everyone to contribute to (not necessarily photographers). We are looking for not good photos that you wouldn't care about being credited. You know- what does a crane look like or where can I get a swatch of red hair to fix a photo.

That being said I am developing a portfolio side to the site that is not free images and you will be able to put whatever restriction / license you like. It will be a few months so stay tuned.