Author Topic: do new stock photographers still have a chance to earn (Read 18954 times)

gillian vann · « **Reply #50 on:** April 30, 2013, 04:34 »

Quote from: marcnim on April 30, 2013, 04:00

I hear, in China it is an honorable thing to be a good copy cat.

pfft, that's just an excuse to be lazy and steal others' ideas. there's a lot of morally bankrupt things the chinese (and other races/religions) do in the name of "culture".

food has fads and fashions, just like anything else, so there's always new stuff to shoot. cupcakes are over (aren't they?), macarons are still in, cakepops never really took off, what's next? quinoa is still going strong as a fad (800 images on iS), what'll be the next superfood? hopefully something that's local and plentiful in my part of the world (and not #@!! expensive). The sardine quiche I just uploaded to Stocksy is pretty niche: ZERO sardine quiche to be found at iS or SS! People you know where to go if you're desperate for such an image.

marcnim · « **Reply #51 on:** April 30, 2013, 04:50 »

Quote from: gillian on April 30, 2013, 04:34

food has fads and fashions, just like anything else, so there's always new stuff to shoot. cupcakes are over (aren't they?), macarons are still in, cakepops never really took off, what's next? quinoa is still going strong as a fad (800 images on iS), what'll be the next superfood? hopefully something that's local and plentiful in my part of the world (and not #@!! expensive). The sardine quiche I just uploaded to Stocksy is pretty niche: ZERO sardine quiche to be found at iS or SS! People you know where to go if you're desperate for such an image.

good prose! Maybe your sardine quiche is just a dressed up zucchini tart :-)

to the copy issue. For the contributer there is one benchmark: sales. In that area, a selling copy is better than an invention nobody wants

marc

www.fischka.com

gillian vann · « **Reply #52 on:** April 30, 2013, 05:14 »

Quote from: marcnim on April 30, 2013, 04:50

Quote from: gillian on April 30, 2013, 04:34

food has fads and fashions, just like anything else, so there's always new stuff to shoot. cupcakes are over (aren't they?), macarons are still in, cakepops never really took off, what's next? quinoa is still going strong as a fad (800 images on iS), what'll be the next superfood? hopefully something that's local and plentiful in my part of the world (and not #@!! expensive). The sardine quiche I just uploaded to Stocksy is pretty niche: ZERO sardine quiche to be found at iS or SS! People you know where to go if you're desperate for such an image.

good prose! Maybe your sardine quiche is just a dressed up zucchini tart :-)

why, how dare you!

there is no mistaking the sardines! (I also have prawn quiche which is far less attractive.)
Sardines are just food porn for photographers, along with pears and artichokes. I can't quite think of a new way to shoot artichokes (and we don't get fresh ones easily where I live).

marcnim · « **Reply #53 on:** April 30, 2013, 06:56 »

Quote from: gillian on April 30, 2013, 05:14

Quote from: marcnim on April 30, 2013, 04:50
Quote from: gillian on April 30, 2013, 04:34

food has fads and fashions, just like anything else, so there's always new stuff to shoot. cupcakes are over (aren't they?), macarons are still in, cakepops never really took off, what's next? quinoa is still going strong as a fad (800 images on iS), what'll be the next superfood? hopefully something that's local and plentiful in my part of the world (and not #@!! expensive). The sardine quiche I just uploaded to Stocksy is pretty niche: ZERO sardine quiche to be found at iS or SS! People you know where to go if you're desperate for such an image.

good prose! Maybe your sardine quiche is just a dressed up zucchini tart :-)

why, how dare you! there is no mistaking the sardines! (I also have prawn quiche which is far less attractive.)
Sardines are just food porn for photographers, along with pears and artichokes. I can't quite think of a new way to shoot artichokes (and we don't get fresh ones easily where I live).

i don't know which fact makes me more jealous. the delicious foods you are capturing or that artichokes grow at your place. Do you have a link to your portfolio? I am hungry am promise not to copy. (just lobster quiche, or whale cake)

ShadySue · « **Reply #54 on:** April 30, 2013, 07:15 »

Quote from: gillian on April 30, 2013, 04:34

... quinoa is still going strong as a fad (800 images on iS),


GWYNETH PALTROW: My Quinoa's the Best! - The Graham Norton Show NEW Apr 25 BBC AMERICA

(BBC America, so I'm not sure who can see it outside the UK and US.)

gillian vann · « **Reply #55 on:** April 30, 2013, 07:23 »

we DON't get good artichokes. I've seen stock pics of fresh artichokes and am very, very jealous. I live in a warm, sub tropical area (think: bananas, pineapples, mangos). We don't grow good grapes, even though we have wine industry... but then, so does california

(i reserve my palate and $ for the Barossa and other places.).

I shoot food for a magazine I work for, so sometimes that food is groovy enough for stock. I've got a young food stylist who want to do some portfolio shoots that hopefully will yield some nice stuff - once I work out what to shoot. For me, my people shots still outsell food, (as Sean said.)

for the record, I have 3 flower shots in my port. I took them last month when my kids were doing craft at Bunnings (our hardware superstore in Australia) and I wandered around the nursery, bored). no cats either. although a small collection of dog stuff: I have 3 dogs, and my recent set are doing v well. and chooks. again, <12, but doing ok.

gillian vann · « **Reply #56 on:** April 30, 2013, 07:31 »

Quote from: ShadySue on April 30, 2013, 07:15

Quote from: gillian on April 30, 2013, 04:34
... quinoa is still going strong as a fad (800 images on iS),

GWYNETH PALTROW: My Quinoa's the Best! - The Graham Norton Show NEW Apr 25 BBC AMERICA
(BBC America, so I'm not sure who can see it outside the UK and US.)

1) love GN, good one
2) do none of them even know ... quinoa is a grass, not a grain. sheesh!
3) yes, graham is right, it's really bland and needs special attention
4) my version is awesome, w sweet potato, pine nuts, fetta, chicken, fresh herbs (any, really), olive oil. spinach leaves. + a glass of chardonnay. *seriously, what wouldn't be good about pine nuts, fetta, and chardonnay for lunch:*
perfect summer lunch.
so despite the fact that I agree it's not even yet gone mainstream, we are overdone on stock pics of quinoa? unless you are going to shoot the political angle and get sth american farmers looking unhappy. (and happy, while you're at it)

I also have a Thermomix (google it), and there are zero entries for it anywhere. ("mixer" reveals a lot of KitchenAid, logos removed of course, appliances. as Sean mentioned earlier, I'd be buggered if I would take pics of such things). the thermomix community, thriving as it is, tends to just steal images where it can. such is life.

marcnim · « **Reply #57 on:** April 30, 2013, 07:49 »

Gillian, I like your spa photos...

grsphoto · « **Reply #58 on:** April 30, 2013, 07:52 »

Quote from: marcnim on April 30, 2013, 02:37

to glen:

I love your humor. Would you share how much you have earned with the snowmonkey? I have looked up your website. Would you share how much you earn in percentage vis-a-vis agencies?

cheers

marc

Marc
About 50% of my small earning on SS are for my snow monkeys ( approx $30).
I don't know if this is food, or travel but my best selling image is "Fresh pineapples at Ecuadorian fresh fruit market"
My web site hasn't generated any sales...yet

Glenn

marcnim · « **Reply #59 on:** April 30, 2013, 08:04 »

Quote from: grsphoto on April 30, 2013, 07:52

Marc
About 50% of my small earning on SS are for my snow monkeys ( approx $30).
I don't know if this is food, or travel but my best selling image is "Fresh pineapples at Ecuadorian fresh fruit market"
My web site hasn't generated any sales...yet
Glenn

Glenn, thanks for sharing. Thats not too bad with the Monkey (like that shot a lot), if it held a Dollar bill or a tool or a surgical mask, you'd be rich by now. I was wondering about websites, I have one for my regular photo business ( www.fischka.com ) but I thought I had to create so much traffic in order to get some sales. Speaking of that, on freelancer.com you find a good number of tech guys from the indian subcontinent that offer to boost your google ranking on any subject for 100 bucks.

sgoodwin4813 · « **Reply #60 on:** April 30, 2013, 12:01 »

Quote from: gillian on April 30, 2013, 07:31

2) do none of them even know ... quinoa is a grass, not a grain. sheesh!

Sorry, but I have to correct this, you are wrong - it is neither a grain nor a grass. It is related to Amaranth - another grain-like crop cultivated by the indigenous people of the Americas - and definitely is not a grass. Other distantly related crops would be beet, spinach and buckwheat. Probably not great subjects for stock, but making me hungry for lunch.

grsphoto · « **Reply #61 on:** April 30, 2013, 12:12 »

Quote from: marcnim on April 30, 2013, 08:04

Quote from: grsphoto on April 30, 2013, 07:52

Marc
About 50% of my small earning on SS are for my snow monkeys ( approx $30).
I don't know if this is food, or travel but my best selling image is "Fresh pineapples at Ecuadorian fresh fruit market"
My web site hasn't generated any sales...yet
Glenn

Glenn, thanks for sharing. Thats not too bad with the Monkey (like that shot a lot), if it held a Dollar bill or a tool or a surgical mask, you'd be rich by now. I was wondering about websites, I have one for my regular photo business ( www.fischka.com ) but I thought I had to create so much traffic in order to get some sales. Speaking of that, on freelancer.com you find a good number of tech guys from the indian subcontinent that offer to boost your google ranking on any subject for 100 bucks.

The earnings for my monkey images ( 10+) not a single shot.

I am not sure if the individual website will work, especially at my low level, but the Symbiostock Networking idea (IMHO) is too full of promise and potential to not get on board.

tab62 · « **Reply #62 on:** April 30, 2013, 13:35 »

Yes, you do have a good chance of earning money as long as your spouse has a good job according to the rules of success in this business

luissantos84 · « **Reply #63 on:** April 30, 2013, 13:54 »

YES! but you need to be exclusive at iStock

tickstock · « **Reply #64 on:** April 30, 2013, 14:03 »

luissantos84 · « **Reply #65 on:** April 30, 2013, 15:06 »

Quote from: tickstock on April 30, 2013, 14:03

Quote from: luissantos84 on April 30, 2013, 13:54
YES! but you need to be exclusive at iStock
First thing you've said that makes sense in a while.

now I can breathe! thank you

ShadySue · « **Reply #66 on:** April 30, 2013, 17:12 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on April 30, 2013, 15:06

Quote from: tickstock on April 30, 2013, 14:03
Quote from: luissantos84 on April 30, 2013, 13:54
YES! but you need to be exclusive at iStock
First thing you've said that makes sense in a while.

now I can breathe! thank you

Was Lobo sitting on your chest?

gillian vann · « **Reply #67 on:** April 30, 2013, 17:21 »

Quote from: sgoodwin4813 on April 30, 2013, 12:01

Quote from: gillian on April 30, 2013, 07:31
2) do none of them even know ... quinoa is a grass, not a grain. sheesh!

Sorry, but I have to correct this, you are wrong - it is neither a grain nor a grass. It is related to Amaranth - another grain-like crop cultivated by the indigenous people of the Americas - and definitely is not a grass. Other distantly related crops would be beet, spinach and buckwheat. Probably not great subjects for stock, but making me hungry for lunch.

thanks, always good to learn stuff.

lisafx · « **Reply #68 on:** April 30, 2013, 17:23 »

Quote from: ShadySue on April 30, 2013, 07:15

Quote from: gillian on April 30, 2013, 04:34
... quinoa is still going strong as a fad (800 images on iS),

GWYNETH PALTROW: My Quinoa's the Best! - The Graham Norton Show NEW Apr 25 BBC AMERICA
(BBC America, so I'm not sure who can see it outside the UK and US.)

OT - I absolutely LOVE Graham Norton! Best interviews and most entertaining talk show on TV on either side of the Atlantic, IMO.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #69 on:** April 30, 2013, 23:19 »

Quote from: ShadySue on April 30, 2013, 17:12

Quote from: luissantos84 on April 30, 2013, 15:06
Quote from: tickstock on April 30, 2013, 14:03
Quote from: luissantos84 on April 30, 2013, 13:54
YES! but you need to be exclusive at iStock
First thing you've said that makes sense in a while.

now I can breathe! thank you
Was Lobo sitting on your chest?

ahahah no, I just cannot live if tick-tock doesn't understand me

marcnim · « **Reply #70 on:** May 01, 2013, 05:17 »

Quote from: grsphoto on April 30, 2013, 12:12

The earnings for my monkey images ( 10+) not a single shot.

I am not sure if the individual website will work, especially at my low level, but the Symbiostock Networking idea (IMHO) is too full of promise and potential to not get on board.

i had never before heard of Symbiostock. I will take a look. It sure is promising. How long did it take you to set up your microsite?

cascoly · « **Reply #71 on:** May 01, 2013, 17:16 »

Quote from: marcnim on April 30, 2013, 06:56

i don't know which fact makes me more jealous. the delicious foods you are capturing or that artichokes grow at your place. Do you have a link to your portfolio? I am hungry am promise not to copy. (just lobster quiche, or whale cake)

surprising where artichokes can grow - I grow them here in Seattle, where they usually just die back a bit in the winter; esp'ly nice are the 2nd & 3rd crops of baby ones that we never see in the market

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Author Topic: do new stock photographers still have a chance to earn (Read 18954 times)

gillian vann

marcnim

gillian vann

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ShadySue

gillian vann

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marcnim

grsphoto

marcnim

sgoodwin4813

grsphoto

tab62

luissantos84

tickstock

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ShadySue

gillian vann

lisafx

luissantos84

marcnim

cascoly

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