Author Topic: Photos or Illustrations have a Expiry Date (Read 3222 times)

Josephine · « **on:** October 12, 2016, 15:24 »

Every photo, every illustration has a certain expiry date or call it life span. A photo with the most beautiful girl in the world with a cell phone in her hands, which is a couple of years old becomes soon or later worthless. Or think about the fast moving fashion trend, the shoes, the hair style! Every woman knows very well how outdated the outfit of a model is. Or think about the kitchen equipment if you shoot culinary photos.
How many photo will resist the revegas of time.
If you do not keep up with the times you are out. This is one reason, why photos or illustrations suddenly do not sell anymore. Is this the reason why the old folks on this forum complain all the time? because they are simple out of date?

ShadySue · « **Reply #1 on:** October 12, 2016, 15:35 »

Certainly, some photos have a limited 'current' span; it all depends how current the tog tried to be. Catching a trend may be a good, though time-limited strategy. However, I'm sure everyone has a good idea about this if they are trend-driven, it's not rocket science.
Other subjects may last much longer.

We are very much at the mercy of the search algorithms of the agencies. For many months, almost a year, I was more likely to sell (on iS) old scanned film images than newer images of the same subject. (Or maybe I was just a better photographer before I started selling stock.)
It's sometimes easy to see that happening: a former best-seller doesn't sell for ages. After the first month of no sales you notice it's away down in the hundreds in the main search. Then it just festers away until suddenly it starts selling again, and yes, your file is back in the top ten for it's main keywords again.

Josephine · « **Reply #2 on:** October 12, 2016, 15:40 »

I would say that there are many advantages when they change search algorithms, because the old stuff gets a second chance, otherwise it would disappear for good.

Pauws99 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 12, 2016, 15:52 »

Bottom line is it was much easier to make money in the past when demand for pictures outstripped supply now the opposite is the case. The effect of outdated pictures is probably fairly marginal.

ShadySue · « **Reply #4 on:** October 12, 2016, 16:10 »

Quote from: Josephine on October 12, 2016, 15:40

I would say that there are many advantages when they change search algorithms, because the old stuff gets a second chance, otherwise it would disappear for good.

Or indeed, sometimes new stuff gets a chance.
Sometimes you upload at a time when new stuff is submerged, and if the algorithm doesn't change for months, your file/s can be lost forever.
All I'm saying is that this is something we have no control over.

CJH Photography · « **Reply #5 on:** October 12, 2016, 16:40 »

Quote from: Pauws99 on October 12, 2016, 15:52

Bottom line is it was much easier to make money in the past when demand for pictures outstripped supply now the opposite is the case. The effect of outdated pictures is probably fairly marginal.

I agree that supply vs demand plays a major role, but if you take a look at older photos of "business people" they start to look pretty dated as styles and working relationships change. Meanwhile, landscape photos wouldn't necessarily age...

SpaceStockFootage · « **Reply #6 on:** October 12, 2016, 22:51 »

Just to chip in with video.... there's always the resolution to consider. When I uploaded my first video back in the mists of time, there was still a few SD clips available, a bunch of 720p, mainly 1080p and hardly any 4K. Now a lot of sites won't accept SD or even 720p. All my After Effects projects I create in 4K now. It's not a massive amount of additional work and hopefully that will future-proof them for a while.

But yeah, anything other than landscape there's going to be a bit of a lifespan for them. I'd say you'll get at least five years out of them. Cityscapes are going to go the quickest probably (or techoose as you mentioned). Imagine the Vegas strip five years ago for example... City Centre would still be under construction. No big wheel thing or Linq etc. Fashion might last a bit longer, a traffic jam is going to look a bit old if all the cars are from ten years ago.

Although, after a certain point, you can add the word retro to your keywords and go for the niche!

Minsc · « **Reply #7 on:** October 13, 2016, 01:13 »

A good portion of the submissions has an expiration date of some sort. Technology, a category I focus in is always at risk of expiring. Today a FitBit, next year something else. Tech devices are especially at risk because they expire every few couple years. Fashion as well.

I try to keep my portfolio mixed. Keep my style modern whenever I can and try to keep it timeless. Design styles are especially vulnerable to change. 4 years ago, shiny and skeuomorphism was all the rage in design. Today it's simple and flat.

I have work that is meant to expire. But it's good to catch the trends when you can because 6 months of heavy sales are well worth the effort. I would say about 10% of my portfolio has an expiration date, and I knew that when I uploaded it. Certain types of imagery doesn't expire though. A well-framed Christmas dinner is useful every year.

SpaceStockFootage · « **Reply #8 on:** October 13, 2016, 01:29 »

The good thing about my space stuff... I'll be long dead before I have to alter the positions of the stars. Impact craters could be an issue though.

Pauws99 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 13, 2016, 02:40 »

Quote from: CJH Photography on October 12, 2016, 16:40

Quote from: Pauws99 on October 12, 2016, 15:52
Bottom line is it was much easier to make money in the past when demand for pictures outstripped supply now the opposite is the case. The effect of outdated pictures is probably fairly marginal.

I agree that supply vs demand plays a major role, but if you take a look at older photos of "business people" they start to look pretty dated as styles and working relationships change. Meanwhile, landscape photos wouldn't necessarily age...

Totally agree but I suspect many of those "moaning" know this and are producing new content accordingly though there do seem some who stop uploading and wonder why sales are falling......

Josephine · « **Reply #10 on:** October 13, 2016, 02:57 »

Many contributors talk about their wonderful photos or illustrations and cry because they don´t sell. I am sure they are wonderful, but maybe only for the museum or National Geographic. If they are purposely made for the net and they do not sell they are worthless. If so, it´s better to say bye bye to SS or so

cobalt · « **Reply #11 on:** October 13, 2016, 09:00 »

You can give old files new life by reprocessing them with a modern look (lens flares, instagram filters) and uploading to new agencies.

Also collecting all images on a theme, food,children, medical and then uploading theme in bulk like a mini collection to a new place works.

Of course if your model is holding a brick telephone, you can't do much, but many of my older files sell quite well in new places.

MicrostockGroup Sponsors

Author Topic: Photos or Illustrations have a Expiry Date (Read 3222 times)

Josephine

ShadySue

Josephine

Pauws99

ShadySue

CJH Photography

SpaceStockFootage

Minsc

SpaceStockFootage

Pauws99

Josephine

cobalt

Related Topics

Sponsors

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors