pancakes

MicrostockGroup Sponsors


Author Topic: General Comercial Sales vs Travel Pics  (Read 2804 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

tab62

« on: November 15, 2012, 11:43 »
0
Hi MSG Folks,

My wife (also business partner) and I had a very interesting conversation last night. We noticed that even a photo of her changing the heating temperature at home has out sold all my pics from my travel places (90% + Landscapes).  So she ask me why do I carry the large canon on our travels instead of a light weight point and shoot camera since they don't sell well- heck, my acceptance rate on travel pics is well below 25% on Fotolia and around 50% on Shutter. She feels that I should totally concentrate on shooting things in the house for the business since that is what sells. Make sense?

Also I was told that the buyers like the pics from the States. Do you agree? Do buyers really wants pics from the States over other countries? Strictly based on my limited experience my travels pics (i.e., Canada, China) really suck wind on the MicroStock world...

Thanks

T


PaulieWalnuts

  • We Have Exciting News For You
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2012, 13:42 »
0
My travel stuff and everything else such as business and food all sell about equally. Probably varies from person to person because everybody shoots differently.

Poncke

« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2012, 13:57 »
0
Really depends on your numbers as well. How much is outselling?

You need to do a proper research using all figures and photos involved.

« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2012, 14:26 »
0
its good to see you are thinking of that, I do that all the time, looking at my own files/sales but it hard to draw a picture because you pretty much never know, sure quality is what matters more but a file that have sold once or never might be a cool sale tomorrow, have many files with 1 or 2 sales but with OD sales or even EL, I believe the key is to improve, we all know that yep

microstockphoto.co.uk

« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2012, 14:39 »
0
From a purely financial point of view, it makes sense to stay at home shooting objects and textures, but it's boring.

I don't have pictures from the States, but from my experience in Europe I can say that people only want pictures of major landmarks in big cities (London, Berlin).

Mid cities, some not so small or minor (Birmingham, Coventry, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Koeln, Stuttgart, Duesseldorf, Milan) sell less than proportionally, which is a bit surprising.

And landscapes and small villages don't sell at all (I earned a grand total of $3.42 from Cardross, Scotland!).

I can recoup a one week trip somewhere in Europe in six months and then start earning. It used to be just 2 or 3 months when I started 5 years ago.
But since I'd travel anyway...

« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2012, 15:08 »
0
I think the bottom line is that it depends on what travel pictures you shoot :)

If I just shoot a pretty beach, it may not sell (unless there's a lovely woman or some beer or something iconic on it). If it's in a well travelled tourist destination, it probably will. If there's a clear story - luxury, relaxation, love, family time - that will work even if the place isn't recognizable.

Shots of keyholes, wooden doors, old hinges and churches in unrecognizable places are less likely to sell. I've never spent money on travel for stock. I just shoot wherever we're going anyway.

As far as where the shots need to be, with SS you can see where the shots are being purchased, and I'm sometimes surprised to see a shot of a beach in Maine being purchased in Australia or Japan (this morning it was from the Northern European coast; perhaps there's somewhere there that looks similar?). I think you just need a large-ish pool of buyers to be interested in that place or subject matter.

« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2012, 15:18 »
0
Your wife is right.
Its not about fancy locations, its about which pictures are in demand.
I went to Transsylvania and photographed Draculas castle, with vampires and all.
Never sold much.



This, sold much more:


As for "American pictures" selling better? I would doubt that. Generic pictures are more usable.

tab62

« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2012, 15:35 »
0
LOL! Yeah, I have sold more pics of a spoon on white than all my travel pics combined! So Why do I carry almost 35 lbs of camera equipment around while climbing up a dangerous mountain (Yellow Mountains in China)! I wanted the best pics possible and now most are being rejected due to having sharp contrast- deep shadows. You Think! Of course there is sharp contrast because it is real lighting by nature to include rain, fog, mist, sun and clouds. If only I could control those elements but if I was able to control those things I sure as heck would not be taking photos for money lol!

« Reply #8 on: November 15, 2012, 15:48 »
0
If you are traveling anyway (vacation) then shoot photos for stock.  Thus you can write off the business travel expenses (or at least some) as a business expense (USA - confirm with your tax accountant). Mileage, even just with my own car, is one of my major expenses over the years.  Even if the pictures do not sell as well, the deductions for travel, food, hotel, are still a significant consideration.

« Reply #9 on: November 15, 2012, 15:54 »
0
35 pounds?
Ja, thats why I bought the 18-200 mm.
Also didnt you know that it was forbidden for photographers to go to China before they can do HDR?

tab62

« Reply #10 on: November 15, 2012, 17:03 »
0
Yeah, this idiot brought his 24-70, 50, 100 and 17-40 plus that massive Canon body plus tripod along with large camera back pack...

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #11 on: November 15, 2012, 17:10 »
0
From a purely financial point of view, it makes sense to stay at home shooting objects and textures, but it's boring.
And one day you might find that the objects are somehow copyrighted.

tab62

« Reply #12 on: November 15, 2012, 17:17 »
0
More like copy right the next day lol! I remember shooting a cup cake on my first submission boy did I get blasted by a microstock company for shooting a hostess cup lol!

« Reply #13 on: November 15, 2012, 19:18 »
0
If you love to travel and love to shoot, bring your tools.  Income from your travels is icing on the cake... and money for the next trip.   


 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
11 Replies
5521 Views
Last post March 03, 2008, 19:07
by madelaide
10 Replies
3281 Views
Last post May 09, 2012, 14:13
by tab62
39 Replies
14002 Views
Last post April 16, 2013, 11:19
by wordplanet
8 Replies
2580 Views
Last post November 27, 2012, 18:31
by ShadySue
5 Replies
2554 Views
Last post June 03, 2013, 15:25
by cuppacoffee

Sponsors

Mega Bundle of 5,900+ Professional Lightroom Presets

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors