It's stuff like this that keeps pushing me closer to just not bothering to help or share knowledge anymore.

It always makes me giggle a bit when some of the basically noname amateur photographers in microstock expect the red carpet to roll out for them, because they sold many pictures somewhere : )) Face it dudes and dudettes, teen starcraft shoutcasters are known by 'bout 10000 times more ppl then these guys who started with reading their forst DLSR's manual something like 6 years ago.

Quote from: PaulieWalnuts on June 25, 2011, 16:50

It's stuff like this that keeps pushing me closer to just not bothering to help or share knowledge anymore.

It always makes me giggle a bit when some of the basically noname amateur photographers in microstock expect the red carpet to roll out for them, because they sold many pictures somewhere : )) Face it dudes and dudettes, teen starcraft shoutcasters are known by 'bout 10000 times more ppl then these guys who started with reading their forst DLSR's manual something like 6 years ago.

I don't recall any regular here calling for the 'red carpet'.  Besides this game is all about selling 'many pictures somewhere'.  Otherwise, why are you here?

All things in moderation.  'Help' and other stuff.

I don't mind sharing knowledge. Is there something that is really a secret? What make some more succesful than others is experience, hard work and talent.

I agree with that. Except of course.. Edit: On second thoughts, I'd better just keep stum. 

It's stuff like this that keeps pushing me closer to just not bothering to help or share knowledge anymore.

Oh gee, I managed to overlook that one.  I tend to skip those "Hey, I just got my first camera and I want you to teach me how to use it and make millions in my spare time" threads. 

It's not that I don't want to help to a sincere microstock newbie, but it has always irked me no end that some people expect others to do all the legwork for them and hand them a career on a platter.  What makes anyone who doesn't even know how to take a properly exposed picture or use a basic lighting setup think they should be offering their images of their cats, or their garden, or last night's dinner, for sale commercially?   Cart before horse, people.   

Quote from: PaulieWalnuts on June 25, 2011, 16:50

It's stuff like this that keeps pushing me closer to just not bothering to help or share knowledge anymore.

I'm pretty sure that guy is a troll. I don't really think he's an 'innocent newbie'. Admittedly, I was 'defensive' as first; nd still have to check that tendency. Nevertheless, even if Sean's 'tough love' was hard to take at first, it was pretty obvious that someone with his track record for sales gives some advice, or prompts you to think deeper, you need to pay at least some attention. 

If he isn't he certainly needs a class on emotional intelligence.

"Share your knowledge or keep it secret?"

Really it doesn't matter one way or the other. Just don't be a douche and bait newbies on the forum, some actually seem to take pleasure in doing so...sigh

I didn't see the answer I would want to give - I used to help, but I've stopped. It was largely via the iStock critique forum and I truly enjoyed the process of working with people there. I think I learned something through the process as well.

I'm not a big enough person to see past iStock's September 7th changes which destroyed, for me, the notion that we could build the business long term not only by what we sold but by having support for people starting out or anyone not sure of what to do with an image. Their changes said, to me, that there is no long term and there is no partnership between contributor and agency. In the climate of a grabby free-for-all, I'll spend my time on my own work and trying to boost my own share.

I hope at some point another opportunity like that might surface

   When I was an assistant ( a long time ago in a land far far away), there were 2 photographers in NY who were the top shooters. I worked for one and my best friend worked for the other guy. There was a group of maybe 10 of us who all worked for the heavy hitters, and after work, we would all sit around and compare notes about what we were working on, and how the photographer accomplished something. The amazing thing was how many different ways there were to get to an end result. When the guy I was working for found out I knew the assistant for his top competitor, he made me swear that I would never talk about how something was done at his studio. Of course I swore up and down that we never talked shop. Meanwhile we would grab outakes ( film) and trade techniques back and forth. We all benefited from this. The reason it worked was that we shared- that is everyone gave and everyone took. It wasn't just a one way street- you had to earn your way in by where you worked. And I've never stopped learning, It just becomes a way of life. But it should be a fair trade, not just you help me and I'll see ya later.

I won't share specifics about what works for me, such as the subject matter and styles that sell well.  There's simply too much to risk for me in creating copycats.  Not that the regular posters here would ever do that... but I'm sure there are lurkers and people curious about microstock who would do so if they knew my images and my numbers.

But I try to share general advice for two reasons: 1. To steer people down the right path and improve their own numbers, and 2. To improve microstock as an industry.  That benefits me.  I think there's a danger that if microstock continues to be flooded with the same old images that buyers don't really want, they'll get frustrated and stop buying.  That's not good for any of us.

And speaking of that advice, I'll share it again here:  try to find subject matter that isn't well-covered already, and create a style that is your own.  Approach subjects in a manner that no one else is doing / can do.  If you do this, you don't have to worry so much about "feeding the beast" and showing up at the top of the "most recent" search results.  That's the strategy of people who have nothing unique to offer.  If you're truly doing something unique, you'll sell well because your competition will be minimal.  I expect several people will say I am crazy, that there are no subjects that aren't already overcovered, but they are wrong.  I wish I could show you my port and my sales to prove it, but... well, see my first few sentences.  So get out there and do something NEW and UNIQUE.  You help yourself, you help the industry, and in doing so, you help me.

Quote from: steheap on Yesterday at 20:16
At this rate, the book will become my third best selling site behind Shutterstock and iStock!

eheh are you kidding no? you sold 14 books for 5$ each? not saying it bad or good but they aren�t like pictures, I don�t believe you will sell 14 every month  Grin

About one copy a day so far, and I have just managed to get it on Amazon as a Kindle book. I get a reasonable number of hits to the site from Google searches (rather than the restricted set of folks on a forum) and so it may continue - who knows! At least I have paid for the shopping cart functionality that I added to my Wordpress site and could start selling other things now for no incremental cost. Anyone want a Canon AE1 camera?

Steve

I won't share specifics about what works for me, such as the subject matter and styles that sell well.  There's simply too much to risk for me in creating copycats.  Not that the regular posters here would ever do that... but I'm sure there are lurkers and people curious about microstock who would do so if they knew my images and my numbers.

But I try to share general advice for two reasons: 1. To steer people down the right path and improve their own numbers, and 2. To improve microstock as an industry.  That benefits me.  I think there's a danger that if microstock continues to be flooded with the same old images that buyers don't really want, they'll get frustrated and stop buying.  That's not good for any of us.

And speaking of that advice, I'll share it again here:  try to find subject matter that isn't well-covered already, and create a style that is your own.  Approach subjects in a manner that no one else is doing / can do.  If you do this, you don't have to worry so much about "feeding the beast" and showing up at the top of the "most recent" search results.  That's the strategy of people who have nothing unique to offer.  If you're truly doing something unique, you'll sell well because your competition will be minimal.  I expect several people will say I am crazy, that there are no subjects that aren't already overcovered, but they are wrong.  I wish I could show you my port and my sales to prove it, but... well, see my first few sentences.  So get out there and do something NEW and UNIQUE.  You help yourself, you help the industry, and in doing so, you help me.

Exactly.  I have nothing against sharing general advice.  Or stuff about equipment.

My WP site is hosted at GoDaddy.  I have no idea how to make any other than very simple changes.  A friend did all the work while he was unemployed.  He found a jog.... dang it.   

Hi All,

 I want to take a minute out to share a section of a blog from a very good friend of mine. He has been making cutting edge stock photos for 25 years and this is part of his take on sharing. Thank you John Lund for all you have shared with me over the years, you are a true professional.


Staying Under The Radar Isn�t The Answer
One thing I have learned over the last twenty years is that staying under the radar isn�t the answer. The courage to share your process (within reason), to get your work out in front of everyone, and to rise above those very reasonable fears of seeing your work, ideas and techniques stolen in so many ways, brings with it rewards that cannot be denied. Do you think the benefits Chase Jarvis gains from sharing his world online out-weighs the risks of being copied and the threat from competition that is enhanced by the information he doles out?

The Benefits of Sharing
In my own experience the benefits of sharing have been enormous. The rewards have ranged from free gear (I was once given a $45,000.00 Leaf Digital Back on the condition that I share my results with the camera at trade shows�duh!), to important contacts (in the long run more important than gear), free film, and all manner of opportunities. If I hadn�t been open to sharing I would never have been invited to join Blend Images as a founding partner�probably the biggest opportunity in my career. The latest reward for putting my work and ideas out there is in the form of traffic to my website that continues to increase weekly. Yes, I get ripped off all the time, but my rewards are definitely greater than my losses.

best,
Jonathan