pancakes

MicrostockGroup Sponsors


Author Topic: What would you do with a potential super sales photo??  (Read 16950 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

« on: December 04, 2010, 06:11 »
0
Ok, don't take me for an arrogant.
I don't know if i have a super sales photo or not, but i recently did an image that took me more work than usual, and i that i think is going to sell pretty well. This makes me think of what could i do to try make the most out of it, and the macro possibility came to my mind. I'm contributing to several micros and Alamy with the same port as RF.
Do you think it's good to bet for some special images that maybe took more work or we feel are special in some way or the most we can expect is that become good sellers in micros?
Being allready in Alamy, could i upload just one image (at the moment) as RM? Should i do this by another alias maybe?
Maybe i should try to sell this as print or something like that, can we do this with an image allready selling in micro? where can we do this?
I would like to know your thought on this matter, and if you sell both in micros and macros would appreciate experiences.
The thing i like most when i think of RM is the more control i could have on the particular image, knowing the use and everything about it.

Cheers


microstockphoto.co.uk

« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2010, 06:41 »
0
First, I'm very bad at identifying best sellers in advance among my own photos.
Second, if it's really a potential best seller, you'll lose a lot of money by not selling on SS (plus all other major sites). So what I would do is to sell it both at micros and Alamy as RF.

I would keep RM for niche pictures which have little potential in terms of number of sales, but could command an
higher price once in a while.

This is my personal point of view - note that while I have a few years' experience in micro, I am very new in Alamy.

« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2010, 09:38 »
0
What's super potential? If I had to guess what my best 5 sellers would be before I uploaded them I would be dead wrong. I'd put my very best seller (29/mo on IS) way down on my list. Best advice, put 'em all on as many decent sites as you can and let the dollars vote.

You could always post the image here and have us judge what's super. That would also be a crap shoot. We'd all be wrong too.

« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2010, 09:43 »
0
I would keep RM for niche pictures which have little potential in terms of number of sales, but could command an
higher price once in a while.


Good point.
Any one have experience selling prints or other products with your photos, can this be made with images allready on micro agencys?

« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2010, 09:49 »
0
What's super potential? If I had to guess what my best 5 sellers would be before I uploaded them I would be dead wrong. I'd put my very best seller (29/mo on IS) way down on my list. Best advice, put 'em all on as many decent sites as you can and let the dollars vote.

You could always post the image here and have us judge what's super. That would also be a crap shoot. We'd all be wrong too.

Its not that i know it will be a super seller, it that i know the work it took me to do it, and i like the result, so probably more a personal thing that anything, but i was tempted to give it a "unique" treatment, but as time goes by i am less convinced.
I know this kind of post arouses curiosity, so once the image is on air i will post it here.
cheers

« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2010, 11:18 »
0
I won't believe it unless you show it to us :P

wish you sales!

SNP

  • Canadian Photographer
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2010, 11:22 »
0
^ lol. I'm terrible at identifying bestsellers beforehand. my three best sellers--I almost didn't upload. but good luck. I don't know though, bragging in advance...I think you're asking for it :-D

« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2010, 11:33 »
0
I too seem to be completely unable to predict what will be a good seller. Sometimes I can predict poor sellers though. Similar for what will get accepted or rejected.

That said, if I thought I had a pic that would sell a lot, I'd try to get it up everywhere, if I thought it was something that was unique that someone eventually would have to have, I'd go RM at Alamy. If I got something I knew was a one of a kind - like I caught an airliner mid-air collision, I'd probably try to work something out with a big mag or the AP just for it (not that I have any experience with that, I'd just explore that option first).

As far as I know you can print yourself and sell the prints of anything you have on the micros.

lisafx

« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2010, 11:46 »
0
Great advice in this thread! 

I agree with the others - if it has wide sales potential, put it on the micros and Alamy RF.  If it is really cool, but may not sell too much, sell it RM. 

« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2010, 17:22 »
0
Unlike physics where you can predict the energy of body based on mass, velocity or height ,stock images don't have the same properties.

« Reply #10 on: December 04, 2010, 17:27 »
0
If you just put it on Alamy as RM it might sit there for years before it's found.

Alamy has a huge editorial buyers base so a commercial image won't get the same attention at alamy than it gets at the Micros or Getty I would think.

If you had a fantastic editorial shot I would go with Alamy for sure but only then.

RT


« Reply #11 on: December 04, 2010, 17:56 »
0
Contact Getty with a link to the image, if it really is as good as you say they'll take the image no matter whether you're a contributor already or not, if you don't hear back from them you have your answer as to it's 'super' sales potential.

« Reply #12 on: December 04, 2010, 19:22 »
0
BTW does Getty still have the "photographer's choice" program?

« Reply #13 on: December 05, 2010, 09:57 »
0
Ok, im uploading it as usual and maybe y will make some products with it in zazzle or things like that, i see potential in tshirts or prints maybe.
BTW, any slogan you may want to sugest?
I was in doubt if put it on white BKG, but when i try this it just stand up more, but it has a clipping path, do you think stating that in the description is enough for customers or i may lose some slaes on people looking for isolationt only on white bkg.?

As i promise i post the image, right now pending review in DT.




BTW i was not bragging but anyway, you can start the kicks and punches :D

EDITED: image updated
« Last Edit: December 05, 2010, 14:56 by arquiplay77 »

« Reply #14 on: December 05, 2010, 10:05 »
0
Great pic - love it. I'd have added a bit more space around the globe.

« Reply #15 on: December 05, 2010, 10:07 »
0
Great pic - love it. I'd have added a bit more space around the globe.

+1

« Reply #16 on: December 05, 2010, 10:19 »
0
thank you, this was intented to be an isolation, so i made it as big as possible in a 5000X5000 pix image wich is the maximum resolution in SS, but is truth that with that BKG color i put on post should be better with more air, Is just that i didnt wan to reduce the image as it has many detail to zoom in.


« Reply #17 on: December 05, 2010, 10:34 »
0
thank you, this was intented to be an isolation, so i made it as big as possible in a 5000X5000 pix image wich is the maximum resolution in SS, but is truth that with that BKG color i put on post should be better with more air, Is just that i didnt wan to reduce the image as it has many detail to zoom in.

I wouldn't create an image (or base its resolution) just to fit Shutterstock's requirements. Create it as large as possible (as long as it is sharp and without noise), then scale it down for SS if you have to but everyone else will take the larger resolution without a problem. You are limiting yourself - don't fall into that trap.

Also if you add 500px of "sky" on each side then you end up with 6000x6000 without loss of any detail as you have it now - so that's no "excuse"  ;D

Great shot. Really cool.

« Reply #18 on: December 05, 2010, 10:54 »
0

Also if you add 500px of "sky" on each side then you end up with 6000x6000 without loss of any detail as you have it now - so that's no "excuse"  ;D


Truth but then the "planet" itself will be smaller in the thumbnail, i think i will put just a little more sky maybe to rech the 5500 pix, i dont want to lose too much detail on the preview.
tahnk you

« Reply #19 on: December 05, 2010, 12:46 »
0
Great image.  I think you would be disappointed by sales on zazzle... I don't have anything on there myself but I would have a hard time believing you'd sell thousands of dollars in greeting cards with the image.  It seems more conceptual with a message than it does cute puppy like... you should get more $$ for it than that.  If it DOES become a great seller on the micro's it could easily fetch you 1 or 2 thousand $$ over it's lifetime .. I don't think that putting it on the micros is giving it any less worth and may be a great sales avenue to actually realize it's potential.

« Reply #20 on: December 05, 2010, 13:06 »
0
When Leaf mentions it's lifetime, it isn't a work that will be dated in 6 months either - this one has the ability sell for years and years, that may factor into your decision.

RT


« Reply #21 on: December 05, 2010, 13:25 »
0
Nice image, very clever - some clouds might help the concept a bit.

« Reply #22 on: December 05, 2010, 13:55 »
0
Nice image, very clever - some clouds might help the concept a bit.

Good idea. I'd make the sky a brighter blue too.

« Reply #23 on: December 05, 2010, 14:06 »
0
Nice image, very clever - some clouds might help the concept a bit.

Good idea. I'd make the sky a brighter blue too.

Well I'm not sure I can argue with someone who'se gauges are pushing the red.....  but I liked the dark blue sky.. i think it made the earth stand out and make it look like it was glowing a bit.

« Reply #24 on: December 05, 2010, 15:02 »
0
Thank you for the tips and good sugestions.
Iv updated the image with a litle more "sky"
I agree with leaf, the dark bkg makes it pop so even tough it goes against the isolation concept i prefered it.
lets see if it does sell good, so meny factors involved that even if an image has the potential (like I belive this one has) you never know.
Im guessing a reject from IS anyway  ;D
cheers

« Reply #25 on: December 05, 2010, 18:35 »
0
It's a wonderful work of art.  Hope you make thousands ; )

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #26 on: December 05, 2010, 18:58 »
0
Love it and good luck with it. Well done!


Noodles

« Reply #27 on: December 05, 2010, 19:39 »
0
Good work - I'd make sure its supplied with a Clipping Path and then the designer can decide on a background that suits their project - can see this as a blueflame + on IS :)

lagereek

« Reply #28 on: December 06, 2010, 02:17 »
0
great conceptual shot but, yes! you wanna put some more blue sky around the globe.

best of luck with it.

rubyroo

« Reply #29 on: December 06, 2010, 02:30 »
0
I agree.  Wonderful image!  Congrats.

RacePhoto

« Reply #30 on: December 06, 2010, 23:55 »
0
Contact Getty with a link to the image, if it really is as good as you say they'll take the image no matter whether you're a contributor already or not, if you don't hear back from them you have your answer as to it's 'super' sales potential.

Contact Getty - HOW??? Something that seems to have eluded me for a couple of years, as they don't answer the question themselves?

arquiplay77

Nice image execution and concept.

Why would you want a different Pseudo on Alamy for one image? I don't understand the reasoning?

Once it's unleashed RF it's done, no going back. You have to decide if you think one buyer will pay enough for an exclusive, maybe for a couple of years, to compensate you for a few years of small sales on micro.

« Reply #31 on: December 07, 2010, 06:22 »
0
Why would you want a different Pseudo on Alamy for one image? I don't understand the reasoning?
I ment having a different alias to manage a RM portafolio along with the RF one.
It's just that i dont have any experience in the RM or macro field, and i was thinking in starting with some images.
Anyway for now ill continue with the micros, Maybe when i become more productive in therms oc quantity i think about it again.

Cheers

fxegs

  • FXEGS http://fxegs.photoshelter.com

« Reply #32 on: December 07, 2010, 08:38 »
0
Great picture!

If you search for 'globe buildings' at IS and others you could find similar conceptual works, so I think you should have no problem submitting it. And I think yours is more appealing.

I have the same questions than you about Alamy and starting with RM, so thanks all of you writers, your arguments and suggestions are very useful to newbies like me.

« Reply #33 on: December 07, 2010, 08:47 »
0
Hi arquiplay77,

That's a fine piece of work, my compliments! I would definitely not call it arrogance to try to get the most out of your work.

I had the same kind of dilemma about a year ago after I finished an artwork very similar to yours - a conceptual mini-world. I decided to avoid microstock and uploaded it on Flickr, then put it on prints and postcards on Zazzle, where it brought about $150 so far, not more.

The funny thing is that I intended to upload it as RM on Alamy but never did that due to.. chronic procrastination.  
About a couple of months ago I was contacted through Flickr by a company (toys & games) and after some negotiation, we ended up with an agreement worth several thousand euros and other 5 similar works to be created. The only difficult thing now is to write the RM license contract by myself.

I just wanted to share my story with you since I understand perfectly how you must feel. I personally decided that not selling this particular artwork at all would make me feel much better than selling it as RF and cringe every time I get a max size, sub download. But that's just me.

I wish you good luck, lots of sales and hope you took the right decision! :)
 

« Reply #34 on: December 08, 2010, 04:46 »
0
Thanks Magda, interesting story.
I allready send the image to micros so lets see...
Cheers

RacePhoto

« Reply #35 on: December 09, 2010, 17:29 »
0
Why would you want a different Pseudo on Alamy for one image? I don't understand the reasoning?
I ment having a different alias to manage a RM portafolio along with the RF one.
It's just that i dont have any experience in the RM or macro field, and i was thinking in starting with some images.
Anyway for now ill continue with the micros, Maybe when i become more productive in therms oc quantity i think about it again.

Cheers

Ah, I did that too. RF under one name, RM/Editorial under another and RM because I thought it worked that way, as another. :D By the way, it's with middle initial, and without and one letter off my first name on the other, so identity is not an issue. I feel that the photographer should have an identity not a cute anonymous Micro name. (yes I have one of those too)

I've actually thought of making everything RM except anything that has already sold RF. The one reason I like RM better is, they state what use, even if they don't have the specific publication. Better than getting some change and never knowing anything about the buyer at all.

« Reply #36 on: December 12, 2010, 17:43 »
0
congratulations for the Editor's Choice :)


« Reply #37 on: December 13, 2010, 03:56 »
0
congratulations for the Editor's Choice :)

Wow! i hadn't relized of it, thank you for the info.
It sure makes a difference, the image is on air on DT since 10th and had no views until yestarday (i guess when the editor's choice) then 4 dl in a row, hope from now on it continues the trend.
Cheers

« Reply #38 on: December 14, 2010, 13:25 »
0
Congratulations! Well deserved!

RacePhoto

« Reply #39 on: December 14, 2010, 14:32 »
0
congratulations for the Editor's Choice :)

Wow! i hadn't relized of it, thank you for the info.
It sure makes a difference, the image is on air on DT since 10th and had no views until yestarday (i guess when the editor's choice) then 4 dl in a row, hope from now on it continues the trend.
Cheers

Which begs the question, I've always asked. Since I don't do fine creative shots like this or the ones people do with models. I have to ask you.

Can you com eback in a year and see if all the micro sales of one fantastic shot, equal one RM sale on Alamy for example? I keep wondering if all those volume sales, the old way of micro making it pay, will still add up to one big sale, now that there are 10-15 million competing images, instead of 2-4 million images?

Has the whole game changed and people need to look at which methods bring the real returns, in an evolving marketplace?

« Reply #40 on: December 15, 2010, 04:54 »
0
Which begs the question, I've always asked. Since I don't do fine creative shots like this or the ones people do with models. I have to ask you.

Can you com eback in a year and see if all the micro sales of one fantastic shot, equal one RM sale on Alamy for example? I keep wondering if all those volume sales, the old way of micro making it pay, will still add up to one big sale, now that there are 10-15 million competing images, instead of 2-4 million images?

Has the whole game changed and people need to look at which methods bring the real returns, in an evolving marketplace?

So, how much is one big RM sale?

grp_photo

« Reply #41 on: December 15, 2010, 05:17 »
0
I had one which was netting me (my cut) 1200,- Euros and one with 1700,- Euros (selling price was with both about 5000,- Dollars but at the second sale I did get more percentages from this agency) both sales happened in the last three months.
But there are still high RM-Sales with 5 digits -figures unfortunately I never had one of these :-(
« Last Edit: December 15, 2010, 05:19 by grp_photo »

« Reply #42 on: December 15, 2010, 06:31 »
0
You must feel very good when see such a commission in one single sale  ;D
Anyway as its impossible to know what files are going to sell, the key is to think in terms of the entire port, if i have X amount of images in a RM port, and those makes me Y money at month, would these same X images make me more or less money than Y on micros.
In micros almost avery single image is contributing to the total amount, and maybe as RM only one seles each month.
The answer will allways be an estimation as its impossible to have the same images on both, and beeing myself totallly unexperienced in RM field, i cant answer that.

grp_photo

« Reply #43 on: December 15, 2010, 07:01 »
0
Yes was good ;D
You also have RM-Sales like 7 Euro or so. A photo does earn more if you have it on Getty or Corbis than in Microstock (in general) it's just hard to get anything in it. You need common sense and some market knowledge if it is better to place RM or Micro or RF which Agencies etc.
You will have a hard time to earn 1700,- Euros with a photo placed today in Micro. Many people see the blue flames at iStock but they forgot that these pictures are mostly pretty old (old in Microstock-terms anything older than two years is very old). The market did change already a picture placed today has it much much more difficult to reach blue flames than two years ago, it's changing pretty fast.

RacePhoto

« Reply #44 on: December 16, 2010, 13:57 »
0
You must feel very good when see such a commission in one single sale  ;D
Anyway as its impossible to know what files are going to sell, the key is to think in terms of the entire port, if i have X amount of images in a RM port, and those makes me Y money at month, would these same X images make me more or less money than Y on micros.
In micros almost avery single image is contributing to the total amount, and maybe as RM only one seles each month.
The answer will allways be an estimation as its impossible to have the same images on both, and beeing myself totallly unexperienced in RM field, i cant answer that.

I think the image will do well in micro or anyplace else. That's not the question. Come back in a year and report a total sales number (if you don't mind someone asking and prying into private information about one image) and see how much a great one brought in, in a year. I think this would be the best example or a super sales photo, just as you asked in the start.

Same as someone can say it might bring a couple thousand with one RM protected sale, not now, the whole premise of micro RF is that one image sells many times and the volume makes up for the lower prices. Nice test case.

« Reply #45 on: December 16, 2010, 16:37 »
0
Ill be happy to share the numbers in a year, the problem is that i remember to do it, you are wellcome to PM me to let me know if i dont  ::).

Anyway the image is selling but not as much i espected to, in FT for example was like a hole week with no even a single view. In IS as a espected was rejected, but i have to agree the reason, there was some minor tonal banding in the BKG gradient (at least i think that is the exact problem) so i uploaded it again. I really hope it starts on the right foot there.

Cheers


 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
1 Replies
2813 Views
Last post May 30, 2008, 12:29
by lisafx
13 Replies
5462 Views
Last post May 16, 2009, 05:58
by allyclark
1 Replies
3761 Views
Last post January 25, 2014, 19:47
by ruxpriencdiam
54 Replies
28696 Views
Last post March 21, 2015, 10:36
by Jojo - Super Image Market
15 Replies
4321 Views
Last post January 27, 2022, 13:47
by rushay

Sponsors

Mega Bundle of 5,900+ Professional Lightroom Presets

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors