MicrostockGroup
Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: Mormegil on December 30, 2008, 18:19
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There seems to be a consensus that editorial images should be put up only at RM sites, such as Alamy. What are some of the reasons for this?
Personally, half my SS images are editorial (mainly travel, parades, sports and other events). I've got some up on Alamy as RM, but I still get way more per image per year with RF on SS and now DT+BS.
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IMO, editorial images are more timely and specific, and overall should probably sell less than commercial work, so you should sell it where you get more return for fewer sales.
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There is also a lot more leeway regarding need for releases when sold as editorial unreleased on places like Alamy. You can have unreleased people sold strictly as editorial usage that get a reasonable rate of return.
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To me, editorial at the micro agencies looks more and more like "events". I've had a number of photos rejected as "not editorial" because they don't relate to a particular event, while newspapers and magazines often use photos that only describes a place or situation in general terms.
The second reason is that many editorial photos are very low volume. Having a photo selling once or twice at a micro agency is no use. Then it's better to take the chance, and maybe wait for a couple of years, before it sells on Alamy or another traditional agency for a higher price.
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Thanks for the thoughts. If it's all about return, then I think I'm fine with my rate of return.
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As for Alamy and RM as Editorial, the reason is simple cost!
A newspaper not like advertising often just require a small spot size image for a single topical use, and RM often works out "cheaper than RF" for the specific use.
Alamy sells about 76% RM and 78% Editorial so uploading as RF could lower the chance of a sale at the moment, but this may change over the next 18-24 Months.
Alamy are opening a US office and are looking at the US advertising market, even though Alamy is not know well in the US at present 30% of Alamy Sales are to the US and 21% of photographers are US based, the editorial US market is tightly sewn up already, and Alamy will be moving to Photographers uploading model releases this year sometime, this is to cater for the USA Commercial marketplace.
David