Author Topic: I'm back! (Read 4407 times)

riffmax · « **on:** January 08, 2024, 15:25 »

Greetings, all.

I don't know how many of my old friends are still here after all this time. One or two, I think.

I've been out of the loop for quite some time. I'm going to guess it was probably 2019 or so. I know Hubs was getting pretty sick then and you guys helped me through a tough financial time and I will never forget that.

My life has so drastically changed since then. Sadly, Rob passed about 3 months ago. I won't go into detail, but he just never really got better, except for a brief span of hopefulness. We relocated out of South Florida, bought a little house in a small town (still in Florida, but now Central Florida), and had a lot of optimism for a better life. Unfortunately for Rob, that optimism was brief. But he is out of pain and misery now and would not want to be living in the condition into which he eventually fell. I hold on to that to keep from staying in the rabbit hole I sometimes find myself in.

So, I am now knocking at the door of 65 and have "retired". I intend to get the photography back up and going enough to fill in the gap left by Social Security. I will be able to give it all I've got like I never could before. If that doesn't work, then I guess I'm destined to be a Walmart greeter (no offense to Walmart greeters), but I hope that by putting more irons in the fire, I'll be able to supplement SS enough that I can avoid that.

Anyway, I know a lot has changed in the last 5 or so years, so there is some catching up for me to do. I'm learning about social media and have gotten some prints up at a boutique in the area. It will be a full-time job, but (as they say), if you're doing something you love, you'll never work another day in your life. I am generally well and healthy enough, so I think I will be here for some time to come.

I just wanted to say hello to my old friends here and perhaps make some new ones. I'm sure I'll have plenty of silly questions (I always did), but for this part, I am really happy to be back at it. Even now, I am applying to Stocksy, so who knows?

Again, I just want to thank everyone who stepped up when Rob was sick. If I do nothing else, I want to do this - which is to say that your support was always so very appreciated. You might not have thought so, since I virtually disappeared shortly thereafter, but caregiving took over my life and that had to be my focus. It's no excuse for my disappearance, but rather just a reason. But, I'm glad to be back and am looking forward to participating in this awesome group once again.

Happy New Year, and I wish all the best for everyone in 2024!

cobalt · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2024, 15:44 »

Welcome back!

Sorry about all your difficult news. Hope you can find some comfort in your new life.

I don't think a walmart greeter is in your future if you are ready to put some hard work into your port.

the biggest changes is the rise of creating images with the help of ai engines. midjourney, stable diffusion, dall e 3...there is a lot to google and experiment with.

Advantage: you can sit on your sofa and create content from everyhwere in the world, any style, also illustrations, vectors and now videos.

Disadvantage: there is quite a steep learning curve and at the moment only Adobe is the agency that will really make you money.

But Adobe has come a long way and has some really excellent sales.

I focused on them in the last 12 months after not uploading anything for over 10 years and have seen some amazing sales growth.

This year I will be focussing on video and also add normal photos after spending a year doing mostly ai content.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

wordplanet · « **Reply #2 on:** January 08, 2024, 16:30 »

Welcome back! Sorry life has been so hard. Condolences on your loss.

Aside from the growth of AI, I'd say the biggest change, which you can see via the poll, is that Adobe Stock has replaced shutterstock as the top performing stock photo agency for most photographers (unless they are lucky and talented enough to work with Stocksy).

Adobe takes everything except for regular editorial. They do take "illustrative editorial" though you may need to have a certain number of sales before they'll accept them. You probably met that threshold already - it's small like 500 or 1000 lifetime sales, I think.

In my experience, every type of image seems to sell on Adobe. My top sellers range from travel to concept (with and without people) to abstract backgrounds to non-vector illustrations made with Photoshop - so whatever your style, my best advice would be to put some effort into increasing your Adobe Stock portfolio.

I have limited AI experience - about 70 files accepted on Adobe since late October, of which 2 have sold a couple of times each. It's fast to build up a substantial number of AI files and it was fun for a while, but I'm bored with it and am ready to put more effort into my photography again. Like you, photography is what I love. Photo sales have been growing there, so AI isn't killing that market despite dire predictions. Others are having great success with AI and their advice is worth reviewing if you're interested.

I just hit 65 recently and it's weird to suddenly be in this demographic because in my head I'm so much younger. Glad you are healthy. Hope you can get your portfolio performing well enough to supplement social security - it sounds like you're willing to work hard enough for it to be doable. You also live in a place where the weather is lovely most of the year, so that's a plus (although I guess heat in the summer is as discouraging as the cold is here in the northeast in winter). Well, sure it's beautiful right now. So, best of luck!

Keep us posted on how you're doing.

riffmax · « **Reply #3 on:** January 08, 2024, 18:53 »

Thank you Jasmin and Marianne. It is nice to speak with you both. I agree that Adobe has risen in return over the last 5 years or so. Even as infrequently "feeding the beast", I still made payout every month. I'm hoping that by renewing my efforts and doubling them as well that I will do better than "making payout". I also am going to look into more sites and I will have to play with AI just to check it out. I may look into video - I tried it before and was pretty bad, but now that I'm not punching a time clock anymore, I will have time to hone my video skills as well.

I guess I shouldn't hold my breath about being accepted at Stocksy.

Marianne, I completely understand your comment about being younger in your head. Of course, I have changed in my head over the years...I have less tolerance for idiocy and certainly am not nearly as obsessed with what other people think as I was when I was younger. Yes, I am relatively healthy, but my body still reminds me regularly that I am old. And I don't know who that gal is in my bathroom mirror! LOL!

Pacesetter · « **Reply #4 on:** January 09, 2024, 02:35 »

Welcome back. Very sorry to hear of your loss. Glad to hear you are doing better and returning to stock photography.

Probably the biggest change in stock photography in the past 5 years or so is the contributor earnings potential. In fact, so big the change I had to write up the following encouraging post less everyone give up and leave.

https://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/yes-you-can-make-up-to-10-cents-a-day-in-the-microstock-industry/msg572682/#msg572682

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #5 on:** January 09, 2024, 13:33 »

Here's to better tomorrows.

Welcome Back

riffmax · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2024, 17:40 »

Hi, Pete. You're still here! Hope all is well with you. It's nice to see a familiar name in all this.

WendyT · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2024, 20:39 »

Quote from: riffmax on January 08, 2024, 18:53

And I don't know who that gal is in my bathroom mirror! LOL!

Welcome back, I am sure you will do well. I have a haunted mirror, there is some old biddy in there that wont let me see the real me! (67 here going on 37ish)

cobalt · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2024, 08:33 »

For video, I would also recommend to add editorial.

There is a thread on pond5 where people volunteer their latest sales and it is amazing how much editorial sells.

Also don‘t be shy to use your mobile phone. Especially outdoors it can give excellent results, not just for editorial.

There are only 60 million? 80 million? video files over all agencies, so basically the market is still wide open.

Just make sure to use a small tripod if you can or maybe invest in a simple electric slider, it makes a big difference.

Shaky handheld clips don‘t sell so well.

You can try to focus on themes like „hands doing doing something“ - cooking, knitting, typing on a tablet or computer, making a coffee and overall documenting an entire process - writing a grocery list, shopping at the market, storing away your groceries at home..etc..think of a little story.

Very few people shoot with a story in mind and it is very useful for costumers.

Ideally with real people, but I have found little hand clips are generic and have a wide usefulness.

If you have access to a good location, a beautiful kitchen, a nice looking garden, a pool, a beautiful bedroom, a fireplace…there is an endless amount of fresh content than can be produced.

Good luck with your journey and keep us updated.

Annie2022 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2024, 22:44 »

OMG, I can't believe Rob has passed! What a shock. How devastating!! I still can't believe I read that correctly.

As for your question: play to your strengths. In this regard - music! Do you still have your studio setup? Then how about doing audio? Possibly a steep learning curve, but in the meantime, you can still do some shoots, and/or have a play around with AI.

Remember the old saying: "There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats." - Albert Schweitzer

(and maybe get a couple of kittens too

)

I am not doing microstock anymore. I'm involved in something new and will send a PM as soon as I get the chance.

Look after yourself, sweetie.

Love, A

PS. For the old days "Chrissie"

https://youtu.be/0H6re3PCP3E

riffmax · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2024, 09:01 »

Quote from: WendyT on January 09, 2024, 20:39

Quote from: riffmax on January 08, 2024, 18:53
And I don't know who that gal is in my bathroom mirror! LOL!

Welcome back, I am sure you will do well. I have a haunted mirror, there is some old biddy in there that wont let me see the real me! (67 here going on 37ish)

Wendy, hello! I have thought of you often over the recent years. It is so nice you're still around!

I know what "they" should do about those * mirrors...and certainly the technology exists. There needs to be mirrors that have filters on them so that we can kid ourselves that we still look like we did at 37ish!

riffmax · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2024, 09:16 »

Quote from: AK22 on January 10, 2024, 22:44

OMG, I can't believe Rob has passed! What a shock. How devastating!! I still can't believe I read that correctly.

As for your question: play to your strengths. In this regard - music! Do you still have your studio setup? Then how about doing audio? Possibly a steep learning curve, but in the meantime, you can still do some shoots, and/or have a play around with AI.

Remember the old saying: "There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats." - Albert Schweitzer

(and maybe get a couple of kittens too )

I am not doing microstock anymore. I'm involved in something new and will send a PM as soon as I get the chance.

Look after yourself, sweetie.

Love, A

PS. For the old days "Chrissie"

https://youtu.be/0H6re3PCP3E

Hello, my dear old friend and mentor in so many ways. Yes, I am still in shock about Rob. But it was such a long process I began mourning his passing quite some time ago. 2023 was, obviously, really bad. They never did get entirely to the bottom of what was going on, although they were getting close. When the "next step" included a feeding tube, he said "I'm done". I don't blame him a bit. The last days/weeks/months were worse and worse. My main problem is getting my big brain not to dwell on those days, but rather the man I remember being with for 40+ years. I'll get there.

I did try to find you here. I've never trusted my email, but looking for you here was a dead end. I'm glad you're still around, though.

Yes, Rob was able to get the studio hooked up and working before he became too weak to do much. I have ventured in a couple of times and have been picking up my guitar a little. That's going to be a long road back, though. Eventually, I may try to generate some extra income through it, but just getting my muscle memory back and remembering some "chops" is going to take some time. My curiosity is piqued by this AI stuff, though. The main thing is that I need to keep pushing and pushing and pushing to make the ends meet. So there's this - there's ebay - I've started flipping some small furniture and collectibles - all "side hustles" that are going to be my only hustle!

Thanks for the video - brings back wonderful memories. Thank you.

Hope you and Nick are doing well. Looking forward to hearing from you again!

Love you :-)

P

riffmax · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2024, 09:20 »

Quote from: cobalt on January 10, 2024, 08:33

For video, I would also recommend to add editorial.

There is a thread on pond5 where people volunteer their latest sales and it is amazing how much editorial sells.

Also don‘t be shy to use your mobile phone. Especially outdoors it can give excellent results, not just for editorial.

There are only 60 million? 80 million? video files over all agencies, so basically the market is still wide open.

Just make sure to use a small tripod if you can or maybe invest in a simple electric slider, it makes a big difference.

Shaky handheld clips don‘t sell so well.

You can try to focus on themes like „hands doing doing something“ - cooking, knitting, typing on a tablet or computer, making a coffee and overall documenting an entire process - writing a grocery list, shopping at the market, storing away your groceries at home..etc..think of a little story.

Very few people shoot with a story in mind and it is very useful for costumers.

Ideally with real people, but I have found little hand clips are generic and have a wide usefulness.

If you have access to a good location, a beautiful kitchen, a nice looking garden, a pool, a beautiful bedroom, a fireplace…there is an endless amount of fresh content than can be produced.

Good luck with your journey and keep us updated.

Thank you again - I appreciate the encouragement.

Annie2022 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 11, 2024, 16:47 »

Quote from: riffmax on January 11, 2024, 09:16

Quote from: AK22 on January 10, 2024, 22:44
OMG, I can't believe Rob has passed! What a shock. How devastating!! I still can't believe I read that correctly.

As for your question: play to your strengths. In this regard - music! Do you still have your studio setup? Then how about doing audio? Possibly a steep learning curve, but in the meantime, you can still do some shoots, and/or have a play around with AI.

Remember the old saying: "There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats." - Albert Schweitzer

(and maybe get a couple of kittens too )

I am not doing microstock anymore. I'm involved in something new and will send a PM as soon as I get the chance.

Look after yourself, sweetie.

Love, A

PS. For the old days "Chrissie"

https://youtu.be/0H6re3PCP3E

Hello, my dear old friend and mentor in so many ways. Yes, I am still in shock about Rob. But it was such a long process I began mourning his passing quite some time ago. 2023 was, obviously, really bad. They never did get entirely to the bottom of what was going on, although they were getting close. When the "next step" included a feeding tube, he said "I'm done". I don't blame him a bit. The last days/weeks/months were worse and worse. My main problem is getting my big brain not to dwell on those days, but rather the man I remember being with for 40+ years. I'll get there.

I did try to find you here. I've never trusted my email, but looking for you here was a dead end. I'm glad you're still around, though.

Yes, Rob was able to get the studio hooked up and working before he became too weak to do much. I have ventured in a couple of times and have been picking up my guitar a little. That's going to be a long road back, though. Eventually, I may try to generate some extra income through it, but just getting my muscle memory back and remembering some "chops" is going to take some time. My curiosity is piqued by this AI stuff, though. The main thing is that I need to keep pushing and pushing and pushing to make the ends meet. So there's this - there's ebay - I've started flipping some small furniture and collectibles - all "side hustles" that are going to be my only hustle!

Thanks for the video - brings back wonderful memories. Thank you.

Hope you and Nick are doing well. Looking forward to hearing from you again!

Love you :-)

P

Here's some inspiration for you ...

1. Pond5 Audio.

https://www.pond5.com/search?kw=guitar-riff&media=music

2. You're really good at arty-crafty things. Here's some ideas that you can sell on Etsy or eBay (please dont sell your furniture and collectibles)

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1191620309/6-inch-terracotta-face-planter-pots-with

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1080843941/blue-watercolor-painted-concrete-face

https://www.etsy.com/listing/899434153/handpainted-terracotta-pots-with-saucer

3. Re AI - think of all things you used to want to shoot but couldn't because of limited space, equipment, props, etc. You know the rest. Copy space, bordered backgrounds, holiday themes, etc, etc.

Remember, little by little, bit by bit, step by step.

Ok, this is corny, and may make others cringe - but you know me. Seeing I stole the lines, a little bit of inspiration from Whitney:

https://youtu.be/sWa5vE4MUpU?list=RDsWa5vE4MUpU

My heart goes out to you, sweetheart

WendyT · « **Reply #14 on:** January 11, 2024, 18:31 »

Quote from: riffmax on January 11, 2024, 09:01

Quote from: WendyT on January 09, 2024, 20:39
Quote from: riffmax on January 08, 2024, 18:53
And I don't know who that gal is in my bathroom mirror! LOL!

Welcome back, I am sure you will do well. I have a haunted mirror, there is some old biddy in there that wont let me see the real me! (67 here going on 37ish)

Wendy, hello! I have thought of you often over the recent years. It is so nice you're still around!

I know what "they" should do about those * mirrors...and certainly the technology exists. There needs to be mirrors that have filters on them so that we can kid ourselves that we still look like we did at 37ish!

Have been thinking about you too. I am sorry to hear that things went so bad over the last few years, I had a rough few years and last year was my "annus horribilus" too. I am only just getting back to thinking about stock.
I am glad you are getting back into music, it is one of the things that soothes the soul.
Annie had good advice as usual

As for the mirrors they definitely need to do something about them

I take my glasses off it is amazing how much of a soft filter that is. No more wrinkles

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Author Topic: I'm back! (Read 4407 times)

riffmax

cobalt

wordplanet

riffmax

Pacesetter

Uncle Pete

riffmax

WendyT

cobalt

Annie2022

riffmax

riffmax

riffmax

Annie2022

WendyT

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