Ann - thanks for the write up.  I wasn't able to go to the seminar but I did get a chance to walk the show and gathered some good info.  I remember you from the Scott Kelby's Worldwide Photowalk at Jones Beach in 2009 - it's nice run into you here.

You were on the Jones Beach Photowalk?!    I posted info about this on its offspring, the Long Island Photowalk group.

Please, give me a clue, one way or another, who you are.  And if you're in the LIPhotowalk, please forgive me for not recognizing klsbear - my memory for names/user-names, is sad - forever taking photos of programs, signs, you name it, so I'll "remember" what I'm photographing.

@leaf - my pleasure - and it would have been great to see you!

@surpasspro -

I enjoyed the Stock seminar. The panel was realistic about the current, more competitive, and often less-lucrative, state of stock photo business. Effective, personable speakers each delivered catchy phrases particularly helpful to those contemplating getting into stock photography, or wondering what was up with financial change from past years. And it's obvious why Ellen Boughn - so sharp and witty - is highly regarded.

But, compared to NYC PDN PhotoExpo 2008, microstock photography barely had a presence in 2010. Though Shutterstock was one of two sponsors of Stock seminar, there were no stock photo agency booths, a big difference from before. The Stock seminar  - which did not have a full house - was the only stock photography seminar, when there used to be a whole set of them. And notice that it was called "Making Money in Stock NOW" - word microstock wasn't in title.

I don't find it surprising, between downturn in economy, and how many are either migrating to macro (like me), or branching out to include macro, or getting out of stock altogether.

.................

And yes, 2008 NYC PDN Photoplus was banner Expo for stock photography, both in seminars and hall exhibitors.

side note-  I unexpectedly did guest blog w. photo on MicroStockDiaries about 2008 PDN PhotoExpo, and that ended up being big reason why I got dusk photo reflected on Javits Center windows this Friday:

Before the 2008 Microstock SuperStars seminar, I used my P&S to take photo of panel - Yuri Acurs, Andres Rodriguez, Kelly Cline, Lee Torrens, and moderator Daryl Lang from PDN. Well, it was way better shot than none at all (Photo Rule #1 - No Camera = No Photograph) , but I was frustrated it was all I had.

So, this year I decided to bring my D200, since it was light enough to carry all day. As mentioned in new blog post, I forgot I had already put my polarizing filter on before heading out for day, which impacted the shots I took during seminar. But, happily, nature provided gorgeous dusk reflected on Javits' windows, so all's good.

I think the idea they had was good and if it is implemented properly it should help buyers and that will keep contributors happy.

+1

Only images strong enough to show to a direct client should be sent to a stock agency.

If you take X number of photos during a photo shoot for client, and 20% of X are solid, it's better that the client just sees them, rather than having those images drown in an ocean of mixed-bag shots. Same goes for stock.

"Submit quality, salable images that stand out" is more useful advice than "submit, submit, submit" and "keep your weak images on port forever" while citing that agencies have millions of images.

No one has unlimited time, so each hour you spend working on fair shots is an hour you've missed building a port that's going to stand out from the masses.


and I totally agreed with:

click_click: "Only upload your best work so the buyers will be happy."

Congratulations, epantha!

RacePhoto   - final paragraphs of your post are classic

....................

Doing test searches using term(s) likely to include your images in results should be a good way to see how new search system affects you and whether you should change how you submit images for now.

To help avoid having somewhat similar images all represented by one top image of stack, it might pay to submit them separately. So, for example, you could submit editorials of Manhattan Stock Exchange separate from ones of Trump Globe near Central Park.

Stacks might not include images, even if closely related, from more than one submission, so it sounds like a good idea to submit all closely related images at once if goal is to have buyer find them all in one stack.

BTW, I did read that the more specific a search is, using several search terms, the better this new search system works.

Quote from: cclapper on October 03, 2010, 14:13

Quote from: Allsa on October 01, 2010, 16:30

Simple solution - stop uploading. I wish everyone would just stop uploading to Getty, especially the independents. You keep uploading and what sort of message does that send to Getty - that it's OK to rip-off their loyal contributors? Do you really want to see the other micros follow Getty's greedy example? Because that's where this is leading to we don't don't find an effective means of protesting the commission cut. Ten cents a download anyone?

+1

+3

Quote from: ann on September 30, 2010, 01:11

Alamy is best place for editorial RM.

Are you selling a lot at Alamy?

My port is tiny, but sales are promising. For ex, I've probably earned more on A than combined, all-time total on my now-former ports on IS + F.

I agree with Shady Sue. Alamy doesn't allow selling images as RM on their site if images have already sold as RF, and contributors who purposely do it have incomprehensibly decided to break the rule, and risk the consequences if found out.

(In my experience, they seem to care very much about what license an image has. For ex, they don't even want related images sold under different licenses. I sold an image as RF elsewhere, and when I submitted a related image (first time submitting it anywhere; different orientation, model doing something quite different, but images clearly were same time/place/model) Alamy Customer Support agreed that 2nd image should be RF.)

For anyone beginning to submit Editorial images to agencies - Start with macro as opposed to micro agencies.

Because of editorial use limitations and micro's price structure, it's virtually impossible to earn reasonable money for editorial images - including strong ones that are unique and/or could be used broadly over long period of time.

I wish I had known from the start about Alamy RM editorial. Just checked the overall earnings of editorial images I submitted to micros a few years ago - $36 for my top editorial at one micro, $25 for top one at the other. And, of course, once image sells as RF, it can never be RM.

(I realize original post was about RM editorial.)

Alamy is best place for editorial RM.

Thank you so much for replying, forpositiononly and massman.  

Photos on my monitor seemed to look as expected after the switch & calibration, but I feel MUCH better now with some knowledgeable confirmation.

Now I'm mired in getting Nik Collection into CS5. The very bad news is that - except for Viveza2 - it looks like Nik doesn't support 64-bit systems yet. Aaaack!  Just sent a detailed letter to their tech support...

Oh, and all's fine, massman, for I saw your old and then new post during my same visit here.

big thanks   Ann

The top two pieces of advice I'd give to someone entering stock:

1) Focus on quality images in well-targeted areas - at the expense of volume, if necessary.
Expect a strong port of 100 or less to at least equal earnings of an average one of thousand+....

2) If your subject matter and technique fit, focus on macro over micro. And keep the two portfolios completely separate.