Succeeding In Stock Photography

The stock photography business has become a roller coaster of ups an downs, but some photographers are still doing well.

Poor Sales And Pulling Imagery

I just read a post on a forum in which a photographer complained about his sales (or lack of sales) at Alamy and is going to pull all of his imagery. Everywhere one turns photographers are decrying the state of the industry. I can’t even count how many photographers I have heard give up on Getty and Corbis. Even microstock photographers are hating on iStock (formerly iStockphoto) and Shutterstock. There is no doubt that these are challenging times in the stock photo industry, but I think it is important to keep in mind that the ones we hear from most are the ones who are having a hard time. The shooters who are experiencing success are for the most part eschewing the forums to…drum roll…make images!

Photographers Succeeding In Stock

There are photographers who are succeeding in stock.  So while that one unnamed photographer is pulling his imagery from Alamy, Jon Boyes has found a formula for making Alamy pay well…and is experiencing increasing sales.   Cristian Baitg is finding success with iStock. Others I know are growing their sales at Getty (I can’t speak to Corbis as I don’t personally know anyone who is an active Corbis contributor). Even the upstart agency Stocksy, with just a few months under its belt, is claiming that several of their photographers are making good livings (though I would sure love to know exactly what that means….). I am also aware of many Blend Images photographers who are doing well.

Making Stock Photography Work

My point is that we photographers can still make stock work for us, but need to understand what model suits our particular abilities and style. Jon Boyes, for example, has the patience and discipline to understand and make the most of key wording at Alamy.  Cristian Baitg knows what works, and how to shoot it, for the micro model. 

Rights Managed, Royalty Free, Microstock And Roller Coasters

I hear photographers say their RM imagery is doing well but that they are giving up on RF…and I also hear the exact opposite. I know at least one photographer who has given up on Getty to shoot microstock! I personally am experiencing what I am sure many other shooters are…a roller coaster of up and down months. One month I think things have turned the corner and the future is rosy, the next I have to grit my teeth and not let a disappointing sales report interrupt my productivity. When you hear the sky is falling, take it with a grain of salt and learn as much as you can about your own situation and what will work for you.

Understand Your Distribution

To succeed in stock photography these days it certainly helps to understand which agencies offer what. Getty, for example, is still the 600 lb. Gorilla, but is not offering much in the way of individual art direction. Blend Images (disclaimer…I am a part owner of Blend), as another example, offers vast distribution and individual art direction.  Shutterstock boasts a huge customer base, but certainly isn’t right for my style of imagery…at least not “as right” as Getty or Blend. On top of everything else agencies are going public, venture capital is coming in, and agencies are jockeying for position with renewed vigor. Change is afoot and it may be very important to pay attention to it!

What To Shoot, How To Shoot And How To Distribute

Each of use needs to really understand what to shoot, how to take advantage of our own skill sets and shooting styles, and which distribution channels work best our own circumstances. If we can understand those things we can still thrive in stock photography...it just isn't easy.

Creating Stock Photos: Weakness Into Strength

 

To speed up my career I need to speed up my production by turning weaknesses into strengths.

Increase Earnings And Continuing Challenges

There was a time; a few years ago, when it was pretty easy for me to just cruise along at half speed in my stock photography career.  But those years have passed and my desire to continue having what I consider to be adequate financial success requires that I step things up a bit. Actually, in 2011 I earned more in stock income than in 2010, and that is a good sign, but in the face of all the continuing challenges to the stock photography industry, I feel a need to grow my business even more.

Turn Weaknesses Into Strengths

One way that seems to me to be a foolproof way to boost any career is to determine what your biggest weakness is and turn that weakness into a strength. When I look at my own situation it seems to me that my biggest weakness, at least as far as stock photography is concerned, is a lack of production. That is, I simply don’t produce enough images.

Unproductive Time And Scheduling Shoots

Early in my stock photo career I used to think of a single idea and execute it. When the recession hit, and teamed up with the digital effects of oversupply and dropping prices, I began to shoot the raw materials for multiple images and then get to work creating my concept stock photos. While an improvement, I still end up with too much unproductive time, time that is unproductive because I am working with the "dregs" of a given photo shoot with the least exciting ideas and a shortage of quality raw material (images) for my composites. What I finally realized is that I need to start scheduling my next shoot before I finish creating the images from the last shoot.

Troublesome Ideas And More Enjoyment

Tom Grill and his staff plan out his shoots up to a year in advance…and now I am starting to realize why he is so successful. In my own case, having a constant supply of raw materials for the creation of my images will allow me to skip over ideas that are turning out to be troublesome and time-wasting, and will allow me to not only increase my production, but actually enjoy my work more.

More And Better Stock Photos

Right now, despite all the industry problems, I am having more fun making images than I ever have, and I am now additionally fired-up to turn that weakness, an ill-organized and almost reticent approach to shooting, into a strength through improved planning and scheduling. Again, that will give me a more continuous stream of high-quality raw materials from which to make more and better stock photos. Now excuse me, I have a shoot to plan!