Gold At The End Of The Stock Photo Rainbow

There is gold at the end of the stock photo rainbow for those who approach their shooting with discipline and thought.

My Top 100 Images For 2012

I recently took a very close look at my stock photo sales for 2012. One of the more interesting things was that of my top 100 selling images, thirty percent (well, okay, it was actually 29%) of them were created before 2005 (which is as far back as I have been keeping track of sales). That seems pretty significant to me. That figure includes my sales from Blend Images, Getty and Corbis.

Endless E+ Images And Search Algorithms

That high number of long-in-tooth images seems even more impressive when I look at the seemingly endless number of E+ images that fill page after page of search results on the Getty site. With so many images competing for search slots how the heck does anyone ever see any of my images?  The answer has to be that the search algorithms Getty and others use do take into account an images’ sales history, and possibly even the photographer’s body of work as well. It sure would be nice if we could see behind the curtain once-in-a-while whether or not it would help with our sales!

Market Needs And Production Value

So what can we individual photographers do to make those algorithms work for us? Well, there really isn’t a whole lot we can do, which makes it that much more important to focus in on those things we can do. Certainly it is obvious that the more quality we put into our images the better off we will be. In this case quality can be production value as well as relevance to market needs. Actually, making sure your image is something the market needs probably is even more important than high production value! The trick here is to not let your perception of what the market needs inhibit your creativity. I believe it is also vitally important to edit really tightly and not water-down the over all quality of your body of work.

Improving Agency Sales

Another thing we can do is get our imagery up on our web sites with links to work on the agency sites. I get around twenty visitors a day that find my work via the Internet and then click on through to whatever agency is handling the image they have found. While I can’t track what percentage of those visitors actually license images some of them do, and when they do it is a double bonus because the image they license moves up in importance.  When you think about it, having a website that can help drive traffic to your images, even on agency sites, is one of the few things we can actually do to improve our agency sales. In fact, I am currently having my own site “tuned-up” to provide, hopefully, a better user experience as well as better SEO. Should have that up in about a week or two.

Success In Stock Photography

I really believe that success in stock photography necessitates images that have a long life span. So my mantra is creating photos that are relevant to the market, have a high production value, and resist becoming dated.  My own recipe for success also includes diversifying my images as much as I can (the limiting factor being that it has to be something I enjoy creating) and diversifying in terms of agency distribution.

Gold At The End Of The Rainbow

If there is gold at the end of the stock photo rainbow (you knew I had to work that in), the only way to get there is by having the discipline to create new work necessary to ensure maximum visibility.

The Most Important Predictor of Success in Stock Photography

Determination is the most important factor in success and reaching your goals.

"We learned quickly that the most important predictor of success is determination. At first we thought it might be intelligence. Everyone likes to believe that's what makes start ups succeed. It makes a better story that a company won because its founders were so smart. The PR people and reporters who spread such stories probably believe them themselves. But while it certainly helps to be smart, it's not the deciding factor. There are plenty of people as smart as Bill Gates who achieve nothing."

The above Paul Graham quote was brought to my attention by travel photographer David Sanger. It reminded me of some of my early years. It was five years after I decided to be a professional photographer that I managed to finally make a living at it. During those early years I was a substitute teacher, delivered tickets, worked as a janitor and so forth. The last job I had before I could just shoot full time, was as a landscape laborer. Even after I was able to give up the odd jobs I remember my accountant suggesting to me that I get a ‘real job”. Years later one of my bookkeepers quit because, as she said, “you won’t be in business a few months from now”. I’ve had my share of ups and downs, but I have had determination.

A great way to define determination is the willingness to do whatever it takes. When you add that kind of determination to a clear, focused plan, it is almost impossible not to succeed. Set clear goals, break them down into small steps, set deadlines for those steps and follow through. In light of the one-two punch of image oversupply and the recession I find myself re-committed to this process. I have set a new income goal for myself, broken out what I believe to be the necessary steps to reach that goal, and am working hard at completing those steps. If I miss a deadline, I set a new one. I am always learning, which means I am continually adjusting those steps. The fact that I am writing this at nine-forty three in the evening shows I am willing to do whatever it takes!

Brian Tracy is a motivational speaker and success coach. Years ago, when I was at my absolute lowest, someone gave me a Brian Tracy tape...which I listened to over and over and over again. One strategy he suggests that has always struck me as being very astute is that you should figure out what is the one thing, that if you mastered, would be the most important thing to propel your career forward, then master it. For me, way back then, that one thing was Photoshop, and it totally changed my career and my life.  Next, Tracy suggests, figure out what is the one thing, that if you mastered, would propel your career forward, then master it. Next, well, you get the point. And isn't that true?

All it takes is determination and perseverance. You can hone your creativity, you can master camera techniques and computer programs. You can learn the business end of stock photography. You can succeed. Have the belief in yourself and the knowledge that your goal is reachable. Set that goal, break it down into small steps, set deadlines to those steps, and get your butt in gear!