Selling Photos

[csondagar]

I have some (10-12) photos that I think are good quality and sellable. Though I am not looking to make tons of money, I would like to sell to get some pocket money, if possible online.

I have checked out the photo agency like alamy and geatty. With them I do not stand a chance yet. Need to build a large portfolio before I can consider them. I have also checked out Shutterpoint.com, workbookstock.com, smugmug.com.

Shutterpoint.com seems to be most suited for beginners like me.

Has anyone experience any of these sites?

Any words of advice for a beginner would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[MazerRakhm]

After looking around I created a smugmug account. They are very easy to use, great uploading utilities, and are a pretty fast site (I've yet to have any problems after 5 mo. with them now.).

I also like the fact that they put display monthly statistics on how many views/gallery. I mostly post to my online journal/blog to share with friends and that has become the main way I track visitors.

Hope this helps!

[Dave2003]

I have some (10-12) photos that I think are good quality and sellable. Though I am not looking to make tons of money, I would like to sell to get some pocket money, if possible online.

I have checked out the photo agency like alamy and geatty. With them I do not stand a chance yet. Need to build a large portfolio before I can consider them. I have also checked out Shutterpoint.com, workbookstock.com, smugmug.com.

Shutterpoint.com seems to be most suited for beginners like me.

Has anyone experience any of these sites?

Any words of advice for a beginner would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

In my experience Can Stock Photo (http://www.canstockphoto.com?r=513) are the best paying. By better paying I mean pays the best commissions to Stock Photographers themselves Canstocks commisions are as follows.

Member Download
-----------Retail---Return
Small----$1.50---$0.50 (33%)
Medium--$3.00---$1.75 (58%)
Large----$4.50---$3.00 (67%)

Guest Download
-----------Retail---Return
Small----$3.00---$1.00 (33%)
Medium--$4.25---$2.50 (59%)
Large----$6.00---$4.00 (67%)

Compare this with Istock's (http://www.istockphoto.com/) commission structure which is not that great for Photographers (But it is cheapest for designers to download).

-----------Retail----Return
Small-----$0.50---$0.10(20%)
Medium--$1.00----$0.20(20%)
Large-----$1.50---$0.30(20%)

As you can see the return for photographers is ten times more on Can Stock Photo (http://www.canstockphoto.com?r=513). Does anyone know of any other Stock Photo sites that pay better than this?

People in othe forums where I have posted have mentioned IstockPro but There is a barrier to entry with Istock Pro that Canstock Photo (http://www.canstockphoto.com/search.php?mem=513&r=513) does not have, you have to have a minimum portfolio of 100 photos available to view online (at 100% of their original resolution), and if they think your portfolio of at least 100 photos is worthy and it is selected then you can become a member.

I dont have a portfolio of 100pics yet *sigh*

By the way My Istock Portfolio can be seen here (http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?id=360977), and this is my Canstock Photo Portfolio (http://www.canstockphoto.com/search.php?mem=513&r=513).

[phototrekker]

The subject of selling photographs to online stockagencies like istock has been very much debated. Professional photographers say that it undermines the whole photography business.

However, I feel that if you haven't reached a professional level (yet) , it could be usefull to submit your images to those stockagencies. You get instant feedback abt your pictures just by the fact that they are accepted or not. Usually they also give you a reason why they are rejected like poor focus, noise, etc...

Recently, I have found a new agency that accepts pictures:
shutterstock.com (http://submit.shutterstock.com/?ref=496)

The payout per downloaded image is 20 cents I believe, but you will probably earn more than with istock , as the customer pays an 'all-you can-download-fee' and is therefore more likely to download bigger quantities of images. This in return increases the chance of your image being downloaded


Regards

[RogCincy]

Looks like at least with shutterstock you are giving up your right to the copyright. I understand that when you sell the photo you are basically selling the right to that photo but for .20 a download......

Also beware if you sign up....... I just emailed their support about there not being a secure form when you go to fill out their photographer's application. So all your personal information is being sent clear text.......

[osh]

I know of a great service that isn't free, but well worth the small yearly fee. I am a veteran smugmug user and I wouldn't use any other service, mostly because of the many features and ease of use. During my trips to Europe and Africa, all I do when my camera's memory card is full is literally find an internet cafe, upload, and go - smugmug does the rest! This not only frees up my memory card, but lets folks back home see the places I've been while I'm on the go! You can also sell your photos online with great commission rates. If you're not convinced, check it out for yourself: http://www.smugmug.com (http://www.smugmug.com/?referrer=sL2HLom4aoVlQ). You can even save $5 using the coupon sL2HLom4aoVlQ !

[elkootcho]

Compare this with Istock's commission structure which is not that great for Photographers (But it is cheapest for designers to download).

-----------Retail----Return
Small-----$0.50---$0.10(20%)
Medium--$1.00----$0.20(20%)
Large-----$1.50---$0.30(20%)


Actually, I think istockphoto is now:
-----------Retail----Return
Small-----$1.00---$?
Medium--$2.00----$?
Large-----$3.00---$?

I don't sell images there so I don't know how much the photog gets but I think there are different levels so the return amount varies.

[swatcop169]

I have a smugmug account myself, the pro account lets you set your own prices. Great deal for $100 a year, unlimted space and 8gb transfer a month

[epeace]

something ive noticed across most of these sites is that theres absolutely no pirating protection on the images. a few have watermarks but those are easily removed in photoshop. and smug mug offers the entire full res image for you to just save to your computer. it would seem they are only concerned with prints. is this how it is normally done in the online stock world?

swatcop169 i noticed you are a fellow hockey fan . . dont get me started on bob goodenow . .

[S230]

This is something I am planning to do also but I am not sure if I would lose any rights to the photos in case I ever need to sell directly to a publisher for bigger profit. So far, I found 2 sites (www.istockphoto.com and www.canstockphoto.com). I am still trying to read the fine prints but they don't boldly say that or I am not reading it correctly.
Can someone please give me a highlight what happens once I upload my photo online. Thanks. :)

[epeace]

you retain full rights to all photos you have shot unless you implicitly sign them away (in writing) . . so read that fine print as many times as you have to to be satisfied you are not doing this . . . .

[swatcop169]

something ive noticed across most of these sites is that theres absolutely no pirating protection on the images. a few have watermarks but those are easily removed in photoshop. and smug mug offers the entire full res image for you to just save to your computer. it would seem they are only concerned with prints. is this how it is normally done in the online stock world?

swatcop169 i noticed you are a fellow hockey fan . . dont get me started on bob goodenow . .

Yea hockey is my new favorite sport :)

As for smugmug you can choice not to display the orginal, I have my turned off, all you can see in my gallery's are large.

[S230]

you retain full rights to all photos you have shot unless you implicitly sign them away (in writing) . . so read that fine print as many times as you have to to be satisfied you are not doing this . . . .
Thanks.. but what about the two sites I listed? (www.istockphoto.com and www.canstockphoto.com). any experience with these two? The reason being is that people are able to download them and I have no control as to how many gets downloaded.

[Ogrt48]

Dont use those crappy stock sites, thats more like giving away your photos, not selling them.

[S230]

In my experience Can Stock Photo (http://www.canstockphoto.com?r=513) are the best paying. By better paying I mean pays the best commissions to Stock Photographers themselves Canstocks commisions are as follows.

By the way My Istock Portfolio can be seen here (http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?id=360977), and this is my Canstock Photo Portfolio (http://www.canstockphoto.com/search.php?mem=513&r=513).
Hi Dave, I recently joined istockphoto and I noticed that you have membership to both.
Is is ok to post identical photo on both istock and canstockphoto? The reason I say this is because sometimes users search only one one site and not another.

[GerryDavid]

Im not sure how it is with the cheaper stock sites, but the reeal ones only want your image on thier site. If they find it on another site your in big trouble with them. Now if you did a shoot, posted some good ones on the one site, and posted different pictures that look about the sam on the other, I think that might be ok. Ive heard of the people that do this for a living posting 2nd takes on istock that they would normally delete. The quality isnt as good as thier good one on the real site.

[S230]

Im not sure how it is with the cheaper stock sites, but the reeal ones only want your image on thier site. If they find it on another site your in big trouble with them. Now if you did a shoot, posted some good ones on the one site, and posted different pictures that look about the sam on the other, I think that might be ok. Ive heard of the people that do this for a living posting 2nd takes on istock that they would normally delete. The quality isnt as good as thier good one on the real site.
Thanks., do you know any sites that you recommend that are good. I checked out smugsmug.com but unfortunately it requires a yearly fee which I am not ready to commit to yet. It's still a lot of money for me to justisfy as starting. If they charge a little, then that may be different. Personally don't need the "unlimited" upload space because I am just starting out.

[GerryDavid]

Theres always www.pictage.com, but thier $50 a month for the basic package. I got an email saying thier $20 a month on sale, you can sign up for a few months at that price. But thats alot more expensive than smugmug for the year. :0)

[ChP]

My experience has been most positive with Shutterstock (http://submit.shutterstock.com/?ref=2376).

The lower return / image has easily been made up for in volume of sales. A great site with very fast approval.

[pradeep1]

I checked out Can Stock Photo. The top sales was for some person who had uploaded 1213 photos and had something like 239 sales. How much time and money do you have to put in and what would be your real return on your efforts if the top person on that site only sold 239 images in 8 months? Even if you got the good rate of $4.00/download, you still only made $956.00, and I doubt that person got that much per photo.

That seems like a lot of work to earn under $1000 in 8 months....$125/month?

[Sandbox]

Actually, I think istockphoto is now:
-----------Retail----Return
Small-----$1.00---$?
Medium--$2.00----$?
Large-----$3.00---$?

I don't sell images there so I don't know how much the photog gets but I think there are different levels so the return amount varies.

Received an invitation to upload photos onto www.featurepics.com (http://www.featurepics.com)
Have uploaded 2 photos for $10 each (author controls pricing) to try. Will see what happen...

[Vega$50]

Great point! If you could learn to take 239 great shots at a wedding then you would make much more in a shorter period. I don't say this as a flip comment, as wedding photographers do a very difficult job, but to merely illustrate the paltry sweatshop rates paid for your art. If you ever have a chance to go to an art in the park type event many of these guys go take photos, (landscape, animals) print them, frame some, and sell thier stuff for some chedder. Find a specialty, then find a group that enjoys it, and if your stuff is good, it will sell for what it is worth. I agree with most that the majority of the stock houses are grinders.

I checked out Can Stock Photo. The top sales was for some person who had uploaded 1213 photos and had something like 239 sales. How much time and money do you have to put in and what would be your real return on your efforts if the top person on that site only sold 239 images in 8 months? Even if you got the good rate of $4.00/download, you still only made $956.00, and I doubt that person got that much per photo.

That seems like a lot of work to earn under $1000 in 8 months....$125/month?