Alamy: RF versus RM

Hello! I am considering signing up for Alamy, but I have a question.
There are two types of licenses: royalty free, and rights managed.
Which would make me the most money?
I don't want to get into a 'Picture on Time magazine, got paid $10' scenario.
Thanks for the help!

"royalty free" isn't going to make any money for you at all.

See, Thats what I thought too. But then I see people saying that you have a better chance of selling if you do royalty free... I figure it cant be selling if it's free... So if I want money,
RM or none, right?

Considering that you don't even have a basic understanding of how stock photography works, what makes you think you can even become an accepted contributor to Alamy?

I found where it says that royalty free means that with RF, you get paid once, based on the size of the image.
With RM, you get paid for amount and kind of usage.

you don't mention if you have been accepted as a contributor, so unless you are accepted none of this matters.

Seems like you are putting the cart before the horse here.

AZAlphaDog wrote in post #14703148
you don't mention if you have been accepted as a contributor, so unless you are accepted none of this matters.

Seems like you are putting the cart before the horse here.

Do you drive a car, then learn how it works, or learn how it works, then drive it?

No, I have not tried to be accepted. But if I do apply, I want to know how it works first.

There's no exact right or wrong answer and much depends on the image that you're trying to sell. I'm certainly not an expert on which is the best to choose but I have been selling on Alamy for several years. In general, I expect RF images to be images that will yield less profits on a single sale but will hopefully sell more frequently. RM images are images that I would expect to sell less often but to demand a higher price when they do sell. Because of this, I usually will license my more generic images that virtually anyone could easily duplicate as RF images (such as a picture of an apple in a bowl). Images that are more unique that couldn't be replicated as easily (or editorial type images), I'll generally list as RM.
Keep in mind that all RF images must be free from branding and people unless you have the proper property/model releases.

Have you checked or asked on the Alamy forums? I'd imagine you'd get some pretty solid answers from people who are actively dealing with Alamy.

Haven't checked there yet; I do kinda like the idea of splitting it up, though.
Perhaps the once in a lifetime shots, such as my Whip-Poor-Will and babies as RM, and sunsets and stuff as RF.
I wonder how well wildlife images will sell.... I do have a couple fairly neat shots, like the aforementioned whip-poor-will, that would appeal to nature magazines.
In fact I had 8 issues in a row of Nature Friend Magazine with my work in... Just as a reader, though.

jra wrote in post #14703548
There's no exact right or wrong answer and much depends on the image that you're trying to sell. I'm certainly not an expert on which is the best to choose but I have been selling on Alamy for several years. In general, I expect RF images to be images that will yield less profits on a single sale but will hopefully sell more frequently. RM images are images that I would expect to sell less often but to demand a higher price when they do sell. Because of this, I usually will license my more generic images that virtually anyone could easily duplicate as RF images (such as a picture of an apple in a bowl). Images that are more unique that couldn't be replicated as easily (or editorial type images), I'll generally list as RM.
Keep in mind that all RF images must be free from branding and people unless you have the proper property/model releases.

Thanks for that answer. I'd not considered splitting up images into both categories.

How about licensing it as "Editorial"? Where does it fit, RM or RF?

gratchie wrote in post #15146953
How about licensing it as "Editorial"? Where does it fit, RM or RF?

Editorial is considered RM on Alamy.

D. Vance wrote in post #14703646
Haven't checked there yet; I do kinda like the idea of splitting it up, though.
Perhaps the once in a lifetime shots, such as my Whip-Poor-Will and babies as RM, and sunsets and stuff as RF.

Based on my own experience selling stock, that sounds like a good way to do it. Anyone saying that RF will not make you any money is ill-informed. In today's market, far more $ are generated, worldwide, in the RF market than in the RM market. Why not get a piece of that?

D. Vance wrote in post #14703646
In fact I had 8 issues in a row of Nature Friend Magazine with my work in... Just as a reader, though.

Awesome! I love Nature Friend - it's a great magazine, and the work they do there is wonderful!

Tom Reichner wrote in post #15147733
Awesome! I love Nature Friend - it's a great magazine, and the work they do there is wonderful!

Cool, I didnt know anyone here had heard of it! Are you a subscriber? If so, do you get the study guide? The article "In Pursuit of Lightning" was mine! (Along with the 3/4 of a 2 page spread photo).