Visit my STOCK please

Finally I got pass the QC (Quality Control) in ALAMY and the first 4 submissions are in.

I am so happy about having done my homework and this four images are the cornerstone for many more to come. From now on I will upload images and hope to get to the first 1k some time soon. (I will go to Tokyo in December, so I will put some up from Japan..)

I am doing this as full time job, and it is a lot of fun. I like the ALAMY experience so far, the control panels, the submission guidelines, everything is very well explained and designed. The are basically out of the way and this is an open market for the photographer to sell....

Please visit here as often and click open (zoom) on the images as much as you want/can since this is good for me. I will come back and tell the forum when I have more images for members to see --or buy : ) -- latter,/// thanks


http://www.alamy.com/stock-photogra...reto&go=1&a=-1&archive=1&size=0xFF&ot=0&adv=0

leonardobarreto.com said:

Finally I got pass the QC (Quality Control) in ALAMY and the first 4 submissions are in.

I am so happy about having done my homework and this four images are the cornerstone for many more to come. From now on I will upload images and hope to get to the first 1k some time soon.

Click to expand...

Hi Leonardo

Well done, knew you'd do it, prepare for long hours of keywording and eye boggling checking of images, I'm approaching 2,000 images now and hope Alamy will be as good for you as it has been for me....

Thank you Janet, it is exactly the post I like to read... can you elaborate on "...Alamy will be as good for you as it has been for me.... "

how good ?

leonardobarreto.com said:

can you elaborate on "...Alamy will be as good for you as it has been for me.... "

how good ?

Click to expand...

Oh Janet, yes please

Nicolas,

did you see any galleries in New York??

I had some fun today with a passion fruit flower, a SINAR, a PhaseOne back and the new Capture One 4.5 PRO program.

IQ of C1PRO is sooo good...

leonardobarreto.com said:

Nicolas,

did you see any galleries in New York??

Click to expand...

Nope! I was on vacation;-)

Keywording protocols for stock

janet Smith said:

Hi Leonardo

Well done, knew you'd do it, prepare for long hours of keywording and eye boggling checking of images, I'm approaching 2,000 images now and hope Alamy will be as good for you as it has been for me....

Click to expand...

Janet and Leonardo,

Key wording of images is a big subject. What's your approach? Do you have special software from Alamy or do they pick up from what you already have done. Can you globally clean the keywords you have made in the past for another reason. Some of my keywords are really only important for my own purposes.

Asher

Asher, I suppose that keywords are as important as photography, and not as interesting... one day I will have a researcher assistant doing just that ... and another one spotting !

This is really a lot of work, today, --after waiting a few days to get pass QC-- I went to my garden and harvested a few flowers and set up my SINAR with the Mamiya as "holder" (it is very convenient to be able to shift/swing/tilt etc for tabletop imaging).... I was also using for the first time in tethered capture mode, the new Phase One C 1 4.5 PRO program that downloaded the other day..

Then I was selecting some old images that could pass QC and may be salable and putting them on a folder to be converted to JPG's and uploaded...

The amazing part of all of this is that you only need electricity and an internet connection... I am here in Bolivia making and sending images to be offered around the world, no trips to any lab or post office...

I don't even want to think about the other part of the business -- when someone buys an image --, I just want to produce, produce and produce the best I can -- and keyword, keyword...-- and build a good plantation that one day produce a supply of "fruits"...

Explain the cameras? What body and how is the Mamiya used as a holder? Have you estimated a range of how many images might generate what income?

Asher

The camera is attached to the back of a 4x5 view camera -- as opposed to just the digital back-- .The advantage is that you can focus directly with the viewfinder of the Mamiya, and you don't have to attach and detach the back so things are safer and faster. In other words, the view camera becomes the "lens", but one with movements and close up capability. I use a Fujinon 180mm with a large image circle...

I think that it is difficult to estimate the range you are refering to. It probably depends on the images, the subject and the key wording, but everybody agrees that the more the better.

I think that my goal should be one K images uploaded with good metadata... but it is fun, for example: I am going on home leave with my family to Tokyo, I know Tokyo and I can take the Mamiya and D300 alone for harvesting images...

Before going I should research images that are out there and images needed, after all this is my day job from now on, not just a pastime...

leonardobarreto.com said:

The camera is attached to the back of a 4x5 view camera -- as opposed to just the digital back-- .The advantage is that you can focus directly with the viewfinder of the Mamiya, and you don't have to attach and detach the back so things are safer and faster. In other words, the view camera becomes the "lens", but one with movements and close up capability. I use a Fujinon 180mm with a large image circle...

Click to expand...

I understand now. I do the same with my Canon 5D on the back of my Chamonix 8x10!

leonardobarreto.com said:

Thank you Janet, it is exactly the post I like to read... can you elaborate on "...Alamy will be as good for you as it has been for me.... "

how good ?

Click to expand...

Hi Leonardo

My experience with Alamy has been very positive, they are quick & efficient, the upload sytem works well, and opens up markets that I would otherwise probably never reach. It also gave me a reason to keep on working on my photography an impetus to keep on working every day, spending long hours developing my techniques (still ongoing, will no doubt never end!)

Sales take a while to come through but gradually my sales are increasing month on month, it's a bit of a numbers game, the more images you have, the more sales you will get, the higher your Alamy rank will be, the more your images will be seen, therefore the more sales you will get etc etc.

Like you I work from home, have no overheads, our intention is to relocate to a remote area of Scotland in the next few years, so it will be a way of my earning a little money where it could be difficult otherwise....

Hope this helps.

Asher Kelman said:

Janet and Leonardo,

Key wording of images is a big subject. What's your approach? Do you have special software from Alamy or do they pick up from what you already have done. Can you globally clean the keywords you have made in the past for another reason. Some of my keywords are really only important for my own purposes.

Asher

Click to expand...

Keywording is a real pain in the..... !!!! My approach is that I tend to submit images in batches, say a batch of images from Raasay, I will keyword one image, and then paste these into subsequent similar ones, adding/deleting as required. Licence type and any usage restrictions have also to be applied individually, which all takes time.....

Janet

interesting thread, as I' ve been sometimes thinking a bit about stock, too.
But I'm not sure, if my specialised shots like architecture will fit.

What tool do you use for keywording?

I'm sure, it will vary, but can you name a approx. amount you will get paid/per image?

Michael Fontana said:

What tool do you use for keywording?

I'm sure, it will vary, but can you name a approx. amount you will get paid/per image?

Click to expand...

Hi Michael

I keyword live through Alamy's website, they're developing their own tools I believe for members to use at some point in the future, which will hopefully make things a bit easier/faster.

As to payment, it varies enormously dependant upon the size of image, how long the buyer takes a licence for (it can be just for 1 day), media type, volume of distribution etc etc

Regarding architecture, you would need to check out where you would stand re property releases, you could check out the info on Alamy about property releases, but I think (not sure) that you would need to have them in place especially if the building was easily identifiable...

Michael Fontana said:

.. I'm sure, it will vary, but can you name a approx. amount you will get paid/per image?

Click to expand...

Hi Michael,

There is a wealth of info about this in the forum of Alamy. I have spent a few hours yesterday, digesting it all myself as I am considering joining too.

The anwswer is, it depends on which licensing model do you want to use for your pictures. Main variations are:

• Royalty free: sell to many buyers, free use for each buyer forever, no exclusivity possible, price depending on the image size. Must have model and property releases both, if applicable.
• Royalty Managed / Licensed: sell many times, license terms can be set buy the seller, exclusivity possible, price depending on the terms of the contract and the validity duration and the medium of publication. Can be sold for editorial licenses even if the model/property releases are not available when they would have been needed.

There are pros and cons of both methods but in general, we can say that the second method is more geared towards serious pros who value their images and their worth, whereas the first method is nowadays mostly used in micro stock situations.

The combination is up to the photographer. But you have to choose wisely, once decided you cannot change the license model for a photo never again. You will have to guess which images will be more suitable for RF model rather than RM model and commit yourself.

At Alamy, statistically you earn almost twice the amount by choosing the second option: an average of $55 for RF images versus $ 110 for RM images (these are the average of 13 million images, yours can go as low as $1 per image if you use the RF model up to $ 2K+ for exclusive RM images). And remember, there is no repeat business possible for the RF model. But it may be a long time before you start selling any images. You must have a critical mass of at least 1-2K images. Also, you should not overdo the keywording since the "ranking" of a photographer is also influenced negatively if the photos are found in searches but are not clicked upon or bought. So if you add unrelated keywords to your images, they will be shown more often but bought less often thereby worsening your ranking. And if the ranking is low, your picture will not show in the top regions of any selection.

I hope that this helps

I don't use any key word program. What would you want your program to do? I suppose that having a data back of all my images and the text attached to them could be useful.

This is a graphic from their site.. I'm not making an endorsement - but I do encourage YOU to buy our product : )-- (kidding) .. This is a very changing field since before it was done with slides and transparencies, printed catalogs and using regular mail. Now, the internet has changed that completely for good and bad.

I am using L for my images and wait for the fewer larger, more controlled sale, but I will continue to study the complex legal and commercial implications of different options..

I am going trough all my HDrives and finding some images that I could put to sale ... this is a 4x5 shot of a Lounging Pepper (tribute to Mr.Weston)

One more...

Thanks Cem

for your insights about Alamy. I haven't been into stock at all, so your information is good!

In my (special) case, I would have to go for Royalty Managed, as I haven't any property releases, as I didn't needed' em, making assignements.

Well, I haven't 1 - 2k good ones yet, as most of them are spare shots from the assignements - they might still be fine as a picture, but weren't chosen for different reasons - or some °private° work.

>And if the ranking is low, your picture will not show in the top regions of any selection.<

So if more photographers participate at Alamy, the harder it gets in the top ranking?

Off Topic: Alamy Images

leonardobarreto.com said:

Asher,

I think that you summarized it well. I have to admit that it is not a b&w issue but more like 18% gray...

Leonardo

ps I have 9 images up for sale now on alamy, I think I will have fun doing stock... don't know if any will sell ...

Click to expand...

How does one simply peruse your Alamy stock pics? They ask for some key word?

Off topic: Alamy

Asher Kelman said:

How does one simply peruse your Alamy stock pics? They ask for some key word?

Click to expand...

Hi Asher,

One can search using keywords, name of the photographer, license types, releases, orientation and file size. The search results are returned based on a special ranking system of Alamy.

I have been thinking of joining Alamy myself for a while now but was procrastinating. I think I should stop doing that and submit my initial 4 images. My thanks go to Leonardo for the inspiration provided in this thread


Cheers,

sorry to take this thread off topic only because I had Asher and Cem's attention. I can see that Cem did't say anything about the images so... LOL

anyway, this is a numbers game, so, I have 9 but want to have one thousand soon. The reason I'm happy is that I procrastinated for about 3 years to get my first 4 images pass the QC... and I have done that, the system is very straight forward with clear rules and all done, monitored and controlled from your computer --from, for example, Bolivia--.

The other aspect is what Asher asked: how do they find your images from the millions out there... let me put it this way: for sure they won't find them in Cem's computer HD if he doesn't upload them, do you think?

There are at least 3 factors for the images to be found a) if they respond to keywords and phrases that people need. For example: I want to work on the concept SUCCESS because this is a common requested word. Another one unfortunately there is not much here where I am is WATER, like islands, surf etc. b) that you have 100,000 images c) that your images look good in small size so people click on them, and d) is that you work well with their automated system that computes how many times your image is seen and "zoomed" or, even better, purchased.

It is a low overhead --you pay nothing to upload images-- low remuneration enterprise, or, the metabolism is probably similar to developing a fruit tree plantation and waiting for the mangos to come... for some of you it is just taking your mangos to market... just do it

leonardobarreto.com said:

sorry to take this thread off topic only because I had Asher and Cem's attention. I can see that Cem did't say anything about the images so... LOL
...

Click to expand...

OK, now that we are back on topic here, I can start commenting on the images. The reason I did not C&C so far is simply because you haven't posted them here and asked for C&C specifically. So it has got nothing to do with the fact whether I like them or not. As a matter of fact, I really like the images and think that they will make strong stock images. Especially the idea van is quite a nifty one which should make it's way into many company brochures. The one with the Flat Iron building can only be sold for editorial purposes since you don't have a property release for it, pity!

Cheers,

Ok, but you have to say something critical about them... here is my official request for comment and criticism ...

The Idea Truck or Ideas To Go I did like a year ago -when procrastinating to get past QC- with my Fuji S2 and a PC Nikkor 85mm Macro lens (Tilt/Shift) I just loved my kid's truck and had to shoot it. I wired the bulb and balanced it with flash...

2 more...
///sorry, I have to work on the links...

This is interesting topic //

10 top tips to improve your Stock Photography​

Creative Commons License photo credit: Suzie T

Overwhelming optimism

Hello all
What I am reading here, is an overwhelming and unrealistic optimism, regarding to the stockphoto bussiness. Please folks, get your feet back on ground.
While you are talking about the glourios future behind the next hilltop, firms like Getty Images are eating up every new competitor in this bussiness.
Microstock archives (Flickr and others) are selling good, very good images for cents.
Be happy if you from time to time will get a sale that pays for a good bottle of wine.
The stockphoto bussiness is dead, unless you work for Getty Images.
hoping the best for you all
Christen Hansen.

Christen Hansen said:

Hello all
What I am reading here, is an overwhelming and unrealistic optimism, regarding to the stockphoto bussiness. Please folks, get your feet back on ground.
While you are talking about the glourios future behind the next hilltop, firms like Getty Images are eating up every new competitor in this bussiness.
Microstock archives (Flickr and others) are selling good, very good images for cents.
Be happy if you from time to time will get a sale that pays for a good bottle of wine.
The stockphoto bussiness is dead, unless you work for Getty Images.
hoping the best for you all
Christen Hansen.

Click to expand...

Yes, I have read about it, but is not that the world is not going to use one more image anymore. Is it?. Should all hang our cameras in the coat closet?

Things are changing, before, you submitted slides and transparencies that where physically hold by agencies. To sell them they sent the originals -literally- or dups.

Even a few months ago submissions where done on DVD over snail mail, now I upgrade images --60MB 80MB images everyday, I am sending 5 as I post--.

I am not afraid of change, I don't miss, for example, deeping my hands in D76, Dektol or fixer. Digital photography got some photographers out of business and others in...

If you see the charts, Alamy is growing and some photographers that have been in the business for several years have kept their sales up, some have migrated to microstock, -others have been there and come back- and I personally don't think they are "traitors". If the new model work for them, it is a free world, we will see what the future bring..

Images are being used in a different way, the world used get photos in printed form, now print is on the way out, for example, Christian Science Monitor announced that they are not going to print the paper anymore, it will be a "paperless paper".

My plan is to build a large collection of "stock" images, and see how I can sell them. At the moment I have to be optimistic and keep producing... but there is a chance that the sky IS falling as you say... we will see...

Anyway, go see the new batch that I uploaded...