Selling your Photos

[James McComas]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this question but here it goes. I would like to make money with my pictures and I am looking at stock photography. Can anyone give me your impressions? What stock agency is the best, most reputable.

[Ed Cordes]

While many photographers have images on various stock sites, it is getting harder and harder to get a decent price for an image due to the advent of royalty free images. I think you will find that most who actually make a living in nature photography do so by direct selling of prints and conducting workshops. There may be some on this site who will disagree, but I do believe the norm is as I stated.

[Ed Okie]

[quote=James McComas... I would like to make money with my pictures and I am looking at stock photography. Can anyone give me your impressions? What stock agency is the best, most reputable.[/quote]

Times have changed, and dramatically so since the advent of "digital" plus the worldwide Internet. Best advice I can give is enjoy your photography for self satisfaction, especially in your early years. Possibly it will evolve into something self-sustaining in latter years. Meanwhile, be realistic... get a real job.

"Stock photography" as we once knew it, is fundamentally dead; still breathing, yes, but just barely.
A bit worse is the "copyright" aspect - one might suggest it almost fits into the same category as stock photography. Yesteryear's business-model derived money from "selling the photo" as a means of revenue earning. Tomorrow's direction is clearly toward "billing for time" (other costs (such as required prints) and expenses added to that figure, at cost).

Not what you wanted to hear, James, but times have changed. A clear indication is readily visible when reading professional photo magazines... the huge proliferation of ads "selling teaching" and various seminars as conducted by a long list of pros.

[Dan Brown]

James, I agree with the Ed's about selling stock. Also, with digital and the web, it is really easy for users of images to get very good "amatuer" images for very little $.

Dan Brown

[Doug Campbell]

While many photographers have images on various stock sites, it is getting harder and harder to get a decent price for an image due to the advent of royalty free images. I think you will find that most who actually make a living in nature photography do so by direct selling of prints and conducting workshops. There may be some on this site who will disagree, but I do believe the norm is as I stated.

Ed hit the nail on the head. If you try selling images you'll starve to death. Workshops are where the money is.

[Amy DeStefanis]

Guess I'll be heading into my cubicle tomorrow..... :)

Amy D.

[Mike Moats]

Hey James, I do very well selling my images through art shows and stores. I do about twenty workshops a year that also do very well, which I promote through my art shows to bring people in. The bulk of my income is from the prints sales. Stock is going to be tough and most guys I know have lost a lot of sales due to the royalty free sites. Its not easy but you can do it if you have great images, good business skills, and a lot of hard work. Good luck if you give it a go.

[Jeffrey Sipress]

The days of stock are over. The regard that the general public (and many publishers) have for the arts is disgusting. You're better off keeping your day job and remaining a passionate amateur. It's way more fun!