How do i go about making money from my shots?

[dave_bass5]

Can anyone recommend some stock photo agencies i could maybe try and get on.
And if you have any experience with them ro any tips that might help.

Ive never really thought about doing it before but if you don't try you never know. Ive spent enough so it would be nice to get something, no matter how small, back.

Cheers.

[Garf]

You could try Fotolia.co.uk - Royalty Free Stock Photos as a start. There is a long thread on here somewhere about fotolia

My experience with them so far has been that none of my submitted photos have been accepted

The reasons for rejection are pretty vague to be honest, so it's tricky to know what needs to be improved...

[dave_bass5]

Thanks ill give them a try.

[Ultima]

Originally Posted by Garf

You could try Fotolia.co.uk - Royalty Free Stock Photos as a start. There is a long thread on here somewhere about fotolia

My experience with them so far has been that none of my submitted photos have been accepted

The reasons for rejection are pretty vague to be honest, so it's tricky to know what needs to be improved...

I use Fotolia and have sold maybe 30 photo's...............but at about 57p per credit it'll take a while before I can retire.

[Sorj]

Originally Posted by Ultima

it'll take a while before I can retire.

That made me laugh! Nice highlight to the day. I have though about selling my shots too but hae heard a few sites. There are a few friendly ones posted a while back. Can't mind what the sites was called but had a look.

If you find any good sites out there let us know as i want to chip in too.

[RobDickinson]

I've come to the colclusion unless you either

(a) Shoot on contract commercialy (be it industry , wedding etc)
(b) Shoot endless high quality microstock and build up a major library on all the (best)sites
(c) Go big ala Craig Potten in NZ and do the whole photo -> product thing yourself be it books or calenders etc
(d) Attempt the fine art/gallery framed print market.

I think I could probably do (d) with effort and some investment (in NZ big tourist market , good scenery etc) but I think the return would be low for a long time anyhow.

[dave_bass5]

Thanks guys.
Im not trying to make a living or even a good return, just something to showfor all the shots i take. Anything wouldbenice and i guess it will show that someone likes my shots.

[dazza74]

I think for most the fotolia options seems the best bet for a return. I don't like the idea personally though as it's very easy for somebody to purchase your original for a few pounds download it then get it printed onto a large canvas for next to nothing. I've got my own website selling canvas pictures and was approached by somebody who had seen one of my pictures and thought I'd supply him with the original so he could no doubt goto somebody on Ebay and get it printed onto canvas for £25 I was only charging £55 for me to do it anyway but gives you an idea of who's out there.

I've found locally galleries are a waste of time, one photographer where I live has it pretty much sown up and the galleries will only stock his pictures.

[dfrear]

I havent actually tried this but have been meaning to. Car boot sales, get yourself some cheap frames and prints (either via one of the online photo printers or do it yourself) and take a load of stock to a car boot. Usually about a tenner to setup a stall, should be able to keep prices low if you can get the frames cheap enough and see how it goes.

Example:

A4 Clip Frame - £1.18 x 10 - £11.18
A4 Print at Photobox - £1.20 x 10 = £12
Car boot stall - £10

Total per image: 1.18 + 1.20 = £2.38

Total: ~£35

So you could sell at £5 an image and make a total of £50, -£35 = £15

Probably not worth the effort but you could experiment? To be honest I feel that it would be a nice feeling to see people buying my images!

[dazza74]

Originally Posted by dfrear

I havent actually tried this but have been meaning to. Car boot sales, get yourself some cheap frames and prints (either via one of the online photo printers or do it yourself) and take a load of stock to a car boot. Usually about a tenner to setup a stall, should be able to keep prices low if you can get the frames cheap enough and see how it goes.

Example:

A4 Clip Frame - £1.18 x 10 - £11.18
A4 Print at Photobox - £1.20 x 10 = £12
Car boot stall - £10

Total per image: 1.18 + 1.20 = £2.38

Total: ~£35

So you could sell at £5 an image and make a total of £50, -£35 = £15

Probably not worth the effort but you could experiment? To be honest I feel that it would be a nice feeling to see people buying my images!

It's not a bad idea, I've been doing direct sales since this summer and it is nice when somebody comes up and buys your pictures in saying that I've found it rare I've been doing the local market once a week for a couple of month's and only one week have I covered my costs. I've been trying to sell some mounted pictures printed on expensive fine art paper at the local market for about 3 weeks I've priced them at £5 to get rid of them and I've hand signed them and everything but no sales. I think the credit crunch has well and truly hit this sector and pictures and artwork are seen as a luxury.

[dfrear]

Thats a pity, people will quite happily go out and spend £30-50 a night on drinking but wont spend the price of (less than) 2 pints on a framed photo. Ah well, its the times that we live in.

[dazza74]

Originally Posted by dfrear

Thats a pity, people will quite happily go out and spend £30-50 a night on drinking but wont spend the price of (less than) 2 pints on a framed photo. Ah well, its the times that we live in.

It's getting the right people looking at your images I've found, it's no coincidence that the week I broke even at the market was half term week when we had the tourists down. Have to laugh to clear stock I reduced one of my 16" by 26" framed canvas wrap pictures to £20 and a bloke still asked me whether I could do it any cheaper it was up for £45 the week before.

[senu]

Originally Posted by dfrear

Thats a pity, people will quite happily go out and spend £30-50 a night on drinking but wont spend the price of (less than) 2 pints on a framed photo. Ah well, its the times that we live in.

Well in the same way they budget £10,000 for a wedding and Some feel that anything over £250 for photography ( which records memories of the day) is a rip off