 Don Blais |
Income producing websites I'm in the process of setting up a Deluxe Site to share photos with family and friends and I was wondering if anyone has found a way of generating a steady income stream through the sale of their photos and, if so, how? I know there are sites that support photographers with specialties such as wedding, baby or portrait photography. What I'm talking about is strictly selling photos through your site. How do you direct people (other than family and friends) to the site? Do you sell wholesale through retail stores and direct these store owners to your site? I'm not looking for an income to support myself because I'm retired. However, I wouldn't mind generating additional income if it also happened to be through a hobby I enjoy like photography. Thanks for any input. I appreciate it.
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Mike Rubin |
Check out the book, ASMP Professional Business Practices In Photography 6th edition. It devotes over 100 pages to stock photography,although it does not mention micro stock. It also covers marketing, how to determine pricing(not specific $ amounts)copyright and other issues of concern.The best price on the book is at Amazon, less than thru the ASMP.
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Mark Feldstein |
Oops. Mike !!!! Amazon does absolutely nothing to support the rights of professional photographers whereas ASMP.org [American Society of Medica Photographers] exists for that sole purpose. Soooooooo, even knowing where I can get professional publications less expensive, as a member I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically support ASMP in dues and buying their publications (without taking the member discount)and drop the extra dime. Just thought I'd mention it. ;>0) Take it light ;>) Mark
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Mike Rubin |
Point taken :)
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Samuel Smith |
ah yes.union or to think non union,which our politicians and corporate clowns have done their best to dissolve over the last decade,should the support of a specific group be selectively honored,or supported. so,i ask,how do we change this wal-mart thinking mark. mike wasn't wrong,and in a select business to promote your profession,neither did you. but where's the middle ground,surely it can't be nonexistant,or do we let them eat cake.could be i'm out of line. sam
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Marianne Fortin |
I guess ASMP made a decision to sell books through Amazon, probably thinking they would sell more books and possibly sign up new members. I don't think Amazon highjacked a truck full of ASMP books and is selling them without ASMP getting anything! Just being argumentative! :)
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Mark Feldstein |
Thanks Mike . Marianne, I think the publisher itself agreed to sell to Amazon to boost it's own profits rather than ASMP's. :<( And, for the sake of being argumentative, (not to mention a bit arrogant) I don't think the majority of Amazon buyers would qualify for ASMP membership even if they were full time professional media photographers. ;>0) To kind of anwer your question Sam, I recommend a Frontline documentary called "Is Walmart Good For America", (the answer is "no") and then look at the U.S. trade deficit with China. Balancing that deficit I think, would be a start towards finding a middle ground IMHO. The video is out on Netflix or probably also available at Blockbuster. Mark.
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Samuel Smith |
seen it and agree.i don't shop there. lately i've been focusing and researching the corporate raping of america.the reinstatement of serfdom. and yet...back to photography,sam
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Marianne Fortin |
Mark, it's too late, China already owns us! Mike, don't mention Amazon, I mentioned it once but I think I got away with it! :D
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John Rhodes |
Don, It looks like yur question resulted in quite a few replys, none of which actually addressed your question. Oh well, sometimes the rabbit runs the other way and we chase it. I've offered the following advice here before, so I'll repeat. It's very difficult for a photographer to generate sales from a web site. However, if you are serious about your photography (and your images say you are-very nice landscapes) you should have a site. I have found the best ways to generate sales are by setting up at local art festivals and by selling through local galleries and restaurants (and coffee shops, etc.). Join your art association. You'll meet others who participate in the festivals and from whom you can learn all you need to know to be successful. Face-to-face contacts I have made at the festivals have paid off nicely with repeat sales later. Get your name out there with a nice looking business card and get it into as many hands as possible. Contact me if yu want additional information. You've got what it takes with your photography. John
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Don Blais |
John, thanks for your input. It's an avenue I've been thinking about and it was good to get your response. With the others, it looked like I just started some back and forth with no concern for the original question.
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Jason R. Fortenbacher |
Wow, that was the last snowflake to set the whole avelance a-tumblin'... too funny!!
BUT, like John said, if you can meet people in person where they will see your prints firsthand, that's quite another thing. It's way too easy just to click the back button or close the window. But if people see it in a store/gallery they will be more compelled to actually buy it.
I specialize in aviation photography and appeals to a very small percentage of the population. (1 out of 400 people int he US are pilots, and 90% of the worlds pilots live in the US) Obviously there will be many more people who are interested in it, but still... with a base of 0.25% isn't much to play with! haha Considering all that, I have one add group targeted to Washington State and I'm getting 15-25 hits to my site daily through AdWords at only $45/month. And I have google sponsored ads on my site so that when the people who visit my site (hopefully) click on an add and I get a little money back as well. This has helped direct people to my cafepress.com store where I sell T-shirts and a ton of other gifts. That has helped a lot. I hope what I just said makes sense... I've been sick all weekend.... for all I know this could be a dream. haha!
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Christopher Howeth |
Don, I thought the exact same thing when I started shooting about 4 years ago. How can I generate money through my hobby/passion of photography? If you want to generate an additional income at no cost, then micorstock photography is worth looking into. I've been doing it for 3yrs and it has forced me to become a better photographer and allowed me to upgrade my equipment. It's always nice to be able to get new toys. The stock agency that makes me the most money is http://submit.shutterstock.com/?ref=2528 This is how it works: 1. Photographer submits 10 images to be approved by a reviewer. 2. If reviewer accepts 7 out of the 10 images then you become a subitting photographer. If 7 of the ten don't get approved you have to wait 3months before you can submit another 10 images to be reviewed. 3. Once you are approved you may then submit as many images as you please but the images are still reviewed for acceptance based on stock value and technical aspects of your image. 4. Once image is approved, it is available for download by a subscriber to the site. **Subscribers pay Shutterstock a fee based on the amount of subscription time they want. Example: currently a 1 month subscription cost $199 which allows them to download 25 images a day/750 per month. Other subscription lengths are available. 5. Once an image is downloaded, it shows up on your Download Stats page for the day/month. Current payout per image download is 25 cents. Shutterstock also gives an Enhanced License payout of $20 if the subscriber buys an Ehanced License for a particular image. 6. At the end of the month if you have reached atleast $75 you will get payed by the 15th of the following month. Earlier if you have a paypal account and would like to get paid that way. I use paypal and have had no problems in 3 yrs. Twenty-five cents a download does not sound like alot but it adds up. Read this article at this site: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2007/04/01/8403372/index.htm?postversion=2007040409 Hope you are interested and if you have any questions,please email me at choweth@comcast.net.
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