Selling photos online... official MoneySavingExpert.com discussion

liverpoolpictorial

I'm quite fortunate in as much as I don't need to sell through stock photography third party websites. As a sideline, I started a very simple website a few years ago that specialises in Liverpool images. I'm well versed in search engine optimisation and put it to good use. Google "Liverpool images" (without the " ") and I'm usually top out of over 18,000,000 search results, top for "Liverpool photographs" and near the top for "Liverpool photos", "Liverpool views" or "Liverpool photographer."

My mate started up a Liverpool website last year and I helped him out with the SEO. I wish I hadn't now, because he's just behind me in the results when searching for "Liverpool images":o

darich

JamesPhotography wrote: »

Apology accepted, I can see now how it came across as a first post.:beer:

As you say the £50 is always welcome but I have to say that the paper they used for my print wasn't some cheap poster paper. I have no idea about the technicalities of paper but the guy said it was on 'high quality 300gsm paper' which to me is more like a card than a paper, to me anyway.

The guy also said that they have only recently been getting artists onboard, I got an email saying he saw my stuff on 1x.com. So no, as of yet no sales but
a) I'm not too worried about it. If I was more professional then I probably would be but I think it's aimed at good amateurs/semi-pros.
b) I liked the idea as it was a bit different and thought if I jumped on board early i could make a few bob.
c) I was just flattered that somebody saw my work and wanted to sell it (pathetic, I know).

To be fair though, going back to what I mentioned in an earlier post, I would be lucky to make £50 full stop from some of the micro stock websites I used. You had any luck with the istockphoto type sites out there?

I don't use the istockphoto type sites. I refuse to "give away" my images for a few pence when I know they're worth more.
I have a few images on photographers direct.com and have made a sale to a German calendar a few years ago. I received over £85 for one image and it was used in the calendar for the month of May. I was Mr May in my house for a while....made me sound like a male pirelli calendar model!!
Also had a few enquries but they never came to anything.

1x.com has some stunning images and really gives photographers something to aspire to. I've submitted two images to the site but neither were accepted - if you've had at least one acceptance you're doing quite well.

I've also been thinking some more about UnknownPrints.
Although I think the prices paid to photographers are quite low there are a couple of plus points - first, if they accept your image for the shop and you get the £50 then presumably, they're expecting several/numerous sales. Otherwise why would they pay you?
Secondly, the big difference between UP and istockphotos etc is that on UP all the person gets is the print. On the microstock sites the person would get royalty free use of your original image for a couple of pounds which is wrong.

How many images have you had on 1x.com?

chrisbur

I had a look at Unknownprints.com and they seem to be offering £50 and a free print for each picture that you have with them if it sells. As they sell them for as little as £12 what is to stop you buying your own pictures just to get the £50. Best to do it through a mate or relative so you do not give the game away.

They are a very recent start-up and I can only find 12 photos on the site so I would guess not many sales yet, but if they are paying out £50 when they sell one for £12 they will not last long. I did email them to try and clarify exactly what they are offering but my email came back "The email account that you tried to reach does not exist"

darich

chrisbur wrote: »

I had a look at Unknownprints.com and they seem to be offering £50 and a free print for each picture that you have with them if it sells. As they sell them for as little as £12 what is to stop you buying your own pictures just to get the £50. Best to do it through a mate or relative so you do not give the game away.

They are a very recent start-up and I can only find 12 photos on the site so I would guess not many sales yet, but if they are paying out £50 when they sell one for £12 they will not last long. I did email them to try and clarify exactly what they are offering but my email came back "The email account that you tried to reach does not exist"

Chris

I read it differently - I read that you don't even need a sale for the £50 but it must be selected for their shop.
From the "How it works section"
If your work is selected to be purchased from our online shop you receive:

• • An initial £50 plus a free A1 print of your choice from our shop.

That doesn't read you need a sale for £50 but that you must make into their shop.
Exactly what constitutes the shop is unclear. In my opinion everything they sell on the site would be the shop but they may have a section set aside for "top" images or what they think will be best sellers and you need to make it in there.

Could be wrong of course.....it needs clarification.

Rcurran

I've tried uploading to Dreamstime recently. I discovered that it takes a while for photos to be reviewed and then a lot will be rejected, many of which are because I didn't meet the grade and others because they were not 'stock'y enough. My experiences suggest that this is not a get rich never mind get rich quick scheme.

darich

Rcurran wrote: »

I've tried uploading to Dreamstime recently. I discovered that it takes a while for photos to be reviewed and then a lot will be rejected, many of which are because I didn't meet the grade and others because they were not 'stock'y enough. My experiences suggest that this is not a get rich never mind get rich quick scheme.

When submitting to a library you have to be critical of your own work. Otherwise you send in items that aren't good enough and face multiple rejections.
I submitted 4 to Alamy and had all 4 accepted at first time of asking but submitting images to any library isn't a get rich scheme. Never has been. You'd need thousands of decent images in libraries to make a reasonable living from it.
The way I look at it, take the photos because I enjoy it. I sometimes take them with a view to selling but that's not the main aim.
It means that on the occasions I do get a sale I'm pretty chuffed and sometimes surprised too.

chrisbur

darich wrote: »

Chris

I read it differently - I read that you don't even need a sale for the £50 but it must be selected for their shop.
From the "How it works section"
If your work is selected to be purchased from our online shop you receive:

• • An initial £50 plus a free A1 print of your choice from our shop.

That doesn't read you need a sale for £50 but that you must make into their shop.
Exactly what constitutes the shop is unclear. In my opinion everything they sell on the site would be the shop but they may have a section set aside for "top" images or what they think will be best sellers and you need to make it in there.

Could be wrong of course.....it needs clarification.

Having reread all the posts about this site and the site itself I also read it as you do, that is payment when you are accepted. Perhaps this is why there are not many pictures on the site at the moment, until they make a few sales they cannot afford to have anymore pictures. Though of course with so few pictures on sale they are unlikely to make many sales. And even less likely with a contact email on the site that does not exist.

darich

chrisbur wrote: »

Having reread all the posts about this site and the site itself I also read it as you do, that is payment when you are accepted. Perhaps this is why there are not many pictures on the site at the moment, until they make a few sales they cannot afford to have anymore pictures. Though of course with so few pictures on sale they are unlikely to make many sales. And even less likely with a contact email on the site that does not exist.

I've exchanged several emails with the site so they do have working contact details.

Despite my earlier reservations I figured that despite the low payment, it's a poster and not continued use of the file.
It's effectively a licence to have my image as a poster so I decided that since they have so few images it would be a good time to get into their shop when the're trying to expand and increase their stock.

I also figured that every site at some point was new and had to start somewhere. If I can get 3 or 4 images accepted then it'll be an instant £150-200. I have a fairly large catalogue of images good enough for other sites so it could be more if I'm lucky.
I did have several concerns and questions but after correspondence with Gavin from the site, I'm as convinced as I'm going to be - by that it seems like a genuine attempt at starting up a business.

I could end up getting nothing and the site folds but nothing ventured nothing gained.

If I do end up getting some decent money from it then I'll owe JamesPhotography a few more thanks, another apology and a few beers!!!

Vaila

hi, im having trouble trying to submit my photos to unknown prints, ive tried compressing and using zip, but it still comes up error.....please help, id love to join

darich

arran_m wrote: »

hi, im having trouble trying to submit my photos to unknown prints, ive tried compressing and using zip, but it still comes up error.....please help, id love to join

Make sure the file you're sending is under 500kb. Despite the 1mb warning, it will fail unless it's under 500kb in size.