Stock photography

[Imagebuffet]

Originally Posted by merock

Here's a good article on why I can't stand stock photography (especially micro stock):

For Photographers, the Image of a Shrinking Path - NYTimes.com

My former co-workers used to tell me that I should quit my job and become a full-time photographer. I always told them that there is no money in photography.

Now, I'm in a Small Business Management class, and I have an assignment to create a business plan for a business that I would start. I chose selling produce as my business, instead of photography.

[Howard Barlow]

Originally Posted by Imagebuffet

I chose selling produce as my business, instead of photography.

As a produce seller, I hate those backyard gardeners selling on the roadside.

[Imagebuffet]

Originally Posted by Howard Barlow

As a produce seller, I hate those backyard gardeners selling on the roadside.

I'll be happy if I can pick up just a few pennies for my tomatoes!

[texkam]

As a produce seller, I hate those backyard gardeners selling on the roadside.

Great post.

[shooter 1]

"Most don't make a lot of money in stock photography these days". That is a true statement. That was the same general statement about photography I heard 30 years ago when i was in photography school... Somehow the best photographers always seam to make it although. There is a photographer from Denmark who shots stock photography and makes over a million U.S. dollars each year. His name is Yuri Arcurs. I have meet him at the PDN expo in NYC the last two years. He is the real deal. He is about 30 years old and if you ask him, have stock photographers ruined the photography industry. He would just laugh and tell you it is easy to be a bad photographer.

[Imagebuffet]

Originally Posted by shooter 1

"Most don't make a lot of money in stock photography these days". That is a true statement. That was the same general statement about photography I heard 30 years ago when i was in photography school... Somehow the best photographers always seam to make it although. There is a photographer from Denmark who shots stock photography and makes over a million U.S. dollars each year. His name is Yuri Arcurs. I have meet him at the PDN expo in NYC the last two years. He is the real deal. He is about 30 years old and if you ask him, have stock photographers ruined the photography industry. He would just laugh and tell you it is easy to be a bad photographer.

How many of the photographers on this forum do you suppose earn $1 million only from photography? Surely, if this great Dane can do it, we all can, right? And, yet, I doubt that very many of us on here are pulling in a million dollars a year purely from photography. In fact, out of all the professional photographers in the world, all the men and women with years of training, degrees, certificates and awards, I doubt that more than 10% of them are pulling in $1 million a year purely from photography. If I recall correctly, the average income of professional, trained photographers is close to $30k a year. And, from that link given earlier in this thread, virtually all professional photographers in this country are feeling the pressure from customers who have switched to cheap stock photos. The professional news services are laying off photojournalists. Magazines are going out of business in record numbers. This isn't the same trend we have seen over the last 30 years; the professional photographer--persons who make their living entirely from photography--is an endangered species.

[donlfaulkner]

Originally Posted by shooter 1

"... it is easy to be a bad photographer.

I have to dispute this claim...I work darned hard at being be a bad photographer!

[shooter 1]

Originally Posted by Image Buffet

How many of the photographers on this forum do you suppose earn $1 million only from photography? Surely, if this great Dane can do it, we all can, right? And, yet, I doubt that very many of us on here are pulling in a million dollars a year purely from photography. In fact, out of all the professional photographers in the world, all the men and women with years of training, degrees, certificates and awards, I doubt that more than 10% of them are pulling in $1 million a year purely from photography. If I recall correctly, the average income of professional, trained photographers is close to $30k a year. And, from that link given earlier in this thread, virtually all professional photographers in this country are feeling the pressure from customers who have switched to cheap stock photos. The professional news services are laying off photojournalists. Magazines are going out of business in record numbers. This isn't the same trend we have seen over the last 30 years; the professional photographer--persons who make their living entirely from photography--is an endangered species.

This Dane has no formal training in photography. And he has only worked at Stock for four years..I guess he has a positive attitude.

[Imagebuffet]

Originally Posted by shooter 1

This Dane has no formal training in photography. And he has only worked at Stock for four years..I guess he has a positive attitude.

Let me know when you make your first million.

[shooter 1]

I have a long way to go , but i am working on it...