Passion vs. Greed in Microstock
September 24th, 2008
Published in
Photography
5 Comments
Tags: microstock, money, passion, sales, stock-photography
My three beta tests of the portfolio consultations went very well, and I’ll post more about it in the time to come. I’ll start by talking a little about a common theme, discussed during all three sessions, namely sales as a goal in itself.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting your images sold as many times as possible, but everyone wants that and will try to make their images as sellable as possible. Thinking about your portfolio development in terms of sales only, will never give you that edge over the competition.
Imagine two photographers, Jimmy and Kathy, who are equally experienced and have the same gear. Jimmy spends a few hours every week studying the top selling images on his agency, trying to figure out how he can re-create the same themes, turning his images into best sellers too. Kathy loves coming up with still life concepts, to build small sets and turn them into photos. She spends a lot of time reading magazines and watching tv. Who is going to do better in the world of microstock?
While Jimmy sells more right off the bat, his lack of personal interest will become a problem in the long run. Chances are good that he will either run out of steam or get caught copying one of the other photographers, which might result in anything from getting tossed out from the agency to a copyright lawsuit. He is driven by greed instead of passion, which is never a good reason to get into any creative kind of work.
Kathy, on the other hand, will have to struggle through the first year or so, as she builds up a good, consistent portfolio. Not that this will be a problem for her, since she would be shooting these photos anyway. She will develop her own style as she becomes more proficient and upgrades her gear, and because she is driven by passion, her ideas will keep coming and stay fresh. Eventually, she will get a following of buyers who love her style, which in turn will lead to work for hire outside of microstock.
Five years later, Jimmy is struggling to make ends meet, shooting seniors and weddings in Tinyville, where his only competition is an old-timer who still refuses to convert to digital. Meanwhile Kathy is having meetings with the photo editors of the same magazines, she was reading when she first started out.
Okay, so following your passion is no guarantee for success, but building a photography career on greed alone will most certainly fail.
Photo credit: ozgurdonmaz
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September 24th, 2008at 1:18 pm(#)
I almost feel like this post speaks directly to me. When photographers coming in to the microstock market ask me what they should do to get ahead… I always give the same advice… DO WHAT YOU LOVE!
I do what I love. I have an incredible almost consuming passion for food (ask anyone who knows me I can’t go a minute without talking about something food related) and I have turned my photographic skills in the direction of my passion.
early in my stock creating career I tried my hand at Business shots becuase that is what everyone told me I needed to have in order to be a success. My Business shots bombed because when shooting it I lacked the passion for it and it showed.
If you have a passion for nature photography… shoot the best nature photos you can. If you have a passion for architecture then turn your skill in that direction and take fabulous building and property shots. If you have a passion for capturing the essence of the human face… then go for it.
Don’t waste your time chasing after those Best Seller’s… there’s a reason they are best sellers, because the idea behind them is fresh, exciting and new. People who chase around after the the Best Seller’s trying to ride the coat tails of those files and pick up a few straggler files along the way are only shooting themselves in the foot. That is time, money and energy wasted on re-creating something that already exists when you should be spending that time checking to see how your passion can fill a niche that needs filling.
Create your own originals, create your own success.
If you sink you time and effort into your passions you will succeed.
September 24th, 2008at 8:01 pm(#)
Dude! Magazines are expensive! I have the agency best seller lists in my browser favorites and it costs me nothing to check them twice a day! If I don’t check the best sellers how do I know which type of models to choose and how to compose my photos?!?! I’m not greedy, I just want to sell as many photos as possible!
;)
September 24th, 2008at 8:39 pm(#)
Heh. :P
September 26th, 2008at 4:10 pm(#)
I think like any work, if you don’t enjoy doing it and make yourself do it just for the money then eventually you will get burned out. Even worse with any creative job, if you don’t love doing what you do and constantly absorb new trends (even if that is commercial tv!) then you will soon run out of ideas. There is no mechanical way to generate new ideas when you run out, the best ideas just come into your head but they do so because you are open to them. I think most of us are in microstock becase we love what we do not for the riches.
Who bought their first camera with the intention of making lots of money? I think most microstockers created lots of pictures and only then started to discover a way of selling some of them; and even then what did we spend our first earnings on? – new equipment or to fund a trip to go and take more pictures!
June 10th, 2009at 1:25 pm(#)
Great post as usual. I found recently your blog, so I’m reading all and everything, including your guide, that is mostly for who starts out, but found out something useful also for me (I’m already into the fourth year of microstock).
Totally agree with you here, I could also have written such post myself. But I’ll not copy it, I promise! :-)