Author Topic: Is Stock Photography Dead? (Read 3811 times)

fotoluminate · « **on:** August 05, 2022, 13:02 »

Uploaded a new video on the topic - Is Stock Photography Dead?

There's plenty of opinions on this topic so here's my stab at analyzing the Stock Photography industry.

I'm certain I missed a few points but here are my thoughts on the matter.

Thanks for viewing and hope you subscribe to my Channel.

Thanks

Raul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MVxjZk1bhI&t=56s

cathyslife · « **Reply #1 on:** August 05, 2022, 14:36 »

Is stock photography dead?

For most, yes. For those with good images and good placement in the search, no. Some are still making money.

f8 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 05, 2022, 17:19 »

Is Stock Photography Dead?

No it's not even close to dead. There will always be a huge demand for imagery.

The clear winners are the agencies. They will do fine. So in this case stock photography is not dead or even close to dead.

The contributors on the other hand are the losers and will be continually so going forward. The rates that all the agencies pay is disgraceful and seriously not sustainable in a professional capacity, simply put it is not a growth business and has no sustainable future. Sure there are a very few making a full time living from shooting stock and even those numbers are dwindling.

I am so so so glad I am at the end of my career in stock photography. It has been very good to me but I look at the industry for what it is today and it is a complete disgrace where the agencies consider the contributors to be nothing more than a financial liability.

everest · « **Reply #3 on:** August 05, 2022, 17:29 »

No it is not. Is it as a profitable activity for 99% of the contributor. Yes it is. More than dead, buried under 3 feet of trash.

The only ones that make some profit are the agencies. Sure, there are contributors like myself that still sit on large portfolios that make money. But who starts today has a 99.9% of financial failure. Nearly any creative activity putting the same amount of time and effort is 100x times more profitable.

But it was a cash cow 25 years ago , a good revenue opportunity 10 years ago, and a receipt for wasting time and resources now. Things evolve and move on. So did the creative stock market. Very soon Dahle Midjourney and the likes will totally rip apart what is still left from the 2 o 3 agencies that squeeze investors money before the final collapse.

k_t_g · « **Reply #4 on:** August 06, 2022, 02:31 »

Its like the dead parrot in a cage from the Monty Python shows.

tätarätä · « **Reply #5 on:** August 06, 2022, 03:06 »

Ists not dead but images die faster.
Years ago some images have startet beginning to sale just after upload.
This images sold for years nearly every day.
Nowadays best sellers have a shorter lifetime.
The key for success in early times was creativity that made some images outstanding.
But if you want to keep your income level at stock photography you need produce much more images. This pressure was to much for some photographers and has killed the creativity.
Thats my thought comparing old and new images of some photographers.
They want to replace their best sellers with lots of uploads. The images may be better in a technical way but the creativity input of oringinal images is missing.
Its just a copy or their own or other best sellers.
There ist no new approach like it was in the early days.
If you want to be successful at stock photography you have to be more productive and still be creative.

Brasilnut · « **Reply #6 on:** August 06, 2022, 06:13 »

Interesting topic, Raul, thanks for posting. Imo, it's far from dead, at least for those who are in the top 5%.

For instance, Kaspars Grinvalds, a lifestyle photographer, is pulling in $4k/month with his port of 9,622 images on SS and similar amounts in AS, iStock etc.

Link to his SS port: https://www.shutterstock.com/g/grinvalds

But boy does he work hard and his concepts are trendy and well-executed.

I interviewed him for my blog a few months back and would be interesting to catch up with him in a few years to see if his earnings have decreased substantially.

Link to the interview: https://brutallyhonestmicrostock.com/2022/01/10/interview-with-kaspars-grinvalds-lifestyle-microstock-photographer/

As for the rest of us mere mortals, including myself, it's difficult as we're shooting more generic stuff which perhaps doesn't rank so well. I'm relying on "old" pics that have maintained a high ranking. The new stuff just seems to be buried in the SEs and doesn't help that when they do sell it's for small amounts, including at Alamy.

For newbies, no chance, take literally any traditional job and will pay more per hour. Or you've tapped into a niche that few others can compete.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #7 on:** August 06, 2022, 11:00 »

Quote from: cathyslife on August 05, 2022, 14:36

Is stock photography dead?

For most, yes. For those with good images and good placement in the search, no. Some are still making money.

I think you covered it. I'd add that for anyone new, they should consider finding something else, as Microstock and Stock have seen the growth and best days, in the past. The future is very unlikely to be profitable or good earnings. Only the best, exceptional and useful content images, will bring in any reasonable income.

For agencies, nope they are doing fine. For artists, things are quite downhill for most.

ADH · « **Reply #8 on:** August 06, 2022, 12:05 »

Quote from: fotoluminate on August 05, 2022, 13:02

Uploaded a new video on the topic - Is Stock Photography Dead?

There's plenty of opinions on this topic so here's my stab at analyzing the Stock Photography industry.

I'm certain I missed a few points but here are my thoughts on the matter.

Thanks for viewing and hope you subscribe to my Channel.

Thanks

Raul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MVxjZk1bhI&t=56s

Raul you did not mention the roll of photo factories in this game, small companies with overhead expenses fully dedicated to create stock content

fotoluminate · « **Reply #9 on:** August 06, 2022, 16:47 »

Quote from: ADH on August 06, 2022, 12:05

Quote from: fotoluminate on August 05, 2022, 13:02
Uploaded a new video on the topic - Is Stock Photography Dead?

There's plenty of opinions on this topic so here's my stab at analyzing the Stock Photography industry.

I'm certain I missed a few points but here are my thoughts on the matter.

Thanks for viewing and hope you subscribe to my Channel.

Thanks

Raul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MVxjZk1bhI&t=56s

Raul you did not mention the roll of photo factories in this game, small companies with overhead expenses fully dedicated to create stock content

I mentioned them in the Contributor pyramid section in the opening about "The Producers".
Thanks

MicrostockGroup Sponsors

Author Topic: Is Stock Photography Dead? (Read 3811 times)

fotoluminate

cathyslife

f8

everest

k_t_g

tätarätä

Brasilnut

Uncle Pete

ADH

fotoluminate

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