Author Topic: Shooting for stock is overrated? A way out? (Read 4550 times)

Sion · « **on:** June 04, 2020, 21:10 »

Except for the newbies with bright eyes who are flooding the microstock sites with unimpressive content some "veteran" stock stockers I know are finding a way out.

I started to shoot for local businesses mainly interior, headshots, food and commercial products etc. and had made $10,000 since late august last year. I leverage the photography experience I've gained from shooting stock. Haven't had much time for stock since then. Average job is around $200.

"When everybody is looking one way perhaps it's time to look another way" - Confucius.

mj007 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2020, 22:31 »

Sion, you may already do this but is so easy to make some fast money. Everyone needs a good social media head shot. Go to your local office building and setup sessions for 10 bucks a head with 10 heads minium. You can shot these so fast and 10 people will turn into 20-30 people. Just like shooting ducks in a barrel. All of a sudden you have made 300 bucks in two hours and this may turn into other photo work the offices need.

Clair Voyant · « **Reply #2 on:** June 05, 2020, 11:02 »

Quote from: mj007 on June 04, 2020, 22:31

Sion, you may already do this but is so easy to make some fast money. Everyone needs a good social media head shot. Go to your local office building and setup sessions for 10 bucks a head with 10 heads minium. You can shot these so fast and 10 people will turn into 20-30 people. Just like shooting ducks in a barrel. All of a sudden you have made 300 bucks in two hours and this may turn into other photo work the offices need.

Why sell yourself short? $10 per head? I hope you are joking. That is below minimum wage.

mj007 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 05, 2020, 11:35 »

I can shoot 30 heads in two hours on a blue background. That is 150 an hour....That is less than a plumber make but more than most photoogs make.

Sion · « **Reply #4 on:** June 06, 2020, 09:53 »

I normally charge headshots of 3 photos for $100. Shooting in the comfort of my home studio.

Product shots of 5 photos for $150 on white background.

Stock photos used to be $200 -$250 per photo. I was lucky to be in there at the right time. Now with $0.12 per photo. It's the love for photography not money that sustains the shooting.

Many enthusiastic beginners are still wearing the rosy color tinted glasses. They will be ones who sustain microstock. We have $250 per photo for historical reference. They only have $0.12 in their visions.

Roger Mitsom · « **Reply #5 on:** June 10, 2020, 19:25 »

I'm a photographer for 20 years and just started with stock photography.

I think it's ironic that the complaints voiced in this thread about stock (low payout/ requiring high volume) you now seem to be applying to headshots. If you're any good please up your rates and don't bring this race to the bottom to the portrait world. $10 for a headshot is nuts. Most clients I know wouldn't even take you seriously. Experienced shooters charge $350 and up. In quantity maybe $125. Plus extra for retouching. You'll find lowballing ($10?!) isn't worth the effort as unlike stock you can't keep reselling images. At least I can't because a corporate client isn't going to sign a model release.

As for getting into the commercial world, it's definitely good to diversify. That's why I got into stock recently. Also, if you shoot events like I do as well, you get paid for shooting jobs that you can then select appropriate images for for stock photography. That's how I put together my initial stock portfolio.

Roger Mitsom · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2020, 19:34 »

Quote from: mj007 on June 05, 2020, 11:35

I can shoot 30 heads in two hours on a blue background. That is 150 an hour....That is less than a plumber make but more than most photoogs make.

By the time you're talking about lighting setup/ teardown, processing, file delivery... you're basically talking about a full day. And I'm going to assume you don't do this 5 days a week. Do you do any marketing to get new clients? Are you investing in new equipment? How much do you pay for that studio of yours? It adds up.

Not only are you selling yourself short but you're bringing everyone else's rates down. Start telling clients you're shooting a "portrait" or "executive portrait" and stop calling it a headshot. Sounds cheap. Like I said in my earlier post this isn't like stock where you can sell these images again and again. Although I do know some guys who've done that with consumers, never executives.