Author Topic: Does Alamy have a pulse? (Read 5266 times)

tomasfoto · « **on:** March 28, 2011, 17:59 »

I've been with Alamy for several years. Total files 3000, 800 of which have been uploaded in the past year. Sales averaged between $2400 and $3000 per year. For the first quarter of 2011 I have made less than $300. In March I have made 42 cents! Alamy was never big for me, but I like the 3 grand a year. With a 25% increase in images available it is disappointing to see sales so slow. The original 2200 files were RM, the last 800 RF. Is microstock killing Alamy? Should I not send them RF files? Is Alamy a factor in stock any longer?

I appreciate any inputs.

Thanks,

Tomás

Phil · « **Reply #1 on:** March 28, 2011, 18:16 »

I still do alright at Alamy but it is less than half of what it used to be. Like the micros the increase in the number of images within the last year or two is phenominal. Not counting novel use I still have a similar numbers of sales, but the prices are much much lower than what they were. This month has been bad and I've only got about 25% of my normal month.

gostwyck · « **Reply #2 on:** March 28, 2011, 18:20 »

As far as I'm concerned Alamy has been increasingly on life-support ever since the introduction of micro. About 2 years ago they published a report that indicated average earnings per image were about one tenth that of non-exclusive images at Istock alone. I could never see the point in uploading to them, especially when you had to do all the ridiculous up-sizing and send images in on CD. As they have made it easier to upload the economic incentive to do so has receded ever further.

lisafx · « **Reply #3 on:** March 28, 2011, 19:08 »

Alamy is consistently around 4-5% of my monthly stock totals, matching Bigstock and beating the lower earners. So to me it is still worthwhile uploading there, but it is a PITA, so I only do it every few months.

I guess since I wasn't on Alamy in its glory days I don't know what I am missing

MatHayward · « **Reply #4 on:** March 28, 2011, 23:10 »

I've been uploading concert photography for the editorial collection the past couple of months. I have yet to see a sale.

Mat

lagereek · « **Reply #5 on:** March 29, 2011, 00:31 »

Doesnt matter if you have 2500000 files or 500 files with Alamy, money-wise not much in it. Alamy is like all other "old style Trads" they got their special buyers and cliental. A typical RM agency actually. The Getty-RM, isnt much differant.

Ofcourse Micro has an effect, it has an effect on all the trad-agencies. The sooner Alamy starts with Micro/macro, the better. This novel-use isnt the same.

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #6 on:** March 29, 2011, 01:09 »

Alamy comes between the top tier and middle tier for me. The return is down on last year but I suspect that is due to falling prices rather than fewer sales. At least it accepts editorial without stupid nit-picking about whether there is a comma in the right place in the caption.

leaf · « **Reply #7 on:** March 29, 2011, 01:41 »

And remember that Alamy also pays it's photographers an impressive 60%.. so YES... we should be supporting Alamy.

lagereek · « **Reply #8 on:** March 29, 2011, 02:00 »

Quote from: leaf on March 29, 2011, 01:41

And remember that Alamy also pays it's photographers an impressive 60%.. so YES... we should be supporting Alamy.

I agree, we should be supporting Alamy, they have a proven track record.

sharpshot · « **Reply #9 on:** March 29, 2011, 02:40 »

I'm doing better there than last year but I've still got a small portfolio there.

ShadySue · « **Reply #10 on:** March 29, 2011, 03:38 »

All these issues are being discussed in the Alamy forums right now: macro/micro [1]; falling prices; dwindling sales.
IMO, as I've set out here several times, Alamy's search is a major issue. Sadly, iStock seems to be moving more towards the problems of the Alamy search in its latest incarnation.
Where Alamy overcomes this is that their regular buyers can contact Alamy staff to filter out a search for them. That could never be done on micro prices.
[1] The proponent of micro prices is suggesting that micro prices should be used for several uses, particularly teachers preparing lessons or pupils doing homework. He's been out of teaching so long he's lost touch and doesn't know that in the UK (at least Scotland, England and Wales), every teacher and pupil has access to the GLOW system, which includes, inter alia, well over a million free lo-res images particularly for these purposes (quality ranges from blah to excellent, but fine for the purpose). (Ha ~ don't bother trying to check it out. I stopped teaching on a Friday and by the Tuesday lunchtime I was knocked off the system, despite still being fully paid up and registered!)